The Sun.
London, England, 1869-03-16 00:00:00

THE INSURRECTION IN CUBA.

The Madrid correspondent of the Constitutionnet says
that the news from Cuba is decidedly more favourable.
The Spanish troops have achieved several very important
successes, and there is reason to believeihat without great
assistance from America the insurgents must rapidly lose
ground. It would be premature, however, to conclude
that the revolt is suppressed, or to look for a speedy ter-
mination of the struggle. General Duke's despatches,
says this writer, contains some passages which are
by no means couleur de rose. What is most
needed is an addition to the fleet, in order to thoroughly
blockade the island and prevent supplies arriving from the
United States. Then the revolt must die out, though
in such a wild and extensive country the work of suppres-
sion will be extremely difficult. It is worthy of note that
the New York papers are less confident of Cuban inde-
pendence than formerly.

GENERAL GRANT'S CABINE7.

(From the Anglo-American Times.)
It is as interesting to watch the American papers
feeling their way to GRANT'S Cabinet now that
the Cable has made us acquainted with it, as a
pointer working up to a covey in a thick cover.
Although, at first, wide of the mark and erratic in
conjecture, they gradually neared, closing on the
game, while some even pointed individual birds.
On the 23.1 February a deputation of Congressmen
from Pennsylvania called on General GRANT to urge
the importance of putting a Pennsylvanian into
his Cabinet. They refrained from suggesting or re-
commending, being uninterested in individuals or
cliques, though desiring the selection of an unflinching
supporter of the Republican party. The General
replied that he had chosen a thorough Republican of
Pennsylvania, whose appointment would surprise
him equally with the nation. We now know who
that man is —but information about lam must be
sought in Philadelphia, as the fame of Mr. ADOLPHE
BORIE has as yet spread little beyond his State.
From what the PRESIDENT said (though our readers
should remember, not then PRESIDENT) his hearers
knew the person indicated must be a Philadelphian,
and conjecture became rife as to who he was, in-
deed ran wild ; yet none positively fixed on the right
person nor the post he was to get, though his name
was mention d. JAY CooKE was first among the
many rumour had selected ; but the General
gave no clue which helped conjecture in this,
though he did in another direction. His opinion is
that civilians only should be appointed to civil
offices, and as such he regards every seat in the
Cabinet, including the Secretaryship of War and of
the Navy. Away, then, went one nomination con-
fidently predicted by the American press. Admiral
PORTER was held to be certain of the Secretaryship
of the Navy, as it was known that the health of
Admiral FARRAGUT was too delicate for him to
accept the post. This opened the appointment
to a civilian, and ADOLPHE BORIE was nomi-
nated. He is a wealthy retired merchant, of a
celebrated Philadelphia firm chiefly engaged in the
East India trade; since the war commenced, Radical
in politics, though before a Whig. His name is
among the Vice-Presidents of the Union League, of
which he founded a branch in Philadelphia. He is
a Protectionist in proclivities, generous and lavish
in his contributions to the war, an ardent admirer
of Grant, for whom he entertains the warmest
friendship, and had long held that he was certain to
be ANDREW JOHNSON'S successor. But what of Ge-
neral SCHOFIELD as Secretary of War? If a distin-
guished old sailor is not to be head of the Navy, why
should a distinguished young soldier be appointed to
the head of the Army ? Now GRANT distinctly told
the delegation that he had determined to reappoint
Gen. SCHOFIELD, merely as a compliment to one who
had done his duty wetland served his country faith-
fully, for as that officer declined to resign his com-
mission in the army the appointment would be but
temporary. Indeed he named three weeks as about
the time his services would be required in aiding
the PRESIDENT to reorganize the army, when he
would be assigned to the command of one of
the new military departments about to be created.
Thus, then, we learn that the army is to be
reorganized and the departments remodelled ; also
that General SCHOFIELD is but the stop-gap, not
the real Secretary of War. A fortnight ago it was
announced in this paper that the Secretaryship of
the Treasury had been offered to Mr. A. T.
STEWART, of New York, and declined by him. Now
something of this sort is what actually happened.
He was nominated by GRANT and confirmed by the
Senate, but a difficulty intervened. He is among
the greatest of merchants; having built up a business
from nothing, whose fame has become world-wide,
for he landed in New York a penniless north of
Ireland man of Scottish descent. An- existing-law
prohibits Treasury officers from engaging in trade,
and if Mr. STEWART accepted the post he would have
to throw up his important business. The Secretary-
ship of the Treasury is the most influential and most
difficult postition in the United States next to that of
President, and Gen. GRANT requested Congress to
repeal the law standing in Mr. STEWART'S way,
which Mr. SUMNER in the Senate objected to do
hastily; and we certainly agree with Senator SUM-
NER, though the PRESIDENT thereby has lost a valu-
able official, for Mr. STEWART'S resignation on this,
was accepted by GRANT. The appointment, however,
is not without significance, for Mr. STEWART'S
opinions are well known to favour the most
honourable payment of the National Debt, and
to incline towards Free-trade. The selection of
Eunu B. WasmiunNE for the Secretaryship of
State has again defeated conjecture. Every one
knew that Mr. WASIIDI'RNE could have any post he
liked, so high did he stand in the estimation of the
PRESIDENT, Of Mr. WASHBURNE'S ability there is
no question, and his honesty is beyond dispute.
No man in the United States has made so vigorous
a resistance to jobbery or suffered more in his cou-
rageous attempts to guard the public purse. His
areset principles, not inerelyprofessed, but awed on.
He was born in Maine about 1816, educated at
Harvard University, rose to distinction at the bar
of Illinois, a district of which he has represented in
Congress since 1853, which long-continued succes-
sion has made him for many years " the father of
the House." When LINCOLN was elected, he, as a
prominent Western anti-slavery man from the be-
ginning, possessed considerable influence with the
Government. GRANT, an unknown Captain, late of

