The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-02

SA'ioo W nieol NJ Lansing, MlcnlShu, august
., tor similar purpose, and with the more
direct view of defeating Senator Chandier's
reelection by the next Legislature.
The sccretaryship OF the Treasury.
The President, as we anticipated yesterday,
has nominated Mr. Bristow to be Secretary Of
the Treasury. Upon the celebrated principle
laid down by the President at the outset of his
administration, that he would as soon permit
any interference in the choice Of wife as in
the selection Of q constitutional adviser we
should. in courtesy to the President, have lit
tie to say as to the fitness Of Mr. Bristow. We
will venture the expression, however, that he
Is man of repute, as politicians go, with char
acter for integrity and business capacity, and
thus far, although holding an important Wash
ington Office has borne a stainless name. We
certainly trust for the honor of the country
and the success Of the administration, that
Mr.. Brstow will be competent Secre-
tary. But he has no hold upon
the country. His name gives no
strength to the Cabinet, political or
otherwise, and his appointment will be re-
garded as another effort Of the Imagination
which evolved Alderman out of the Dismal
Swamp to be Attorney General, and discovered
in modest, amiable, retired East India mer-
chant of Philadelphia the qualities for the
control of the navy.
We accept Mr.. Bristow on trust with kind
ness and welcome, meaning to give him all
our aid in achieving success and hoping he
may do well. He has great chance if he be
one of those men who know opportunity and
how to direct it. There is no duty more thank
less to o statesman than to take Office at the
flag end of an administration. For if the party
in power goes out he goes with it, bearing all
the odium and unpopularity that should be-
long to his predecessors Thus Judge Black,
who was made Secretary of State at the
last moment by Mr.. Buchanan, has been COM
PEELED to bear the burden Of oil Mr.. Blu
chanan's sins. A good Secretary of the
Treasury can do more than any other officer
to strengthen On administration, and especially
at this time. when everything depends upon
the financial questions. The tendency in
many portions Of the country, especially in
the West, to divide the republican party on
imitation and resumption, imposes upon the
head OF the Treasury delicate responsibility.
Our first grievance with Mr.. Richardson, the
outgoing Secretary, was that during the
whole financial discussion in Congress, when
it was of the utmos. consequence to know the
policy of the administration, or whether it
really had policy, he was silent and helpless.
So far from knowing what the administration
wished on the currency question, there was
utter darkness, and the first light came in the
shape Of the Veto
It may not be without interest to note that
with the appointment of Mr.. Bristow we havea
call for meeting Of the Republican National
Committee at Washington for purposes Of con-
sultation. It is not usual proceeding Tor
committee of this nature to meet during the
existence of friendly administration. We
are not instructed as to the motives inspiring
this call, but they are certainly subjects for
speculation.
There can only be two purposes for ''con-
sultation'' now. Either the republican party
is in such comatose condition that these gen.
tlemen come as physicians to find out the
hidden cause of trouble and purge it from the
body, or they may feel that it is wise to take q
general inventory of effects, of the leases,
tenements, lands messuages of the concern,
with any mortgages that may be upon it. and
see how solvent it is and what arrangements
may be made for continuance Of business. It
is just possible that these cunning men, skilled
in all political afflirs, and resolute also, have
made up their minds to put an end to the pres
ent crisis 1t has been plain enough to many
others than the National Committee that the
It does not know what to do with General
Grant nor how to do without him. Here is the
one question which is in all mems minds but
which no one has dared to ask the President
namely, Does he mean to run for third term2
John NJ Francis, the editor Of the Troy Times,
claims to have actually asked the question,
and he reports that the subject is "distasteful
to the President" Mr.. Francis is credible
witness, and has been our Minister to Greece,
where he no doubt became skilled in dealing
with oracles But we are mistaken if the
committee does not require more explicit in
formation than he vouchsafes.
Or it may just be possible that the commit
tee is not satisfied with what may be called
the Presidents gift Of evolution-the evolving
of shadows into the Cabinet like Alderman and
Borie and Bristow. It's members may have
come to the conclusion that it is quite as i'm
portant to party as it is to President to
have representative statesmen in the Cabinet,
that Secretary Of the Treasury is something
more than an aide-de-camp Of the President,
and cabinet not quite . military staff The
earnestness with which the President has re-
sisted these ideas is quite in harmony with his
stubbornness Of character. We can well under
stand how tho members of the committee
would concern themselves about this and