The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1875-05-26
An OYerhauling.

There is said to be great deal of
speculation and no little anxiety
| among politicians at the national cap
ital. They cannot clearly discern the
result of the recent raid upon the
| whisky ring, but have feeling that
it is a part of a stupendous political
scheme to remove a large number of
prominent officials, and replace them
with the followers of other magnates
the new cabinet officers, for instance
Ii Commissioner Douglas was remov-
ed simply because he was asleep on
his post, what will become of those
who are never at their posts, or have
been the tools of the whisky swindlers?
They see their political heads In the
basket and the CHASTITY sight makes
them faint at heart.
There appears to be some ground
for this certain fearful looking for of
judgment and fiery Indignation. The
fact is that President Grant in calling
to his cabinet such men as Bristow,
Jewell and Pierrepont, has surround
ed himself with class OF men who
have shown themselves eager and
competent to reform the public ser
vice wherever corruption appears or
incompetency has allowed abuses to
creep in. The Postmaster General
has shown his firm purpose by the
summary course he has pursued to
ward the straw bidders, the cheating
contractors, the clerks who sold them
selves to plunderers. the mailbag
swindlers, and in snubbing such Off
Gals as Sam Baird General Bristow
began early in the Treasury Depart
ment. He surprised the Mulletts by
showing them that the Minister of
Finance was not simply an official to
sign papers as matter of course.
Now he has stepped outside Of the
regular channels and surprised the in-
ternai revenue bureau by exposing
the iniquities of the whisky ring and
taking measures to bring these swim
dlers to justice. Judge Pierrepont
who takes the Department Of Justice
is supposed 10 be a man of the same
mould. Such cabinet changes look
like a purpose on the part of Presi-
dent Grant to inaugurate reform of
the civil service which will amount to
something and the first move against
the whisky ring; and those officials
who have allowed the combination to
grow while neglecting their duty, is
certainly an indication that the work
has begun in earnest. 1t may be
stupendous secret political scheme.
but it is one which promises more for
good government than the score of in
dependent party movements which
reformers have attempted the past
ten years. Let us hope that the work
may be carried on with the same zeal
and determination with which it has
been begun. Let the inefficient be
removed and the guilty punished to
the full extent of the law
We do not, however, think that
this movement against the whisky
ring is part of 'stupendous secret
political scheme" Indeed, we think
that it disposes OF the third term non
sense more effectually than a formal
declaration. All along we have been
told that the President was going to
secure third nomination by the aid
of the we'll trained army of office hold
ers. If such was the case, he would
not now be taking measures which
will most certainly ALLEVIATE many of
this efficient corps of helpers. The
fact is there is a reckoning day at
hand and we shall not be surprised to
witness a very respectfully sized pro-
cession of sorrowing gentlemen who
have seen service but will see it no
more. At least, such is the impress
sion of the best informed Republican
journals and things do point that way.
Well, let it move.-Portland (Maine)
Express.