The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-06

the spirit of obedience, fear to criticise, no
opposition TO the Presidential will, unless
when, by some mistake, nomination is made
that may weaken the party discipline. True,
Williams WAS overthrown, but il WAS for
social reasons; and Gushing was discarded,
but only because he was not 'loyal to the
party" The very men who discarded Cushing
are the men who sustain every outrage in the
South, who dismissed Mr.. Summer and re-
jected Judge Hoar and drove Cox out of public
life. Furthermore, they are the men who have
SO mutilated the Civil Service regulations that
Mr.. Curtis, the editor we are now comment
ing upon, was compelled 10 resign, and
abandon scheme that had been dishonored
and rendered barren by the coerced admins
tration.
Upon what does this party rest? Upon a
deadened and corrupt public opinion. Look
around us and we find the political atmosphere
laden with miasma. From Custom House to
Post Office, from the army to the Treasury, the
unhealthy vapors ascend Every day we
turn new leaf Of INSTRUMENTATION, neglect
crime. Our revenue system is simply nest
of swarming drones who lap and grow fat
upon the drippings of the Treasury. Gradu-
ally we have come to system resembling what
was seen in France before the Revolution.
vast class Of middlsmen has grown up be-
tween the people and the government The
revenues ore farmed out as they were farmed
out by Louis XIV. Take the Sanborn
disclosures, the Jayne transactions and
o thousand instances of this kind
Party discipline is SO extreme, and
party necessities SO pressing, that the
whole machinery Of the government-its
administration, its revenues its power for
good or evil at the polls-is at the will Of the
party leaders Between the people and the
central authority, between the citizen and the
President, the Congress and the courts, there
is this mighty middle power. It COM
one side, and the people on the other. The
result is that, with all Of our rhetoric, we are
among the worst-governed people in the world.
Our tariff laws shackle the industries they
claim to protect. Our State governments in
the South rest upon ignorance and malefeas-
voice Of resentment the mailed hand of the
military commander suppresses it. We have,
as wards, a savage but interesting people, and
instead of the humanity Of Christians We
have shown barbarity as terrible IS that of
Give in Hindostan. Our diplomacy abroad
has its frui6on in Emma Mine speculations,
in Vienna scandals, in the humiliations
of the Virginius. Our aim is to get rich and
build palaces in Washington and drink cham
payne, and call each other society" and teach
our youth thrift by conspicuous examples of
luxury and parade. When, now and then, we
system, a panic and widespread ruin, we
propose imitation. The middle class (the
farmers general of the revenues) knows what
means Any policy of reform, of
or retrenchment means death. By
there will be few years more Of
success, Of speculation, of society" few
more years, and then the deluge!
What is the remedy? We have none from
General Garfield It certainly is not by
making an example of General Butler.
The Essex Congressman is o unit of consid-
cradle value in our arithmetic but he is
not quite a political principle. We do not
believe the seas will go down because
Jonah is thrown overheard, more especially
if crew of .Jonahs remain on deck. The
evil is not with a man, but with party and
system; and we have no remedy either in the
writings of Mr.. Curtis or the eloquence Of Gen
eral Garfield. The President is as good in many
ways as we could wish, and on occasion has
shown a strong conservative wisdom, but
what is the President in presence of this men
acing, insatiate, resolute middle class, which
stands between the people and their govern
ment and commands the nation? Thus far this
party has marched without check Only the
other day it carried Philadelphia. What will
be the result in New England? Upon that
result may depend momentous issues If the
party of the President is beaten he may re-
treat from his new alliances and quietly drift
into history and private life. If it succeeds,
as succeed it may, what then?
A SUGGESTION. acknowledge the follow
ing letter from Mr.. Minturn, which we are
glad to print -
THE NEW YORK ASSOCIATION FOR IxPRovNG)
THE CONDITION OF THE Poor,
TREAsURER's OFFICE, IS SOUTH STREET,
NEW YORK. March 8, 1874.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
Allow me to avail myself Of your columns to
acknowledge the amount OF $l31 rs, donated to
this association by the employees of Messrs. W. d
j. Sloane.
This association does not usually make public
acknowledgment of donations, but when | re-
ceived this contribution from those who them
selves have little to spare. but who