New-York tribune., 1875-08-17

,COnoressiOnal Executive Committee devOted I'd
&" the thorough reorganization Of the Republl-
" can party and the circulation OF such docu-
nents az will be essential to tho work."
We begged the attention of the average voter
to the fact that under the rules OF the re-
formed civil service this circular, though ad-
dressed to ofice-hOlders, with the amount OF
the contribution called for, specified, was not
nm assessment S-far from it-that it was
merely q voluntary contribution ; and the sum
specified 10 far from being an assessment, was
simply an indication to the person addressed,
of what it was his duty to pay as citizen.
We believe We intinlated IN the article re-
ferred to that there was nothing compulsory
in this notice that it was only suggestion
of what any one holding such an office as the
person addressed should be willing to give, to
perpetuate in power the party which was
keeping the country so steady, and d.
yidng the pOst-Offices anu custom
houses and things, with such wise regard
for the best interests of humanity. Indeed,
there could be no finer tribute paid to the re-
formed civil service, and especially to that fca-
ture of the reform which abOlis!lcs assess
ments, than Judge Edmundss mild and seduc-
tive invitation to the people in the POst-Oflice
Department to contribute voluntarily to the
fund for maintaining the ascendency OF the
Republican party. "Assuming you TO be a
Republican," said the Judgc-and POstmas-
ter-and Secretary, i'm this winning epls-
tic, "desir0us of maintaining the ascendcncy
:" of the Republican party and thus securing the
"beneft of Republican principles, and that to do
this you are willing to contribute to Il reason
"a -, fha no
legitimate means to support the Republican
"party, both in the form of personal effort
"and the contribution of money, we hope you
"may be willing to send to the Committee -
"dollars to he expended as above Indicated"
Could ANYTHING be more definite or more beau
iful! Nothing we boldly answer, unless it
be the calm and level request Immediately
following for "reply under cover of the i'll
closed envelope"
We have admired Judge Edmunds before.
We admired him for this for his graphic state
ment of the emergency, and his quiet ana
decorOus presentment of its demands. And
now comes The Chicago 1ribune, through its
Washington correspondence, with the statement
that there is no lack of funds in the treasury
of the Congressional Executive Committee ;
that, on the contrary, it contains gOOdly
:. balance :" that there is nothing in the cam
paign which calls for contributions; that all
the States are paying their own way in the
canvass and that, as a matter OF fact the
circular, beautiful and insnuatins as it is,
"was not issued by that Committee, nor
"with the knowledge or consent of
ats members" at emanatCs," says Ihe
Chicago Tribune, with frightful candOr,
L" from Postmaster Ednunds himself" Oh.
cruel blow, that undcrmincs our faith in
Edmunds, the Judge, the Postmaster, the Sec
rctary And The Chicago Tribune goes on to
say with brutal frankness that the contributions
the voluntary cOntrbutiOns-fOr which Post
master Edmunds calls, are not for carrying on
any campaign whatsoever, but for sustaining a
journal in Chicago in the interest of
Secretary Delano and the Indian Ring. This
seems too bad II not only shakes our conf
dence in Judge Edmunds-in whom we would
delight to bclievc-but it really makes us dis
trust the correspondence of the Journal referred
to on the Indian question. We were aware that
the biographical sketches of Prof. Marsh and
others who had attacked the Indian Ring,
emanated from the Interior Department; but
We did not know until now that the Post
Office Department was assessed for the ex-
pense of their publication. The Postmaster at
| Westinghouse he appointed by Secretary
| DelanOi Or does the little bOb-tailcd clam
" Yankee appoint himY