New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-07-02
THE SAILORS RETURN.

The complimentary banquet to Secretary
Robson in Trenton this evening may not prove
an occasion for unrestraned festiyity. The
eminent citizens of New -Jersey-T mostly candI-
dates for the Governorship-who enlisted for the
dinner were aliured by the silvery persuasionS
of the Camden recruiting officers, and gave
little anxious thought rs to what all the eat
ing and drinking was to he about Everybody
WAS willing TO vindicate the ex-Secretary to
the extent of a square meal, without assuming
judicial functions of a very penetrating or de-
cisiye quality. The candidates for Governor
had no uncomfortable or protuberant opinions
about the general conduct OF "Salgeant's Yard"
or "Patt's Yard" or the yard of any other
Congre sSman. If the Secretary had ever elect
ed to build full-rggcd n-ofwar around
second hand binnaclc 1t might be an eccentric
use of the English language to classify each
construction under the head of 'repairs," but
they did not propose to mix phllOlOgy and
politics They had heard OF firm in the grain
land flour commission business, which had
few assets and no profits until 1t dropped INTO
the subsidiary business of trading upon ITS IN
fluence. real or reputed, with the Navy Depart
ment. They had heard of heavy percentages
which this firm had prosperonsly levied upon
contractors for naval stores and supplies
They had heard of chaotic bookkeeping
with general Jumping of refractory items and
a suggestive "gratuity account" But this was
not TO be dinner to Ex-senator Cattell nor
to Elijah. And they remembered that so re-
Gently as last January, the Judiciary committee
Of a Democratic house had reported that they
could discover in all the past volumes Of its
testimony, taken by hostile investigators, no
proof of "criminal intent or corrupt motive "
on the part of Mr.. Robson; and the candidates
for Governor were all more than willing to ac-
cord TO their illustriOus fallen citizen the iull
heneGt of all that such unanimous finding
implied.
But lately there has crept into the minds of
! those New Jersey statesmen an irritating sus-
picon that the feast may not have been IN
! tended exclusively to welcome home the re-
fired Secretary They are chilled by an over
shadowing dread that while Mr.. Robson Is to
rloriGed. somebody else is to be scariiied. II
is limited that he Is nursing noble rage against
the men who abandoned Packard, and that he
and his friends want to protest against
the Cuisines basis" theory of running
NAVY Yards and Custom Houses, as fraught
with peril to our free institutions. In sholt, ii
il feared that New-Jersey has been invited not
only to celebrate its affection for Mr. kobeson'
but its d siilectl0n for the President. All this
is very trying to the candidate for Governor
who is balancing himself in unstable equilibrium
npon the top rail of the fence. few days age
bis hunger for the dinner was as if the bottom
had dropped out of his stomach, and now hl'
appetite has completely evanesced. How does
he know where he wants to rally, when he Is
brought to face choice between the people
and the machnei The situation is one not to b'
wriggled out of. Every avenue of escape l.
constituted. In his distress the candidate wi
he driven to "antagonize" with somebody OF
something, and how can man get every body 7