Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-08-08
The Late Cabinet.

The Late Cabinet.
We may now speak without restraint,
and free from all imputation Of indelicacy
or suspicion Of improper motives, of the
Cabinet which, coming in with General
TAYLOR, on Saturday last retired from
office-the gentlemen composing it having
all rendered their designations Immediate
ly after the decease Of their honored and
revered head. II is too early to do them
full justice but the time will come when
the country, Gained from the excitement
Of the hour, and redeemed from the agi-
tation which vexes il, will duly appre-
ciate the industry, ability, courage, and
patriotism which they devoted TO its SER
vice. We know that they have been the
subjects Of ceaseless and unmeasured
abuse and vituperation. by opposition
speakers and the opposition press. What
Wing cabinet could or can hope to escape
that infliclion? We know, also, that they
failed to give entire satisfaction to their
own party-that, in truth, they at times
made mistakes, particularly in regard 10
appointments to office. But could any
amount Of human ssgaci,y and wisdom
have preserved them from the commits sion
Of errors, or enabled them so TO discharge
their duties in regard to appointments TO
office as TO avoid giving much offense to
Wings in all sections Of the Union, there
being in all sections numerous applicants
for almost every office Is it not highly
probable that any Cabinet, coming into
office under the circumstances in which
they did, would have met the same abuse
from political opponents, and given about
the same amount Of dissa,is faction to po-
litical friends
The discomfort inevitably arising from
the exercise Of the appointing power, to
the extent 10 which it was necessary it
should be exercised, and the absorbing
interest of one question upon which no
section or party could fully agree, has
probably had the effect 10. make many
blind or Indifferent to much which, under
other circumstances, they would have
seen to commend, in the official conduct
of these gentlemen. This much will even
now be accorded to them.
The policy which they recommended
and pursued was emincnlly Wing and na-
t1onol. Circumstances which could not
be controlled have diverted the attention
of Congress and the people from the dis
cussion Of those great measures of COM
mon interest to the whole nation upon
which parties divide. The consequence
is, that neither the annual message of the
late President, nor the report from sim
gle Department, has received that atten-
ton and scrutiny which would exhibit the
merits OF administration in the past or Of
recommendation for the future. Yet the
machinery Of Government has been in
constant though noisless motion, and has
exac'ed the un'iring diligence of all of the
heads of Departments. There has been
world of business to DO, and that of the
greatest importance, requiring all the en-
erey which each could bring 10 his par
ticular branch of duty, and demanding the
utmost rapidity Of decision and of move
ment in all the operations of Government.
Ii the details Of employment could be
spread before the people, they would
readily award the tribute which was due
to the industry and ability which accom-
plished SO much and have excited 50 little
attention. Our history for the past six
teen months has been one of stirring in
cidents of Executive administration. while
its Legislative annals are practically a
blank. That partisan opposition should
have found so little, in all that has been
done, which with any plausibiIity it could
condemn, aud been unable to point to any
thing lef, undone which ought TO have
been done, is the highest violence that the
administrative duties of the late Cabinet
have been discharged with industry, fl
deity and ability.
OF the merits Of the late Cabinet in The
capacity of Executive council, j, is enough
TO say, that it accorded heartily with the
policy of its chief-a policy Of which his
death has wrung the acknow ledgment
from every section Of the country, from
almost every organ of public opinion. that
in him il was the offspring Of the purest
integrity and the most unselfish patriot
ism.
We conclude these brief remarks with
the expression Of our sincere belief, that
these gentlemen have justly entitled them
selves TO the respect and commentator
Of the country for patriotic motives and
high abilities most usefully devoted 10 the
public service, and that when the party
passions OF the hour shall have subsidized,
such will be the almost unanimous verdict
Of their countrymen.-Wash. Republic.
A Coon SCALA capital story Is