Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-11-15
Aancaster fntelIige,lrer.
TUESDAY EVENING, NOV. 10. 1881.
Ex.AttOrney General.

TUESDAY EVENING, NOV. 70, 1881.
Ex.Attorney General.
Mr.. MacVeagh's persistence has been
too much for Mr.. Arthur's resistance,
and the attorney generals resignation is
at last accepted. MacVeagh undoubtedly
bears away the honors of the conflict
for though some newspapers have been
strenuously arguing that he was very
reprehensible for turning tail upon the
star route prosecutions that he initiated,
the common sense of the people quite
appreciates the fact that when Mr.. Mac
Vsagh found himself in the cabinet Of a
president whose policy he did not ap-
prove and whose good faith he did not
trust, it was right for him to get out of
it on the instant. The New York Herald
has been one of those journals that af-
fected not to understand Mr.. MacVeagh's
motive, and even intimated that
lie abandoned the conduct of the
star route cases because he was
diffident of his power to properly
present them. But Mr.. MacVeagh's
particular talent as lawyer would have
been we'll exhibited in the conduct of
such cases. He may not be as deep as a
well, bat he 10 ready, acute and eloquent,
and would have distinguished himself in
the trial of these cases. Besides, with
such an able coadjutor as Mr.. Brewster
at his side, there would have been no
cause for fear that there would be any
failure of strength in the prosecutions.
So far as his professional desires were
concerned, we have no doubt that Mr..
MacVeagh did them violence in retiring
from the attorney generals office. That
can hardly be disputed, for it is place
that is high prize of the lawyers am
bitiOn, and one who accepted it six
months ago would not resign it now
without strong reasons. Mr.. Mac.
Veagh's retirement can hardly be re-
garded in any other light than as re
flecting honor upon him. Whether his
reasons are good or bad, he has at least
shown that he is capable of making
present personal sacrifice in satisfaction
of his judgment and his honor. Men of
lower degree would have been likely to
lend willing ear to the presidents gra-
ciouS request of them to retain their
Office, finding in it a compliment, and
basing upon it a hope that they might be
continued in their place after the cxi-
gency which required them had passed :;
and in this idea they would have been
careful to recommend themselves by
their confirmed complaisancc and marked
suhserviency.
Mr.. MacVeagl is the only man
as yet who has broken out of the
cabinet, although no great effort seems
to have been made with the others
to retain them, such as was VIGOROUSLY
made with him. Mr.. Garfeld's advisers
contentedly remain hy Mr.. .Arthur's side ::
even Mr.. Blaine, though nobody accuses
him of Il desire, or even willingness, TO
stay in place which would effect
ually bury him. Perhaps he is simply
good-natured and unwilling to hurry
the slow Arthur in the development
of his hand. His colleagues, however,
are not strong enough to be SO obligins {:
and when they are turned out, neck and
heels, after awhile, they will not look SO
well, nor feel 50 well, us does Mr.. Mac
Neagh, WHO has peremptorily shaken off
the embrace Of his enemy and refused to
be beguiled by his smile to his undoing.
The president seems to find it quite
impossible to fix upon the right man for
attorney general, and while he deliber-
ates, lie cOnfides the Office to Solicitor
General Phillips. The country will lose
nothing if he continues his deliberation
over the matter for the remainder of his
term, since he is not likely to find Il better
man for the place than tie thoroughly
competent solicitor general. But it is
Il curious hesitation which forbidS the
chief executive of the nation to discover
promptly the man fitted for it's vacant
offices. 1t is bad fault in All cXecu
tive if it comes from indecision of char
acter !; and a worse one if it springs from
duplicity.