the United States army, was his neighbour at Ga-
lena, and it was to Mr. WASIIBURNE'S shrewdness
in perceiving his value that GRANT owes the start
which has given him so grand a career. Mr.
WASHBURNE remained in time of trial his firm
friend, and there must be a feeling of grati-
tude on the part of the General as well as of ad-
miration and respect for the sterling qualities of
his old benefactor. Mr. WASHBURNE is, however,
not only ill, but very ill* ; and it may be doubted
whether he will accept, or at any rate continue, in
the office, which ranks next in dignity to that of
the PRESIDENT. It was thought certain before the
mail left that the Hon. JOHN A. CRESWELL, of Mary-
land, would get a seat in the Cabinet, therefore it
does not surprise us to find him nominated Post-
master-General. In the year 1828 he was born
in Maryland, where he rose to distinction at the
bar, to which he was admitted in 1850, after pass-
ing through Dickinson College, Pennsylvania, with
a marked success. He was elected to the State
Legislature in 1861, and to the Federal House of
Representatives in 1863, passing up to the Senate
in 1865, to serve out the term of the deceased
Senator HICKS. Although a Marylander, and of a
pro-slavery family, he has been a consistent Re-
publican, and as a mau of extraordinary ability
and learning as well as of eloquence, the Republi-
cans of Maryland anticipate for him a splendid
career, though the weakness of the party in that
State tended to bar his chances. Ex-Governor J.
D. Cox, of Ohio, has been appointed Secretary of
the Interior. He was born in Canada in 1828,
and was unknown in the Union till the rebellion.
He commanded a regiment of his State at the com-
mencement of the war, rising to be a distinguished
General of an Army Corps. He defeated Gen. Wise
in West Virginia, and a strong Confederate force
at South Mountain, where he brilliantly carried the
position with his Ohio command. He distinguished
himself at the capture of Wilmington, North Ca-
rolina, and he took part in many of the most san-
guinary actions on the banks of the Potomac and
in Tennessee. His services were so highly ap-
preciated that his fellow-citizens of Ohio elected
him Governor in 1865 by a majority of thirty
thousand, and it is probable that General GRANT
had opportunities of forming an estimate of his
character during the time he served under him
in Virginia. Indeed, the PRESIDENT knows his
men well ; and although many of the names are
new to the mass of Americans, yet what has trans-
pired tends to confirm the wisdom of his selection.
If there be one thing in which Americans believe
that GRANT has displayed more judgment than
in another, it has been in his selection of men.
Gen. Cox is not strongly pronounced in his political
opinions, and from his course during his term of
of office there is difficulty in saying to which
wing of the Republican party he belongs. As
so often occurs REUTER and the Times' corre-
spondent differ in the lawyer selected by GRANT as
Attorney-General. The former gives Judge HoAR,
the latter GEORGE F. HOAR. They are brothers,
sons of the late Mr. SAMUEL HOAR, of Massachu-
setts. Both are eminent lawyers, but RouxwooD
HOAR, a Justice of the Supreme Court of Massa-
chusetts, is ten years the senior of GEORGE F. HOAR.
Latterly Judge iloAn's claims have been urged as
the successor of Chief Justice SHAW, who died, and
afterwards of Judge BIGELoW, who retired; but, much
to the surprise of the people of Massachusett, he
was not appointed. He graduated at Harvard
University, and has long resided at Concord. His
brother is not so well known ; but both are of high
culture, and outspoken anti-slavery men. As it is
probable that Mr. E. ROCKWOOD Hoan is the
person selected, we may say that his Republicanism
is somewhat tinged with Conservatism. COLUMBUS
DELANO, Representative from the Thirteenth Dis-
trict, Ohio, has been appointed Commissioner of
Internal Revenue, in succession to Mr. ROLLINS.
This appointment was known in Washington on
the 24th of February, as certain to be made. Mr.
DELANO was recommended by Mr. ROLLINS as his
successor ; but President JOHNSON, while trying to
press Mr. RoLLlNsout, declined to send Mr. DELANO'S
name to the Senate. Mr. ROLLINS, therefore, under
the Tenure-of Office Act, and backei by the Senate,
