Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1853-04-13
The Rupture In the Cabinet


by the quckness of its occurrence We tel
insured that the elements of antagonism which
entered into the Cabinet would forbid contin
,ied harmony Of action, and that sooner or la
ter an explosion would take place; but W,
thought that policy. regard for appearances
and a sense of shame would have postponed
1t TO later day.
. The experiment has been often enough
tried, and as often failed. to bring together up
on common platform. men discovered by pun
.ciple, pride. prejudice rivalry and resentment
Pitt with his mighty intellect and iron will at.
tempted il and failed. Interest. IN the shape
oil coming benefits. may produce a temporary
and seeming suspension of hostility, but when
the benefits have boon received and the inter
est is past, instead of future-the rancorous
remembrance OF injury and insdlt returns and
hatred deadher and more implacable than
before testers in the heart. 1t was not n diff.
cult performance 10 arrange at Baltimore the
terms of union and cooperation, for then the
ghttering prize of the Presidency with its
golden trail of embassies AMI chargeships and
consular sppontmcns-withit It's 'scutcheons OF
honor and lis heaps of money, was in The pros
pect. Nor was II any more difficult to coax
the faciIe consciences of certain ancient and
dcbauched politicians into consent, when appeal
ed TO, TO become members of u cabinet which
was to be a unit IN sentiment and action-al.
though its members had stood before "wide as
the poles asunder' in their public yIews-for
then 1.-THE situation had its charm" and the
privilege OF dispensing the government garb-
age among their hungry reiainers aud follow
ers was an easy mode Of settling old scores
and securing the ir fealty for future use. But
when these ends had been attaned-the first
the bonds ofcoheson must of necessity have
relaxed and the ancient animosities revived
The telegraph reports reconciliation
We trust it may not be So for We have mnre
confidence in the honesty and patriotism Of the
President thanin the prominent members of
his Cabinet, and we should feel safer-if, in
such crisis as this, he would show something
of the old Jacksonian nerve and kick out the
whole batch-resolved TO be " hat the people
have made him Chief Magistrate. The occa.
sion will test his frmness. If an adjustment
has taken place,we shall fear that he has yield.
ed his Independence. has been driven TO sub
mission--and that the reins Of government
must pass into the hards ola selfish, designing
and corrupt caba. But no reconciliation can be
sincere and lasting. The difference between
McClelland the free-soiler, Marcy the trimmer
between barnburnerism and hunk erism -
Gushing the bunker and semi-flibuster Dob
bin the conservative, and Davis the Southern
rights secessonist are too wide and deep 10
be bridged over by Cancellation. The Presi.
dent and his janizaries may suppress the fire
for the time but the embers will keep alive be
meath the ashes-to break forth again and dc
Fly all efforts at extinction.
The reported condition ofthings at Wash
ington is another proof added to countless 9th
ers, ofwhich this country has been tho unhap
py and unprohting witness, of the ncapacity O
the party calling itself "tAe Democracv" I
manage rpublic affairs wisely and safely
So much is that party controlled by leader
whose schemes are all selish-so entirely is
destitute of established principles and an abid
ing policy-so wanting in veneraton for tn
example and precepts the great republica
fathers. and SO feeble and limited in the ia
foresight which makes sagacious statesman
shp-soheterogeneous in its physical constitu
ents and so diverse in the feelings. sentiment
and opinions which compose its moral frame
work-wlhal 80 irreverent of tradition sn
law, SO impusive and tumultuous--as to dis
qualify 1t from understanding the true phil
osophy of government and uniting in an,
broad, stable and well devised system of poll
cy. We would it were otherwise, for sine
the fates have decreed that it shall man an,
steer the ship of state, We would fain see
possess the wisdom and the will to man
well,and steer it safely
AT late meeting ofthe AGRICULTURAL So
Getty OF the State of Virginia which resulted
the Alexandra Gazette saws. in securing NOR