The Portland daily press., 1878-07-16
Our New York Letter.
The Capture Of n Custom House-CiviI
Service Refsrm-Tho President and the
senafe-senafor ConIsIiDg.
NEW YORK, July Is, 1873.


The Hayes administration has at last given
the country an example of It's ideas of states
manship by the capture of Custom House.
1t seems to be the favorite theory of the class
of politicians who make loud professions Of
reform that the chief end of man is office
holding, and the chief function of government
the dispensation Of patronage. Pretty much
all the supporters Of the President from Ohio
had first to be taken care of, ana that occupied
considerable time. 1t was done 80 effectually
however, that for quite while the Republic
has been described In political circles as the
"United States of Ohio" Then there were
great many followers to be provided for In
Louisiana, and these were OF the kind that
were not merely importunate but grossly men,
acing. 1t required great deal Of ingenuity to
dispose Of Packard satisfactorily. 1t wouldn't
do to make him Collector of New Orleans;
that would have incensed the Democrats, to
whom the control of the State had been turned
over. The Nichols alliance cost too much to
be disturbed However, civil service reform Is
fertile of expedients. Gen. Torbert was re-
moved from the Consulate at Paris, Gov.
Fairehild, the one armed veteran of Wisconsin,
rotated into his place, and Packard commits
stoned as consul TO Liverpool.
number of other snug arrangements were
rudely interfered with by the Senate. Curious
ly enough the Executive, although continually
protesting his devotion to the principles of
civil service reform, eyinced an utter disregard
OF them in his practice the Senate on the other
hand, without being at all demonstrative on
the subject, manifested by its action decided
disinclination to be party to the system Of
distributing spoils as perquisites for partisan
services. In the one case it was much precept
| and no example; in the other no precept and
much example, One Can hardly recall the
letter Of acceptance of the Republican candi.
date for the Presidency and compare 1t with
subsequent actualities without being reminded
of Charles Lambs answer to Coleridge when
he inquired of him, "Dd you ever hear me
preach?" 81 never hesrd-d-d you do anything
| else!"
The New York Custom House has from the
beginning been the objective point Of assault by
the administration. Just how to get lever
under it was the insolvable problem. The
officer at its head was precisely the sort of man
whom Mr.. Hayes had pledged himself with
| emphasis not to remove. An effort was made
to surmount this obstacle by gathering to-
| gether testimony going to show cause why he
| should be superseded. The Jay commission
| was constituted for this purpose. It5 findings
were not CT a nature to convince any impartial
| person that there were reasonable grounds for
| making a change. Nevertheless it is not con-
sistent with the spirit of reform" as IL Is now
popularity understood, to be banked by such
slight impediments as plights and promises,
consequently the advice and consent of the
| Senate was asked to the removal of the collect
or and naval officer. Eminently respectable
| candidates were named 10 their places. The
Senate refused to advise or consent to the pro-
| posed substitu tion.
Surely that ought to have ended the
matter. The coordinate branch of the
government constitutionAlly clothed with
i potential share In the exercise Of the
appointing power, had relieved the Execu-
tive OF all responsibility in respect TO the man
l agement OF the customs service In New York.
There was no usurpation, no irregularity in the
proceedings. Acquescence in them by the
administration was not merely q courtesy due
to the highest legislative body in the land, but
it was an official obligation, none the less i'm
perative because it was point of honor to OBJ
serve it, rather than breach of law to violate
it. The public were undoubtedly with the
Senate and against the President 1t was re-
ducing politics to lower level than they had
sunk to under Republican guidance to make
such frantic plunge after patronage
But if tho performance itself was discredit-
able the manner in which it was done is pitt
| ably pusillanimous. There would have been .
display of pluck at least, however great the
lack OF judgment, in trying the thing on again
while the Senate was in session. This waiting
until that body had adjourned is something
that will offend the sense of fair play that Is
inherent in the breast Of every true American
citizen. 1t is like assaultng a man from be-
hind with the chance Of running before he eac
put himself in defensive attitude. There are
| features of sneakingness about it which would
be very likely to intensity the odium which the
administration has managed to heap up against
itself il that sentiment were susceptible Of fur.
ther increase. It's bad enough that the places
under government should be treated as the
personal perquisites of the President and his
advisers, but that they should be parcelled out
in defiance alike of public opinion and consti.
tutonal limitations, is worse still.
However, it looks as though the authorities
| at Washington had resolved to burn their
bridges behind them and close all the avenues
| of retreat. The recent manceuvre here attracts
attention because of its magnitude, yet there
has occurred since the adjournment OF Con-
gress at least one instance of far more fagrant
| defiance of Senatorial prerog ative and statu-
| tory requirement. / refer to the case OF the
Inspector of steamboats,, Of which L have OBJ
served thus far no public mention. From this
office Addison Low was removed and man
named Stratton appointed in his stead. The
Senate rejected Stratton. Low of course was
| reinstated. No sooner was the session over
than the President put Stratton back again!
This is deed that LOOKS like an invitation to
Congress to initiate proceedings of impeach-
ment. The audacity of 1T is in striking con-
trast with the timidty which characterized the
Presidents course ever since he was Installed.
The sudden change is generally attributed to
the sense Of security in respect of his tenure
which he began to feel for the first time, after
the House passed the resolution declaring that
no attack upon his title was contemplated.
Those who have opportunities of judging aver
that he has been q changed man since that ex
preston of the representatives Of the people,
and that we may look during the recess for
many exhibitions of his partislities and re-
sentiments 1t is not at all improbable that the
shadow that has rested upon his claim to his
seat has had an embarrassing effect upon his
action. But it is not an encouraging sign that
his first movements after being measurably re-
lieved of his constraints have been in the d.
rection of antagonism to the unity of the party
which elected him. If he keeps on 10 that way
he will soon land where johnson did unless he
fails altogether of getting ashore.
1t is perfectly obvious that this overturn In
New York has been inspired by hostility to
Senator Conkling, and is intended to prevent
his reelection to the Senate. These amateur
statesmen are not remarkable for sagacity and
they appear to entertain most profound faith
in the efficacy of patronage. As matter Of fact
Mr.. Conkling will derive strength from the
attack thus made upon him. 1t will have the
effect of soldifying the Republicans all over
the State. If Mr.. Hayes would follow up his
raid by bestowing all the places in his gift with
in the State, upon such tramps and stragglers