obstinately held on. The name of COLUMBUS
DELANO was urged on Gen GRANT, who, on Feb.
23d, sent for to him and tendered the appointment,
which Mr. DELANO accepted. At that interview
the PRESIDENT complitnente I him in the highest
terms, signifying that he would be glad, if the op-
portunity offered, to give him a seat iu the Cabi-
net. lie was born sixty years ago in a State of
New England, but in 1817 settled in Ohio, where
he rose to distinction in his profession as a lawyer.
In 1844 he was elected to the Federal House of
Representatives, to which he was three times re-
elected. lie is a strong and able Republican, though
with a shade of Conservatism. His Congressional
term closed on the 4th of March, as George W.
MORGAN (Democrat) had been elected to his seat. In
Congress he was noted for bis advocacy of retrench-
ment and reform, and this is a distinguishing cha-
iacteristic of all the PRESIDENT'S nominations.
GRANT'S selections have so upset the surmises, even
of the most knowing, that they only picked out the
Hon. BEN WADE and Mr. DENISON as the most
likely for Ohio.
From the first we suspected that some of the
PRESIDENT'S nominations were complimentary, the
real men being in the background. So it was said
of Mr. STEWART; So of Mr. WAsioun.NE, and
GRANT himself had stated that so it was with
General SCHOFIELD. On Thursday, however, the
complimentary men stepped aside to make way for
the real men. Thus, Ex-Governor HAMILTON
FISH, of New York, took the post that Mr. ELIHU
WASHBURNE resigned as Secretary of State ; Mr.
ALEXANDER T. STEWART vanished as a spectroscope
•
ghost,Mr. GEORGE S. BOUTWELL, of Massachu-
setts, coming into his place as Secretary of the
Treasury ; and the fading figure of Gen. SCHOFIELD
grew,into the proportionsof Gen. JOHN A. RAWLINS.
Mr. ELIIIU WASHBURNE, as long ago said, becomes
Minister to France, in place of General Dui, and
Ex-Governor ANDREW G. CURTIN, of Pennsylvania,
replaces General CLAY, as Minister to St. Peters-
burgh. The Cabinet then is as follows :—First in
rank is the Secretary of State, Ex-Governor HA-
MILTON FISH, of New York. First in importance,
Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. GEORGE S. Bour-
WELL, of Massachusetts ; Secretary of the Interior,
Ex-Governor Cox, of Ohio; Secretary of War,
General JOHN A. RAWLINS ; Secretary of the Navy,
Mr. ADOLPHE BORIE, of Pennsylvania ; Postmas-
ter-General, Mr. J. A. CRESIVELL, of Maryland ;
Attorney-General, Judge HOAR, of Massachusetts.
Mr. HAMILTON Flsx, in 1850, was Governor of
New York. We have time and space at present only
to give a sketch of the incumbent of the most im-
portant office, the Secretaryship of the Treasury.
GEORGE S. BUTIVELL, of Groton, Massachusetts,
was born at Brookline, Massachusetts, on the
28th of January, 1818 ; received a public school
education ; was engaged in mercantile pursuits
previous to 1850, when he studied law and com-
menced practice ; was a member of the Legislature
of Massachusetts in 1842, '43, '44, '47, 48, '49, and
'5O ; was State Bank Commissioner in 1849 and
1850 ; was Governor of Massachusetts in 1851, '52;
was Secretary of the State Board of Education of
Massachusetts for five years; was a member of the
Board of Overseers of Harvard College from 1850
to 1860; was a member of the Peace Congress of
1861 ; was the first Commissioner of Internal Re-
venue in 1862 and 1863 ; was elected to the Thirty-
eighth and Thirty-ninth Congress, and re-elected
to the Fortieth Congress as a Republican, receiving
9,847 votes against 2,885 votes for Saltonstall, De-
mocrat ; and again last November for the Forty-
first Congress. Perhaps the most prominent act
in his life was the part he took in the impeach-
ment of the late PRESIDENT, being one of the seven
Managers. •

General GRANT avowedly refrained from nomi-
nating his Cabinet previous to his inauguration to
avoid the pressure which would otherwise be brought
to bear upon him, and doubtless he heartily con-
gratulated himself that he had adopted this course
after his interview on the 25th February with Col.
ALEXANDER M'CLURE, of Philadelphia. On the
23d Feb. the President Elect had received a delega-
tion from Pennsylvania to urge the necessity of a
Republican statesman from Pennsylvania getting a

* His health haS lately improved, but our conjecture
WAS right, he ills resigned.