New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-07-12

OIHcc, INTO winch, WITHOUT HIS 'H"lt, III"
almost against his Judgment he has just
been drafted. He has good executive ability;
he has attended vigorously to his business
he has enforced the law fairly ana without IA
vor, and he has brought his force into a high
state of efficiency and discipline. The mcr-
chants have been thoroughly satisfied, the rcvc-
nucS have been increased, the expenses
have been diminished. and the talk Of
corruption among inspectors and wcigherS
has been silcnced. The man who has
done these things and has had this
experience as Naval Officer and Sur
vcyor, has qualifications nobody else
could havo for making good, prac-
teal, business Collector of the Port.
The Naval Office is merely an auditing bu-
Icau. In filling it, an exceedingly
capable Deputy Is promoted. and is cx-
pected hcmccforth to discharge the duties
of his late Chief, IA well as his
own with a saving of one of the salaries.
The Administration places the suspension OF
General Arthur on the ground that the inter
eStS of the public service require 1t. There Is
talk of laxIty III management, routine methods,
misconduct of SubOrdinatcS, and the like. On
these points the public is not now in posi-
ton to Judge. When General Arthur has
been criticised heretofore in Washington.
or assaulted by special agents III
New York, he always met the charges IN so
handsome Il manner that the community VIII
be slow to think i'll of him now. The Adj
minlstration makes no question whatever OF
his integrity, and if IT did Newlork would
not believe it, The suspension OF Mr. Cornell
is not based upon any distinct charge,
and we doubt if it can be satisfactorily
vindicatcd. We say this with the more
frankncsS. since TIE TRIBUNE has uni
folmIy opposed Mr.. Cornell in every
poltlral aspiration he has cherished, and
has never hcSitatcd TO cIlilcISc his
course with absolute freedom But i'll the
Naval Office he has given no grounds
for criticism. There is not a whisper that he
has not fairly performed his work ; and not
complaint of any kind save that, Il, chairman
of the State organization, whose dele
gates made Mr. Hayes the nominee at
Cincinnati. ne discharged the purely FOR
nal and necessary duty OF calling the State
Convention to ordcr-a duty winch III Az
other and earlier case the Administration olli-
cially explained that its Civil Service order did
not forbid. In Mr.. lI&yc>'S letter Of
acceptance were these golden words, +" The
officer should be secure i'm his tenure Of office
las long rs his personal character remained IN
"talnishod and the performance of his
"dutIc~ satisfactory. If elected, shall con-
"duct the Administration of the Government
"upon these principles, and all constitutional
" powers vested IN the Executive will b" I'm
"ploycd 10 establish this reform" There
Il, lao. INN,
OF Mr.. Cornell i, Mr.. lIayc>'s own personal
act.
But there should be no quarrcllng ROW, or
complaining, over what Is past remedy In"
new iucumhcut> are hr>t-claS- men, they will
bc in hearty accord with Che Administration,
and We cannot doubt that marked improve
mcnt in the service must follow. here are
10 be- 10 wholesale change, and there l. not
a sign Of an cnorr to build up an Eyut, party.
or an Administration party, OF anybody :
uarty through the Custom llou'c ma
chinc1y. Neither is there any chance
to do it. General Merritt would not
take the Col',ctor-hip with such a duty at
tlchcd and this Administration ha, not at
any rae shown such capacity hitherto IN that
direction a. to give any body reason for UNI
cd-Iuc--.
This. then, i, the sum of the whole mattel
We have change at the Custom House
which bring, 1t into hearty working
accord with the Administration, aud
that. AT least. j. a> it should hr. We hHN"
admirable appointments, q certainty oi f."
changes no political m'ddng, and Il straight
forward business management and that Is -
il should be-. And We have tho power