The New York herald., 1874-09-20
Custom House statesm n ship.


by the pale, melancholy Hamlet in whose
hands already the banner of democracy be-
gins to droop, that We have overlooked our
friends at the Custom House. We allude to
the Custom House now not as a financial
machine, an engine of revenue, but as q
forum Of craftsmanship. The leaders of the
Custom House are all at their post. Collector
Arthur has returned from Labrador, where he
has been ensnarng the wary salmon and
shilling himself in those devices by which he
may hope to ensnare the confding democracy
at the next election. Ex-Collector Murphy
has returned from Long Branch, his blood
ripened with the salt sea breezes and his
mind elevated by Presidential inspirations
Surveyor Sharpe is in state of noisy prepa-
ration for the canvass while Naval Officer
Latin has come home from Martha's
Vineyard in a pious frame of mind,
having had reviving experiences at
camp meeting District Attorney Bliss is as
fresh and eager young bull among the
spring clover. The Hon. Hugh j. Hastings,
the editor in partibus Of the administration
organ, and who shares with Mr.. Murphy the
innermost condolences of the President, re-
turns to New York the captor and executioner
of some two hundred thousand blue fish, and
| willing to perform the same Offices upon the
democratic party of New York.
| Although seemingly harmonious party
| we fear there are sorrows in the Custom
House. Two problems vex the souls of the
administration leaders-namely John A. Dix
| A. IL !
to be in On unhappy frame Of mind, lacking
sympathy and appreciation. Some of our
contemporaries, with unnecessary rudeness of
| speech, have called him ''sorehead." But
far be it from us to apply Bellevue Hospital
rhetoric to statesman whose friends believe
to be an exact physical type of the immortal
Washington. But Mr.. Cornell is not
! happy. He would be Lieutenant Gov
ernor or Governor or Senator, or, in fact,
| anything that is handy. He is nothing
but Alonzo b. Cornell, ex-member of the
House, ex-Surveyor of the Port, ex-Speaker.
If there is one thing that 'doth like poison
GUS mineral gnaw the inwards'' or so acts
upon the blood as to ''burn like the mines of
sulphur it is the sex to the young aspir-
ing politician. And although we have never
been disturbed by an irrepressible enthusiasm
for Mr.. Cornell we can enter thoroughly into
his disappointments We see no help for
him. Governor Dix cannot be overthrown.
We have no doubt that Collector Arthur
would be glad enough to see the Governor
crossing Sandy Hook bar in a revenue cutter,
with Mr. Cornell bearing him company. feel
ing that Custom House affairs had thereby be-
come largely simplifed. But Governor Dix
holds to the Custom House party the relation
OF the tiger whom an adventurous sportsman
once seized by the tail The party don't
want to hold on to him and it cannot let him
60. And he will not die, which would be an
immense comfort to Custom House men of q
mathematical frame of mind, who have been
| consulting Vapereau and "Men of our Time"
| English, French and American dictionaries and
| insurance time tables to see what possible vi
| tality may remain in the old mans frame.
Centennial Dix" as his admirers fondly call
him, has more vitality now in bis green old
age than dozen Custom House parties He
is problem that cannot be solved He must
be accepted. There are two facts in his life
which should not, at this time especially, be
forgotten. The one is that he directed that
anybody who trifed with the American flag
be shot on the spot. The other is that he
translated that magnificent hymn of ven-
geance and sorrow, "Dies Ire." The states
man who would give this order and translate
this poem is not to be trifed with by tax
gatherers and Collectors of the Port MIR. Cor
nell must wait. Let him study patience and
sweet philosophy. Above all things let him
avoid moodiness and nursing sorrow and dis
content By these mishaps Fenton fell, and
not only Fenton, but Greeley and Chase
and Sumner. There is nothing party, es-
pecially Custom House party composed of
weighers and tide-waiters, and inspectors,
and storekeepers, living from hand to
mouth, loves more than o cheerful leader
Let Mr.. Cornell initiate the benignant effer-
vesence of Mr.. Colfax, who, the more he was
assailed by envy and malice, lifted up his
voice the more loudly in praise of his enemies.
Centennial Dix and his inevitable relation
to the republican party give the Custom House
canvass monotonous interest. But there are
other questions that should be considered
There is the Presidential question, third
term, and the frghttul rumor all the way from
Utica that Mr.. Rober is, the accepted candi-
date of Mr. Conkling for Congress, has taken
ground against Mr.. Conkling and in favor of
MIR. Blaine as candidate for the Presidency
If Mr.. Cornell is malcontent and Mr.. Roberts
mutineer at this stage Of the canvass, what
will the future bring2 The republican party
cannot stand this annual depletion, but it
should learn wisdom from events, not ignore
issues that live in all mems minds. When
party falls into the position of being com
PEELED to accept o candidate with whom it has
no sympathy, who in his soul can have but
little respect for it's leaders or its principles