Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-10-12

BIa1nes Father and SOn-mr. Coll
lectOr RObertsOn-Heads at the
Block = Doughty Warriors and
Jolly Sea Dogs Waiting to be
SheIVed.
WASHINGTON, October 9.-The Treasury ring,
upon whose doings the recent Pitney investi-
cation shed some light is much perturbed In
spirit. They are greatly worked up. Espe-
cially frightened is the old fossil fraud yclept
Judge French, First Assistant Secretary of the
department He has been in the department to
when the mind Of the present generation runs
not to the contrary. He is the originator of
the ring-the man who started it. and has kept
it together intact. and until few months ago
removed from attack In the meantime he
has grown rich. The shekels which he has
gathered unto himself must be counted by the
hundreds Of thousands Verify, he has made
much big thing Of it. and not only he. but
relatives to the number Of twenty-five have
profted by the thickness of the aforesaid
French. To that number has he foisted upon the
Treasury Department and its immediate
branches members of the French family,
either inchoate or by virtue Of the marital OBJ
legation. French has undoubtedly had big
thing of it all to himself The lesser lights
have accumulated ducats and gathered posi-
tions for their relatives In proportion to what
Boss French has accomplished. The reason Of
the unusual perturbation of French is that as
the leading head in the gang Of swindlers it is
struck more than any other. More shillalahS
are thrown at French than any other member
of the ring which includes all the prominent
officers OF the Treasury Department. with the
H..
urer Gilfllan, the latter of whom is
the most honest man who holds
official position in the Treasury De-
partment. This ring feared Garfield. 1t
feared Window until he drew off the investi-
gators. when they stumbled head over heels
upon the tracks OF John Sherman in workingt
their inquiries into the general management
of the Treasury Department. Like the star
route men, they lifted their inner voices in
hallelujah when the news came from Elberon
that the Chief was dead. The simle will be
carried out The star route thieves wept with
mental anguish when they found that Arthur
was as hot after them as his predecessor.
Even then the Treasury band
OF robbers clung. together and
Arthur would let them alone. But their hope
is dashed. They have learned indisputably
that President Arthur intends not only to
swoop down upon the Treasury crowd, but
also to clean out the rings, or rather close cor
porations, of leading officials, who have for a
decade of years back run the other government
departments to suit themselves, and to ad-
vance their interests in the matters of lucre
in office. He has broad and fertile
field before him to cultivate, so that
crops may come forth in abundance.
It he goes to work in earnest. and never let's
up, no matter who NAV be hurt, he will make
unto himself reputation that will last many a
year after he dies. The stealing in the several
departments has been wholesale, uDblushing,
and without, in many cases any attempt to
more than cover it with flimsy veil. Every
body who knows anythin of the curious man.
agement can point their fingers at the chief
rin9sters who have debased the public service
in the different departments to spoil and petty
preference in Office. The stealings in and the
debasements of the public service are
notorious Any man who corrects or even
checks them will gain position in public es-
timation which will be held securely not only
in the present but in coming generations.
PECULIAR POSITIONS.
There are a number of people now in the
public service who occupy very peculiar posi-
tions. At the head of them is Collector Rob-
ertson, of New York. He was put in that Of
fee by Blaine, through his influence upon the
late Presi tent. Robertson was Blaine striker
until IN the Chicago Convention he went for
Garfield, when his boss found that all was up
with him, and that the only way to defeat
Grant wss by union upon Garfield. Blaine has
for long years been the particular enemy of
Conkling, and, ever since Conkling pulled Ar
thur into prominence, has been the most vim
dictive enemy that the latter has had to cope
with. Robertson and Blaine were atop and
bounded Arthur and Conkling when President
Garfield was alive. You can just imagiue the
difference now that Arthur is on top. / do not
stretch, think, when say that Robertson oc-
cupieS the position OF supreme popularity at
present His chief Blaine might be Thought tn
be the man to fit that designation, but he Is not
He is already dead letter He is gone by his
own hand voluntarily or is kicked out. This
leaves the supreme popularity of position to
Robertson. He is followed in the public SER
vice by long list of anti-Arthur, anti
Conkling, and anti-Grant appointees that
Blaine induced President Garfield to make. A
list of them would stretch out over half
dozen foolscap pages. Without fear that the
prediction will prove naught, it can be said
that every one of them will go right over che
side. Walker Blaine, son of his father,
young man OF perhaps four and
twenty years, with the corresponding
addition Of winters, to keep up both sides of
the calendar He was first his fathers private
secretary, but the emoluments of that posi-
ton were not sufficient to accord with his
ideas of greatness. So his father had him
made third assistant Secretary OF State at
S3,50O year-regardleSs OF nepotism, and we
might say the common decencies in man so
wealthy as Blaine. Walker took with him to
that position his incipient moustache, his gush |
and his unbounded puerility. He is a school |
boy, and very poor specimen Of that breed
playing the school master If he does not
wish 30 be asked for his resignation he will,
like the rest Of the peculiar appointees, ten |
public service have. ever since
there was free government in this country,
been fagrant. They will probably continue as
long as the government lasts.
ARMY AND NAVY RETIREMENTs.
One of the first duties that President Arthur
will be confronted with will be in dealing with |
the retirements in the army and navy. Rear |
Admiral @. R. P. Rodgers aud Rear Admiral J. |
@. Howell, of the navy, will be placed on the |
retired list dating from November |
14th and 24th, respectively. This will |
cause promotions right straight down the |
line through the grades bslow, even including |
that OF midshipman. In the army, Major Gen |
eral Mcdowell. who was a warm personal |
friend of President Garfield-the latter had |
son named after him-but who is over sixty |
two years of age, and should have been retired |
by President Hayes when he retired General |
Ord instead, will be shelved. He will be sue
ceeded by General Terry, who is not only gal /
liant and in every way suited for the position, |
but whose appointment would also be a COM
pliment to the volunteer forces of the army
Terry went into the army during the war as a |
volun'eer. QQartermaster-G General Meiggs will |
be retired and General Rucker, who is the |
father-in-law of General Sheridan be |
soon retired and succeeded by Rufus Ingalls, |
Grants great friend-who SAYS that soon after |
reaching the position he will in turn ask TO be |
put on the retired list. He would then be sue |
ceeded, most likely, by Col Holabird. Surgeon |
General Barnes will be retired, to be succeeded |
by Col Crane, OF the medical department of |
the army Paymaster General Brown will be |
retired, TO be succeeded by Col Mcclure In 1
the engineer department, there will In a few |
months be retired Coils. Benham, McComb and |
Thorn. PoToKAo.