New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-02-19

squeainish on such points.
4 CABINET CP!NfS.
A crisis of very great importance 10 The
country is imminent. Despite many denais,
it is no secret that the position of the Secretary
of the Treasury, who has done 80 much 10y
his splendid fidelity In make this Administla-
ton respect able, mast be Il most difficult one.
Holding office as the adviser and aid OF the
Pre- ,ident his duty has compelled him to prose
cute men who are the trusted and confidential
friends of the President. In performing this
duty he has been hampcred in the most ox-
traordinary manner. The removal Of Mr. Hen
dcrSon was everywhere understood rs dam
aging blow at the prosecution OF whisky con-
spiratOrs. and the more recent letter oi Nlnr-
ncy-Gcneral PicrrepOnt, which the President
himself appears to have ordered, was obviously
calculated to deprive the Government OF evil
dcnce which, under well-established rules
of law, it is the duty oil prose
cutting officer to obtain by assurance of
leniency TO witnesses. and upon which. in
a case OF conspiracy, the prosecution must
largely RELY Be the motive of the Attorney
General what il may, the nature of the letter
was such that every unc0nylcted whisky thici
in tie land regarded ii az 4 mo-t valuable and.
Months ago, when the President did not be
hcve that Gen. Babcock OF any other personal
friend co1ld be indicted lac wrote, =" Lea No
"gulty 'pcrson escape, particularly none
" claiming the protection of thO+c hGh ~
"auth0rity Personal considerations should liz
no manner be permitted to control the per
"formancc of public duty The Secretary
must have regarded this as ample warrant 10
pursue every guilty person to the utmost In
DONG so he has obeyed the declared wish Of
the President, while doing bis duty "a an OIL
Ger of the Government. Yet this course, II Is
now reported, has gwen great oiicnsc.
The President is anxious to clear Gen. Bah
cock. The order of Attorney-G General Pierre
pont was issued just before the Bahcoch case
was called, and when it wds Supposed that the
Government might obtain important testimony
from Mckee or Mcguire. We know that either
this order or something else has caused them
not to testify, and has caused Bingham OF in
dianapois to deliver to the defense dOcum' nts
some of which were used III behalf of Babcock
In what other respects il may have affected the
testimony in that case cannotyet be determined
Had Secretary BrlStOw refused to serve Ill the
Cabinet one hour longer. when this mct oX-
traordinary order appeared, 1t would not
have seemed strange or unnatural. luz
friends of honest government, in all parts nj tine
country have been exceedingly anxious tiat the
Secretary shCnld remain. as long a. he couid
do so with power to rend important public
service. That desire he has respected. He re-
mains III the Cabinet to-day, not becaus" the
President desires the unspaiing prosecution ol
offenders. but because he does not dare openly
to arrest it. The position cannot be pleasant,
but il involves great responsibility, which the
Secretary does not seem disposed 10 shirk NOW
comes the report, from source Ill which we
have every reason 10 put confidence, that the
resignation of Solicitor Wilson will be de-
manded. The fidelity and efficiency of that
officer jave made HIM a terror to eNil-dOers.
Prominent politicians, whose power with the
President il known to be very great, stand IN
hourly peril OF exposure and disgrace 80 long
as this terribly efficient officer remains They
unfortunate besege the President to make q
change, and press tho demand with the energy
of desperation.
The President, il he abandons the lofty po-
sition taken in his Endorsement above quoted,
must voluntarily expose himself to public
criticism Of the grayest and most damaging
kind. But Secretary BristOw shOuld bc careful
to what counsel he listens. The advice which
Sumner gave to Stanton is the best advice
SIR. Bristow can get to-day. Let him stick"
He might well follow the threatened re-
moval of the Solicitor with his own percmptoTy
resignation. He must know the Infamous mo-
tives which prompt certain men to demand
| { ia change. He knows that the Solicitor has
given great Offcnse to scoundrels, but to hon
est men great satisfaction. by his fearless dis
charge of duty. In all probability he will re-
gard the removal of the Solicitor, az honest
citizens throughout the Land will regard it, rs
indisputablc proof that the President, since the
appearance of real danger to his near friends,
has resolved TO put stop to the prosecution
of whisky thieves But let him beware of
going out on any point of etiquette, or of per
sona discomfort. He is standing in the
breach, and it is his duty to man
the battery which is pouring destruc-
ton upon the whisky thieves so long as
he has an ounce of ammunition left Presi-
dent Grant may rest assured that public SEN
timent has moved forward long distance
since Secretary Cox was driven from the Cabi-
net The people are anxiously locking for a
| man who has the pluck and the honesty tO