Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-04-16
THURSDAY, APRIL IA, 1853.

The official journal is not discreet 1t has to
learn the value Of silence. 1t SHOULD not provoke
discussion on tender point. Sunday last certain
change in the Cabinet was confidently reported, and
upon alleged authority respectable that 1T obtained
general credencel We ourselves heard several Sena
tors express their belief in the rumor, and being
moreover thing not in itself totally incredible, we
thought fit to let our distant readers know that
such rumor had obtained credit here Many be-
lieyed it because they thought it not improbable
Others because it was confidently circulated and
none doubted it save only the privileged few who
had access to the highest sources. Instead of
finding it officially confirmed in the next number Of
the Union, as every body at the time anticipated,
that print is exceedingly indignant at the report,
and fourishes its official baton quite loftily at this
journal in particular, for having " given any
tenance whatever to rumors of change or dissen-
!" sions in the Cabinet, which, 50 far from having
I" any foundation in truth, were aotortously the
" pery opposite Of the truth"
We were glad to learn, and fastened to express
our belief Of the fact before the testimony of
the Union certified it to US, that the Cabinet of the
President forms a harmonious Council. The re-
spectacle gentlemen who compose it are certainly,
so far as we have the pleasure of knowing them,
not unworthy of their posts, either as regards pub
lie or personal character. No interest, therefore,
have we that dssensions should arise amongst Them
or motive to desire change rather, indeed, the
contrary in regard to some of them, until the lapse
Of four years shall permit US to see wiser if not
better set of men take their places. If were
not an equiyocal compliment, we would say that the
President might have chosen much less fortunately.
But was it so monstrous to credit for moment
the possibility of-we will not say rupture in the
Cabinet, but want of adaptation and readjust-
Inent of some of its parts? Were the antecedents
of its members, in their several spheres, in such
harmony as to make the admission of possible
disagreement amongst them misdemeanor? In
some countries we know it is treason to imagine the
death of the Sovereign; but Heaven forefend that
it should be adjudged treason to imagine the disso
luton of a Democratic Cabinet! We have seen
such things happen before. General JAcKsoN's
first Cabinet stood not much longer, and soon fell to
pieces in irretrievable ruin. The present Cabinet
has not been constructed of more harmonious mate
rails, President PIERCE received the support of
the entire Democratic party of every section and
of every stripe, and it was fit that he should
give so far as the limited number permitted each
voice in his Cabinet. Nobody blames him for that
and doubtless those gentlemen came together with
the discreet determination to keep in allegiance
former antagonisms But to assume, as the official
paper does, that these antagonists dead and
buried, and incapable of being at moment sud
denly rekindled by some untoward spark, is to
discredit both history and human nature.