Year: 1877

Was IL only an accidental concurrence vi
did the venerable Senator from Pennsylvania
perceive that his time had come On Monday
the new Cabinet met for the first time, ana
tbe new system of government was put I'D
operation On Monday the political circles OF
Washington and Pennsylvania were agltated
by the announcement that Mr.. Simon Cam
eron, chief representative of the old system OF
government had turned over his seat IN the
Senate to his son, and was going home. 1t Is
so curious and so appropriate That these t"o
events should fall together that the world can
hardly help suspectng very intimate con-
nection between them.


MIR. Hayes is going about the reform OF the
civil service in hot earnest. He has intimated
to the members of his Cabinet that they VIII
be held responsible for the character OF the
place holders in their respective departments,
and it is getting to be well understood au
around that Senators and Representatives Will
no longer be allowed to appOrtiOn the pllnder
of their districts and use the Federal patronage
to reward their personal partisans and extend
their influence. Tie nomination OF Mr.. Schllrz
to the important place of Secretary OF the In
terror was one of the most significant lndica-
tions the President could have given OF radl-
cal change. The selection of Mr.. Schurz
Jointly with Mr.. Evarts to prepare set OF
rules governing appointments was conclusive.
Clearly Mr.. Hayes Ifas no idea OF the duty
resting upon all Presidents of the United States
to take care of the clan of the CamerOns and
to see" Pennsylvania.


The old Senator stood out against the inno-
vator as long as he could. HIS last public acts
were to hang up the nomination OF J0hn
Sherman in the Senate Committee and protest
against the confirmation of Carl Schurz. lie
had "no grudge' against either of these gen
tlemen, but he only wished to return COM
"pliment in kind" and probably to express
his profound disgust at method OF carrying
on the business of politics so completely at va
rance with all his lifelong practices and cher
iShed traditions. He retires with the best viii
in the world toward Gov. Hayes and the most
earnest wish for the success OF his experiment.
1t will always give him pleasure to hear OF
the prosperity of the Administration. 1t will
always crafty him to know that the President
and the Cabinet are enjoying themselves. But
Mr. Cameron does not conceal from the casual
interviewer his profound conviction that there
is going to be trouble. He retircs, brimful of



which he gave emphatic utterance on famous
occasion when he could not find anybody in
Washington to attend to little matter of ap-
pointments for him, that this is "a h of
"time."


We do not suppose the country is really to
lose Senator Cameron, after all,' nor Is 1T
likely that the Republicans of Pennsylvania
will be deprived of his assistance in organizing
their next victory. The voice in convention
may be the voice of Don, but the hands in the
back room will be the hands of Simon. Yet
the veteran is quite right to go away from
Washington They are not managing matters
there in his style. They are calling men into
public life whom he does not like and does
not quite understand. They trying schemesin in
which he could not be of any use. He will
live pleasant life on his farm, smelling the
clover and the cows, and watching from dis
tance the yeXatlOns Of reformers. And if the
reform break down, how sorry he will be