The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-05-26
Ghe 11ailg Argas.
The Sinking Ship,

The rats are running from the sinking
ship. At least the Washington organs of
the White House are forced to admit the
intended resignation of Mr. Fish from the
cabinet, which was long ago announced in
the Sun, and denied by these same papers,
For six years Mr. Fish has shaped the
foreign policy of this government, guided
by the impulses of narrow mind and the
venal interests of his family ties There
is no act of his which excites pride or adj
miration; while the whole course pursued
toward the struggling patriots of Cuba has
not only been repugnant to all our tradi-
tions, but may be said to have been direct
ed by the minister at Washington repre-
senting for the time the succeeding govern
ments at Madrid. The urgency must be
extreme which now compels Mr.. Fish to
withdraw Foreseeing the coming and
chrushing defeat of Grantism, he seeks to
escape before the rotten concern tumbles
down. His sagacity is about equal to that
degree of self-protection, and his private
fortune is sufficient to give up offices with
out suffering from the loss OF salary.
His retreat at this time is more proof
of selfshness than of courage He sat side
by side with DelaDo, Williams, Creswell.
and Robson for years, knowing them to be
publicly charged with corruption, and that
the evidence of their completely in frauds
was damning An honorable man, sensi
tive to his own character, would have
scorned such associations.
When Belknap unqualiiedly approved
the buatal bulletins of Sheridan, and Off
| cially assured him of the support of the
president and 'all of u.s. in treating the
oP "a:
was never consulted, but considered as a
head clerk, who would not dare disobey
the orders of his employer, He submitted
to this indignity in silence, as he had be
fore tacitly consented to the outrages in
ficted on the south in the interests of the
president S ambition and of the thievine
carpet-baggers.
After condoning these crimes, passively
Welding to offensive dictation, and surren-
deriDg the patronage of his department to
the presidents orders he now steps out by
the back door, and hopes by this expedi-
ent to escape his share of the responsible
ity. 1t will not succeed. The best that
can be said for the departing secretary is
that the administration will soon lose its
man of department. Mr.. Turveydrop IT
tires.
Robson and Belknap are just now on
anxious seats. In spite of four attempts
to fire the navy department in a short
space of time, and in different places, and
the destruction of valuable records u
water and confusion not accidental, there
are still proofs on file which must be pro
duced before investigating committees
And the war department will be required
to show what became Of million and ,
half of dollars from the sale of arms t.
France, that never found their way into tn,
treasury.
1t will so hard with these two patriot
!. to resign, even with certificate of charac
r ter from the president, though they boil
have prospered sufficiently in office to max
the pay less important now than it wa
; when they sought employment chiefly 70
that consideration. Still as choice Q
evils, they may conclude that obscurity i
better than investigation by house G
representatives which has spread PAM
eight months in advance of meeting, an
shaken a cabinet to pieces-N y. Sun.