The Portland daily press., 1880-02-17

Governor to decorate him with q martyrs
crown. He was really the casus belli in the
deadly strife between Kelly and Tilden. He
made sturdy fight In his own behalf and
pushed the case with marvellous energy from
court to court, until it reached point the 9th.
or day where he thought there could no long
er be a shadow of doubt as to his right to be
reinstated. Under this impression he took his
seat and Mclean, the Mayors protege and Mr.
Tiden's especial confidante, who had held
it ad interim stepped out. but alasl
nothing is so mysterious and confusing as the
course of what is facetiously called justice;
when it is in ermine. The Court determined
the questions in favor of Mr.. Nichols but de-
clned to reinstate him, and the struggle will
have to be continued apparently, ad rlfnit,tm,
to the great detriment of the public service and
to the serious inconvenience, ii must be sup
posed, of both claimants. However, Mr.. Mich
OILS has the great advantage of being restored to
possession of his seat, and it is not at all likely
that he will be required to surrender it. Now
that the controversy is virtually ended one can
not help deducing moral from it. The lesson
it teaches is that there is seldom anything to be
gained in politics, any more than in other
hings by deviating from the strict line of rec
titude. 1t must have been considerable of
wrench of Mayor Cooper's moral constitution
to perform official act which, if it we're Just,
would affix an indelibe brand of discredit on
one of his fellow-ctizens. II Mr.. Nichols de-
served removal he incurred disgrace. If he
did not the Mayor has done him a grisvous
wrong. The popular predictions were strong
ly in favor of the reinstated Commissioner. He
is q very amiable and attractive person. lie
always has borne a good name, and he has
shown, q proper degree Of sensitiveness in de-
Tending it. And now he wears the crown of
success which in this community is always a
pretty sure passport to public favor.
On the other hand, the deposed functionary,
Mr.. Mclean, occupies very unenviable posi-
ton. His brief experience has been continu-
Gus scene of excitement and wrangle. He has
accomplished none of the objects he was put in
the place to promote. He was unable to influ-
ence the selection of election inspectors, and
his ephemeral career will be remembered only
by its signal failures. The courts decided
against him while he held office, and then de-
cided against his right to hold office. He gave
up a desirable post when he accepted the ap-
pointment of Commissioner. He was counsel
to the Police Board, and it is hardly suppossble
that he can regain that thrifty situation. In
pursuit of the shadow he let go Of the sub
stance and the only consolation that remains
to him is that the recently installed anti-Tam-
many Sheriff has chosen the new law firm Of
which he is member as his legal advisers.
That is considered a tolerably rich portion of
patronage opening, as 1t does, q fountain Of
litigation that is both deep and enduring. The
Sheriff's term is only for three years and the
law forbids the reelection of the incumbent
until successor shall have served the same
length of time. But every Sheriff has law
suits enough in progress when he goes out to
last him pretty well towards the end Of his
days, and it takes him great while after his
relegation to private life to ascertain whether
he has made anything in the service.
When one comes to think over it seriously,
the fact is made strikingly manifest that Mr..
Tildens immediate personal friends have suf-
fered rather severe penalties on account Of the
association of their names with his. There are
four men, in particular, who were especially
identified with the negotiations in Oregon, In
South Carolina aud in Florida, who have
been so badly SCARED that they will carry the
marks to their graves. Everybody remembers
who they are, and what they did. Every one
| of them will escape forgetfulness great while
longer than he would have stood the slightest
| chance of doing If it hadn't been for the dis
| closures concerning the cipher dispatches.
The revelations Of that secret and mysterious
| correspondence were fatal to the regulations Of
| the direct participants. The explanations that
l f,,a, nd
| dictory that they served rather to deepen than
| to dispel the popular distrust.
The Lincoln Club commemorated the birth
| of the martyred President Thursday night with
| dinner served at an establishment in Lafay-
ette Place which was formerly, and for long
| time the town residence of William B. Astor,
| but which more recently has been converted
| into a restaurant. This organization combines
the social and the political element, and en-
| braces within its membership many OF the
most efficient and straight-backed Black Re-
| publicans that are to be found anywhere.
They had a very lively festival last night.
Among the invited guests we're Rev. DIR. New
| man, Henry Ward Beecher and Edwards
Pierrepont, all of whom made speeches, and OF
course they must have been good ones, every
4
line. There is a great deal Of life in the Re-
publican body in this State at the present time,
quickened no doubt in great measure by con-
idence in the prospects OF a successful issue OF
the Presidential canvass next Fall. Strong
| efforts have been made to bring about dissen-
sions but they have met with but little encour-
agement. There are signs OF feud in Albany,
occasioned by the injudicious conduct of John
f. Smyth in calling the primaries without
giving sufficient notice. 1t was a mistake
which the parties interested made haste to rec
tify as soon as they became acquainted with
the circumstances, and if their concession Is
not accepted as complete satisfaction of
the complaint, then the men who exercised
their right Of protesting against the short no
tice, and were responded to by the prompt
resignation of the delegates selected by the
Smyth caucus to attend the Utica Conven-
ton, will place themselves in the wrong, and
will no longer be able to call forth expressions
of sympathy l really don't know what to
make of John f. Smyth. He is sort Of
entGnt terrible in New York politics. He is
restless, wiry, capable and think entirely
| trustworthy, but he has faculty of provoking
more antagonsm than almost any other man
III the party OF course Albany is bad place
for any person to have to manage politics in.
There is no end of people there who imagine
that they can direct affairs vastly better than
| anybody else can, and they always want to be
| consulted and to have control. And yet max
ing all dne allowances for the embarrassments
of the situation it does not seem that Mr..
Smyth is fitted by training or temperament
to direct the policy of party, and that ii
would be benefit alike to himself and the
cause he espouses if he would let somebody
else hold the reins for a while. However it
cannot be said that he has not been fortunate
in his choice Of delegates. Such men as Harry
r. Pierson and Charles E. Smith, besides be-
ing well endowed with intellectual gifts, are
thoroughly sound in their political orthodoxy
and they are representative men, who reflect
tie opinions of the Republican party in this
state, and will be sure to express its senti-
nents in the Convention. All signs indicate