The Portland daily press., 1879-02-04
Our New York Letter
The Custom House Appointments senn-
tor Conhling's Atiitude-A Contrast be-
tween the Two Collectors.
NEW YORK, February 8, 1879.

sue in respect of the Customs appointments in
this eity-and the question will perhaps be dis
posed of before this reaches yourreaderg-
public sentiment here runs very strongly in
favor of the suspended officials Everybody
believes that the charges against Gen. Arthur
emanating from the Treasury Department.
were trumped up to meet the emergency. The
statement that the change was made for the
purpose of promoting "reform' is altogether
too attenuated to deceive anybody. If that had
been the object sought after, the President
would certainly not have selected a man who
was nothing but politician and whose sole
claim to Executive favor consisted of bis oppo.
sition to Senator Conkling. Gen. Arthur takes
hand in politics of course. There never was
Collector who did not; there probably never
will be. He does it very quietly and the best
evidence of his cspability in that line Is to be
found in the fact that his power as a leader
has not been impaired by this suspension
of his official functions.
The proposition that the complete severance
of the revenue service from all association with
paItizanship would result beneficia.ly is debat-
able. There is Vrousd for argument for aud
| against it. But the substitution of the sup
porter of an Insignificant faction within the
| Republican party, for one who is in perfect
accord with the masses who compose 1t is not
defensible in policy or in ethics. And when it
is palliated on the score of it's being for the in
terest of the people, there is a general DISPOSE
ton to laugh outright at the absurdity of the
suggestion. The President undoubtedly has O
tight to crafty his preferences in the selection
/ of nominees for office If the Senate concurs
with him. If he would be frank in declaring
the motives which impsl his action, his recon.
mendations would receive all proper respect.
Unfortunately he stands committed on the
record as u strenuous advocate of civil service
reform. He is at the disadvantage of feeling
obliged to make the things he does correspond
with the pledges he has made. They will not
fit each other no matter how hard he may try
to force them to do SO, and his efforts to appear
consistent throw a heavy shadow of distrust
upon his sincerity. 1t requires far more credu-
lty than possesses the mind of the average
man, to believe that Gen. Arthur was displaced
for any other earthly reason than that he was
friendly to the Republican Senator of New
York.
The attitude Of Mr.. Conkling in reference to
this matter is perfectly Ineligible. Assum-
ing that the Collector has been prescribed be-
cause he was his friend, his magnanimity and
sense of justice compel him to exert all his
influence to prevent the sacrifice. The work
is dlstasteful to him. He has no personal
interests to serve by engaging in ii. 1t doesn't
make the slightest difference to him who holds
the place of Collector The idea that his politl-
cal fortunes are dependent on his oppertuni-
ties of dispensing official patronage was pretty
thoroughly shown to be fallacious. at the last
election. He went into that campaign with
the Office holders either against him or muzzled,
and he came out Of it stronger than he ever
was before, or than any man in the State ever
was before. But he is not III kind of man to
desert his friends after they have ceased to be
in position 10 serve him. His fidelity Is not
of that feeble and narrow type. He throws
himself into this controversy with all the gal
lantry and daring Of plumed knight of chiv-
airy, and whatever the issue mag bs the manly
stand be has taken must command the respect
of everybodywho admires pluck and courage.
The administration nominee is an adept in
all the little arts of electioneerng. He des-
patched one of his trusty hsnchmen to the
State capital to secure the signatures Of mem.
bars of the Legislature to petition in favor Of
his confirmation. There is nothing so easy to
procure as names to any sort of memorial. I
have had occasion before to remark upon the
readiness with which gentlemen, subscribe to
any and every paper that is laid before them,
provided it involves no pecuniary outlay. 1t
saves so much trouble to get rid of the impor-
tunity by dash Of the pen, that IL Is often
done without a moments reflection. 1t is
highly probable that if the friends of General
Arthur had chosen to resort to similar tactics
and been earliest in the field they would have
obtained the Endorsement of four-ffths of the
members of both houses. Some of the petition
ers uuquestionably were influenced by the
consideration that 1t was misfortune to con-
tinue a strife that might create dssensions In
thu ranks of the party. But If they had given
proper thought to the matter they could hardly
have avoided the conclusion that the case was
in excellent hands already and that it was
mistake for them to meddle with it.
The contrast between the conduct of the sus-
pended and the acting Collector is worthy Of
notice. Gen. Arthur has done nothing, con-
ssntsd to nothing, that had the appearance of
endeavoring to direct public opinion in his be-
half. If he had signiied a wish to be sustained
after that fashion he could have had the strong
est backing that was ever given to candidate.
Prominent ci liens of both parties in great
numbers volunteered to urge his retention, but
he absolutely declined to avail himself of their
friendly interposition. He has behaved with
commendable dignity and circumspection from
beginning to end. Pablic sentiment has been
very strongly on his side all the while and the
position he has maintained has paced him at
an immeasurable advantage over his opponents.
He remained silent until he was attacked. and
then he vindlcatsd himself with vigor aud
esrnestness that were extremely convincing
and forcible. Whatever may be the finale Of
the contest, his reputation will suffer no harm.
As far as he is personally concerned it is Of
very little consequence whether he Is restored
or superseded. The administration have in
sisted upon investing him with a crown Of
martyrdom, aud if the effort proves successful,
it will not bs long probably before he is sum-
moned to a b CHER sphere of duty.
1t is a pity, nevertheless, thar so important
federal Office as the one from which il Is sought
to depose him, should be used as the spoil Of a
faction that is remarkable for nothing except
an incarable propensity to conspire against the
Republican party. Fhe Custom House is as
intensely psrtizan as it ever was, bat under its
present control it is certain to deg Generate into
an asylum for the support of men who have
been unfaithful to their political creed and
organization. 1t is being gradually filed up
with deserters from the ranks who betrayed
the cause in the memorable campaign of 1872,
and if the Senate consents to keepit under the
same management, the strongest recommends
| ton TO office in it will be that the APPLICANT is
Enthusiastically in his political affiliations, and
therefore presumably unreliable in every rela-
ton of life. 1t is one of the great evils Of
having an administration that is not in accord
with the multtudes who compose the rank and
file of the party, that it gathers around it the
waits and strsys whose political ties have been
SO mobile and various that they have in turn
exposed and abandoned every creed that has
been broached In their day and generation. If
the President would only give rs a steadfast