National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-02-03
In the Interest of Harmony.

that President Hayes has to some extent
failed to touch the popular chord in some
of his official action there. It is seriously
doubted whether he has the entire ap-
proYal of the party to which he nomlnally,
and, as We might say, apologetlcally, be-
longs, in his removal two years ago of the
then collector and naval officer OF the port
of New York. His well-intended efforts
to break the power of the party organiza-
| ton. or machine" as the neglected
members call il, were defeated by the
trickery" of a majority of about 10000,
who boldly thrust Senator COnkling back
into the Senate of the United States,
although they knew he had done all he
could to disturb the harmonious relations
existing between the administration and
such conciliated Democrats as Senator's
Gordon and Lamar and Governors
Hampton and Nichols. The mild and
milky ways of the President have not
been appreciated by the strong men OF
New York. The one great man whose
sideboard may or may not have furnished
{" if any'') during the past four years, and
who dreams amid the curling smoke of
his after-dinner cigar of the wild aeclaims
of the people, which never come-the man
who charms everybody with his enter
tainments and his wit, but who has
never had behind him any constitu-
ents except Andrew Johnson and
Rutherford B. HAYES (need we say that
We allude to our distinguished Secretary
of State?)-he applauded his chief, of
course, for doing what he had perhaps
himself instigated. George W. Curtis,
redolent with perfume and giddy with
hopes of political preferment as soon as
the naughty majority should be subdued,
was ready at all times to stand by the
goodness which flowed in streams of
sion. And others there were, unknown
to fame, virtuous beyond compare, and
few in numbers, as the good are ever said
to be, who exclaimed, "How nicew when
ever Republican head rolled away from
the presidential guillotine. But as
whole the New York Republicans are not
enthusiastic in their devotion to the
President, and few more nominations
like those recently made will defeat the
hopes he is said to nurse so fondly of
being presented at the next National
Convention as the joint candidate Of
Ohio and New York.
We have an idea. Ideas are valuable
commodities in these days of large de-
mand, and we part with ours reluctantly.
Nothing impels us. to communicate it ex-
cept our admiration for the splendid
nerve which the administration is show
ing while on its last legs" The happy
thought of men being put in office for
four years by President who has now
but twenty-nine days Of power himself is
at the basis of our idea. And now for the
suggestion. 1t is that Charles A. Dana be
straightway nominated to be collector of
the port of New York, vice General Mer-
ritt, to be removed. 1t would be climax
to all that has gone before. tcommends
itself to the President for the following,
among many reasons:
First-Nobody wants Mr. Dana to be col
lector, and therefore no one could justly
accuse his Excellency of having followed
any persons dictation or recommenda-
ton.
Second-Mr. Dana has vilifed the Presi-
dent in his newspaper without stint, and
the truly good always forgive every of
fense except friendship and every person
except those who have been kind.
Third-Mr. Dana is known to have fixed
his price as the collectorship, and to have
demanded it like a sturdy beggar in a
letter to President Johnson. He could
not and would not raise the price on our
Chief Magistrate, as the goods are now
less fresh than when offered before.
Fourth-The appointment of Mr.. Dana
would embarrass General Garfield, be-
cause, ifthe latter should remove him, he
could complain that it was done because
of the Suns atrocious calumnies during
the campaign.
Fifth-The Sun would be the organ of
Citizen Hayes in 1884 and would cIamor
for the return of our modern Aristides to
Athens.
If the objection is made that Collector
Merritt has committed no offense worthy
of death, we reply that not only did he visit
the National Republican Committee head
quarters at New York last August, on the
evening of the serenade to General Gar
field, but subsequently he actually sat on
the platform of Republican mass-meeting
addressed by Senator Conkling. Such
disobedience of the plainest principle in
civil-service order No. ought not to go
unwhipped ofjustice.
Mr.. Dana need not, and indeed could
not, well come here to solicit votes for
his confirmation. The Senate is Demo-
cratic, and while the Hancock men may
complain of the SUMS treachery, the Til
den men will more than compensate for
this by the ardor of their support. The
legal disabilities under which Mr.. Dana
rests do not extend to New York. There
his personal movements could not be sub
jected to forcible restraint. Let the ad-
ministration proffer this oliye-b branch in
the interest of harmony. 1t would have
the approval of all who sincerely desire
to see the President excel himself in this
line; and then it would also have the ap-
proval of Dana.
Why is 1t
There seems to be disposition on the
part of our theatrical managers to put