New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-01
THE United STATES.


July 2-scptembor 10. The American year
begins and ends with these dates; for although t
has been a busy and prosperous twcycmonth fora
nation of fifty millions, the oycma>tcrnC mpdr-
tancc Of the assassination and death of the President
obscures all else. IIonored never American vas
honOrcd. mOurncd as never sovereign or ruler VAS
mournod, he scared to the highest levels OF mortal
reputation and prayed for in hundreds Of
thousands Of households at home and abroad as
never man was prayed for before until at last 20
went to his own place, the noblest American OF his
tme IIeroism and martyrdOm crowned career
unique IN modern hist0ry-a career that has given
a impulse TO the vital energies Of American
character, AMI set before our people-a type OF
selfdcyelopment, vlrile citizenship, civic virtue,
practical statesman,hip and moral consciousness in
public station. lie has made it easier for an
American to be useful, conscientious citizen. Hs
ha: enabled his country to forget for a that
there is a North and a SOuth. lie has brought tho
nations OF the earth closer together HIS memory IS
embalmed for future generations.
James A. Garfield was inaugurated President Of
the United States March 4. He strovc 10 cOncili-
ate both wings of the National Republican tonyen-
ton. lie chose his chct adviser James q.
Blaine. OF the seven members Of his Cabinet no
took four from the man body Of the RcpuhlTaa
'rty that nominated him, and three from ihe
hOWeflut l3ctOn IIiI OppOSPu MN. lullHtuldpNy
after the Inauguration the President was bcseJ by
hundreds and thousands of place-hunters. snch a
vast throng Of Ofice-see6cr5 had not been seeE IN
! Washington in many years. Among them vas an
| insignificant creature of inOrdnate sell esteen,
! maleyolencc assurance and dcpravity named
Guiteau, unnOticed then he Dragged Of Ls poliii
cal services and mistook Washington po!itcness Tor
personal influence, bnt destined to become the most
craven and despicable Of murdcrers. The first OURS
! tion the President had to decide was whether rs
| should summon the House OF Representatives, as
well the Senate, the preceding Congress having
neglected tC dispose of impOrtan; business
Throughout its closing session, the NLNlth Con-
gress had debated Intellectually bills to fund ihe
debt at a lower rate, to appoint tarn copluis-
sion, and 10 appoint surgeons for the ply steal
animation of pensioners The President wisely ds-
tcrmined to repair the neglect of a Democratic Con
gross by an unusually effective Administration and
not to reopen the National debating school unncees-
sarly Meanwhile the Republican md Democratic
members of the Senate were engaged IN % struggle
over the appointment OF the committees and the
officers OF that bOtyA The division 50 close
that deadlock followed, Senator Malone. Of VIr-
ginia who had been elected a Re0djuster Demo-
crat. voting with the Republicans. Abont this
time the insignificant creature named Guiteau vas
snubbed for his importantly and mpulcuce in
pressing his fantastic claims.
The President hal been able TO reconcile all ths
leading men OF his party save one man To that
man he had accorded a special audience at Mentor
and had nominated one of his followers for inst
class foreign mission, and had taken another into
the Cabinet. On March % he nominated several
political friends of Senator COnklng for offices In
New-York On the following day lie sent in tho
names of several representatives Of the majority of
the Chicago Convention, who had been opponents
of that Senator. The chief of these nominations
was that Of State Senator Robertson for Collector
at New-York. The confirmation of the second !st
of nominations vas strenu0usly resisted by tho
Senator and his deputy. They declared that they
had not been consulted and endeavorcd 10 bully or
wheedle the Senate into acknowledging that cour-
tesy to them required the rejection Of the nomina-
tons. For many weeks they succeeded IN p0stpon-
ing action on the nominations, the President stouuy
refusing to withdraw them. On May caucus Of
the Republican Senators was held, at which it was
decided to vote upon the uncontested nominations
for Office The President believing that he nomi-
nations in which he was specially interested would
be hung up in committee until winter, withdrew all
except that of Mr.. Robertson. Public opinion con-
demned flctional resistance 10 the Presidents viii
and gradually forced the Senate TO face the ques-
ton Foreseeing the continuation Of Mr.. Robertson
the New-York Senators on May lG resigned ther
Offices In long letter addressed to Governor
Cornell they described m.nutey their conflict with
the President and asked the Judgment Of The people
of the State on their conduct. Two days later tho
Senate Committee on Commerce reported Nr. Rob
ertsons domination iavoraby and the Senate as
once confirmed il. The same week the senate ad-
iourned The designations Of the Senators had
created astonisbmcnt rather than excitement Tho
ingignifcant creature named Guiteau began % look
about for pistol
POSTAL REFORM AND REFCSDIyG.
Tho adjournment of the Senate left The Admins
trltion free 10 give all ts attention 20 the frauds
disclosed IN the Star Route service OF the lostoicc
Department and also to the refuudng operations.
Through fraudulent contracts the Government had
been robbed of many millions OF dollars. The iresi-
dent directed the Postmaster-Geneml and the At
toruev. General to pursue those who hat dcirauded
the Government with all the weapons OF the Courts
While evidence was being secured against the
tliisyes the Po,tm -tcr-teneral cancelled many OK
the fraudulent contracts and thus decreased tho
cost of the service s3Gi,lii yearly A' The same
,u,e the rate Of Interest on nearly $0JoOO0OOO OF
tb. National debt was reduced with the consent OK
tle boDIuolders This vast financial operation was
o,compshed by the Secretary Of the Treasury aiter
IN, failure of Congress 10 pass laws that were con-
s,lered necessary for the funding OF the debe
vybet the NIYIth Congress met IN December. 1884,
il had bocn informed that per cent bonus inouh'-