The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-05-17

to Iiqnidaie the personal obligations Of any
individual, however bigb In station, the
conditions are equally vicious and de-
grading, and their acceptance would COM
pel The representatives OF St1ies to fling
down their oath and report for duty at the
footsto0l OF the Executive power. Following
this startling and sweeping Executive act
rIme the ominous avownls that dissent or
failure 10 "advise and consent" would be
held an act OF offence exposing oil sena.
tors, from whatever State, 10 Executive
dlspleasure.
Thus we find ourselves confronted by ihe
question whether we shalt surrender the
plain right and sworn duty OF senator's. by
conserving to what we believe to be vicious
and hurtful, or be assigned the position OF
disloyalty 10 the Administration which we
helped to bring in, and the success o. which
we earnestly wished for, every reason and
motive which can enter into the case. We
know no theory avowed by any party which
requires such submission as is now exact
ed, although party service may be fairly
considered In making selections OF public
officers. Ii can hardly be maintained that
the Senate Is bound 10 remove, without
cause, incumbenls merely 10 make places
for those whom any individual, even the
President or member OF bis Cabinet.
wishes to repay for being recreant to Others,
or serviceable TO him. Only about two
years ago the Senate advised that General
Merritt be appointed collector at New
York. II is understood that among the
senators who 80 ADVISED was Mr..
Window. the now Secretary Of the Treasury
and head OF the Department whose subor-
dinate General Merritt is. Another senator
known to have given this advice was Mr..
KIrkwood, now Secretary Of the Interior.
1t is said that, like the POstmaSter-General
from our own State, these Cabinet officers
were not taken into consultation touching
the removal 81 General Merritt, but their
sworn and official action n senators is none
he less instructive. That the Secretary Of
the Treasury and the late Administration,
up TO it, expiration, less than ten weeks
ago, approved General Merritt a an officer,
j. well known, and it is nowhere
suggested that any citizen had petltioned
for his removal or that any official delin-
quencv on his part i reason Of il. In place
Of an experienced officer, in the midst OF
his term, fixed By law, IT is proposed to put
q man who has bad no training for the po-
sitiOn, and who cannot be said 10 have any
special fitness for IL official duties.
Ill iuP lUluHuIil VI IItNlutul VII utlu
delivered on the 4lh OF March stand these
words The civil service can never lie
pIlced on satisfactory basis until it Is
regulated by the law for the good OF the
service itself, for the protection Of those
who are entrusted with the appointing
power against the work Of time and Ob>trnc-
| ton 10 public business caused by NOR
dnare pressure for place, and for the pro-
I IT h.a
wrong. | shall at the proper time ask Con
gresS 10 fix the tenure OF the minor office,
Of the several executive departments, and
prescribe grounds upon which removals
Shall be made during the terms for which
! ncumbents have been appointed
| How good the distinction is which would
make the major Offices prey to "inlrl90e
and wrong" and "sbield" minor official,
| from like havoc. and whether the collector
ships OF the country should belong tn The
exposed or 10 the protected class, neeh no
| be decided here. Assuming General Mer
rift TO he an officer Of average fitness anC
honesty, it migbt be reasonably argued
that all senator's should with alacrity advise
| his displacement by man OF obvious Supe
riorilv. Possibly it might be SAID that al
should advise the selection IN Genera
Merritt's place Of nan who. with
out superior fitness, had rendered
his country, or even his party. con
sDicuOus and exalted service. Ih'
clse in hand does not belong 10 eithe
Of these two classes. The vocation OF Mr.
| Robertson, OF his legislative and PROBES
sonal experiences and surroundings, do no
denote superiority in the qualities, tot
| knowledge. the business habits, and the IT.
miiari,y with the revenue laws ana system
| OF the United States which might make MN
more compliant than General Merrett Il
collect the vast revenues and admlnlste
the vast business pertaining to The port o.
New York. Certainly be cannot IN TINS re
spect be held an exception 10 tne
rules OF right and consistency on
which the Constitution and laws bay'
placed public service. We know OF ~
person1l or political service rendered DN
! Mr.. Robertson 20 tranSceudant that the cor
lectorship OF New York should be taken ID
the midst OF a term and gwen to him 4, re-
cOmpense. Mr.. Robertson Is reported 10y
fine New York Tribune to have decl1red
that his nomination was reward" I
" reward" for his action as delegate u
the National Convention. II Mr. Robert
son i'm his action was Influenced by sense
Of duty: II he voted and acted ms honeS'
convictions, it is difficult TO see what
claim he has for any reward, not to
sneak OF such great reward. HIS acton
| OF which an estlmlte i thus invited seems
simply 10 be this Robertson and >iXty'nint
other men accepted from state COnNch'
tion a certain trust. They sought ana ne
cepted the position OF agents or delegates
to the National Convention. the statt
| Convention declared plalnlN'sta'cd luuS'
ment aud policy to be observed ana SUP
| ported by those it COMMISSIONED. 10 tuI'
| derlarItlon all selected delegates gaN'
implied consent, but several OF them
| i'm addition. made most >peclhc per
.onal pledge, and engagements to eXerl
Themselves IN good faith throughout 10 ~
cure the nomination OF General Grant. neY
made this pledge a. means OF OD'a'Hlu-
| their own appointment as drlegaies' an'
they did, Il, we both personally KNOW Cd
toin their seats in the National Convention
unon the ilith OF their personal statements
| III their earnestnps> and fidelity. The 0Dll
n,tions inns assumed were understood 10 IN
volye tine integrity as much Is the OD'igi
linn Of one who receives the proxy OF
stakeholder IN 4 corporation upon Pied.'
and promise TO vote as his principal "OuI'
vote.
whether Mr.. Robertson was or was no
himself bound, not only by honor and iIli
nlicaton. but By expressly giving his word
becomes quite immateraI in view OF The h.
claim made for him. Il is insisted that h'
" organized the vote or, as it has D5ei
something's stated, "he was the leader o
,hn vote, Thi, /, to say, that he invited
persuaded. induced others whom he knew
had given their word ana had obtained theii
Sent by doing so. 70 violate their WORD an'
be;ray not only Republicans assembled II
State convention, but the Republicans o
mir district a, well who had trusted II
their honor. Whoever cOun'els ana pro
cnres another to do Il dishonest or dlshoh
oraI,le ACT must share with That other th'