Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1853-03-23
from the New York HeIaldl
THE UNITED STATES UNDER ELEVEN
ADMINISTRATIONS.


ADMINISTRATIONS.
Notices of the Presidents and their Cabinets fro"
Washington to Pierce
The occasion Of the expiration Of the term Of ,ns
eleventh administration aud the advent Of inc 'Ss.
national executive, seems proper liine 20 ;.s
brief retrospective view of the ehaId' ou ~
upon the progress OF The country Oh ."e Se'vus
Presidents and iber administrations during the six
ty.four wears which have transpred since The ofgsn
ration OF the Government.
First administrator" 1853 70 4a9t' etgn' gears
Georue Washington, President.
The ;Dauguraiion having taken place at N. York,
AnIl 30 1889, the first Congress, during lis mrs
session of nearly six months, were employed primer
nav in framing laws necessary to the organization
nf the government. In this space OF time the con-
sruction of the powers Intended be given was very
ably discussed. The subjects of commerce ana IL
nance received the early attention OF Congress- as
weIras the Organization Of the different departments
and Of a national judiciary system. Among inc san
jocts strenuousy debated the Presidents :.":r
of appoI tment and removal Of public oihcers' u
appointment constltutIonally subject 10 the
sent Of the Senate. The removal, onj"hcn point nS
eonstujo On was silent, was then settled TO be In the
mower of the President alone. The powerful oFP0-
sidon to the constitution in several of the States,
caused Congress to adopt sixteen articles oil amend
menl in September, 1889; ten OF these articles were
approyed by the requisite number OF States, through
tbeir Legislatures and finally became parts OF the
constitution in December, lTYI Two other articles,
since adopted by the States were proposed at subse-
Is
The President selected his cabinet in September,
1889 namely: Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson
of Virginia Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander
Hamilton of New York; Secretary of War. Henry
Knox of Massachusetts; Attorney General Edmund
Randolph of Virg mia. The ottlce OF Secretary OF
the NAVY cid not exist until the Presidency OF Mr..
Adams, when that department was established, VIZ
in l79S. Although Washington and Hamilton were
enabled to carry the measures they proposed through
the first and second Congress, there was early
organization formed against them-the opposltlon
composed mostly of an'i-federasfs, or these who had
opposed the Constitution, taking the name OF repub-
Iicans, as advised by Mr. Jefferson, and the friends
of the administration retaining The OF feerLIisis
The cabinet Of Washington was divided In sentI-
ment. Hamilton and Knox advising strong federal
measures, while Jefferson and Randolph generally
acted in opposition their colleagues, and In unison
with the opposition in Congress. Washington in
vain exertsd all his influence reconcile Jefferson
and Hamilton. The hostility Of these distinguished
men 10 each other sustained dinInuIion, and its
consequence became every day more d!fusive. The
French revolution had Important Influence on the
politics of The United States at this time Jefferson
and his republican friends symPdihiZed with the
French revolutionisls, while Washington, Hamilton,
and their federal friends considered it important TO
the United States maintain friendly relations with
Great Britain. The last two years of Washington 5
first term turbulent times; party spirit ran
high, both in Congress and among The people, and
such was the violence of feeling and excitement that
the national government would have probably per
ished in lis infancy had i! not been for The wsdo
and firmness of Washington, and the public conf
dence in his guidance OF the ship of state
The leaders of both parties expressed a wish for
the reelection Of the President, and he relinQ ushed
his intention to retire at the end Of the fist term
such was the critical situation of public affLrs, that
he consented TO remalnat the head of the govern
ment. Notwithstanding the high party feeling d.
mong the people, he unanimously reelected.
On the question of Vice President, the Of parties
was exhibited. Mr.. Adams, the federal candidate,
received sevcnty-seven electoral votes GEORGE Gin
orfodh nv fha 6fIu IaH
four; Burr, showing federal majority of TWEEN
ty-two in the electoral colleges. South Carolina was
the only State south OF Mary land which voted Tor
M. Adams, who received this election the supper,
OF all the northern States, except New York, where
the republicans being in he ascendency in the Leg
isature chose electors favorable 10 Governor Gin.
ion.
During Washington's second term, when the third
Congress assembled at Philadelphia. in December,
1898, the opposition to the administration succeeded
in electing the Speaker of the House, which bod Y
afterwards nearly equally divided on great po-
liIical measures In the Senate the Vice President
repeatedly settled important questions by his casting
1t is worthy of notice that all the Representa-
iives and Senators from Virginia, with one or two
exceptions of the fl per, in the opposition 10
Washington's administration, throughout his two
MIR. Jefferson resigned, Secretary of State
in December, 1893, and the President appointed Ed
mund Randolph to succeed him, and William Brad
ford, of Philadelphia, to succeed Mr.. Randolph as
Attorney General. Mr.. Bradford died in office, and
was succeeded by Charles Lee, of Virginia, in De-
cember, 1895 At the close of the year, 1894, Gen,
Knox retired from the department, and in Janua.
Ty, 1875, he was succeeded by Timothy Pickering,
then OF Pennsylvania. Mr.. Hamilton resigned as
Secretary of the Treasury the 3Ist of January
1888, and was succeeded by Oliver WoIcott of Con.
necticut In August, 1895, Mr. Randolph resigned
as Secretary or State, and succeeded in Decem.
Der by Timothy Pickering, in whose place James
McHenry, of MaryIan was appointed Secretary Ct
War.
Washington having tried the experiment of a
mixed Cabinet during his first term, finally composed
one which agreed in political sentiments and the four
Federalists whom he left in Office, viz PICKERING
Woscott, McHenry and Lee, were continued in the
Cabinet by John Adams President Washington
and his first Cabinet were unanimously OF the opn.
ION that this country not bound to take part w inf
France in her war with England and in April 1898
The celebrated proclamation of neutrality bv the
President, was issued, which has been The Guide OF
the nation ever since in affairs with foreign nations
During W ashingington's administration all the lis
puies between the United States and foreign nations
had been adjusted, with the exception Of those oil
France; at home public and private credit was res.
toTed-ihe amount of revenues. had exceeded The
most Sangnlne calculations. The prosperity of the
country had been, indeed, without example notwitb.
standing great losses from beIligerent depredsons
o the high responsibility of giving motion and eE
tecIo the new system OF government, among discor-
dant elements, il was the lot of Washington TO be
called. In The discretionary exercise of the execu.
tive power, the administration wise and IA Tented
In filling Offices, the President preferred when he
could, revolutionary PATRIOTS of whose neo,ilv and
ability he had ample proof. He displaced no man
for the expression of his opinions even in the
excitement of sympathy with France Win regaIJ
10 our foreign Telaticns Washington persisted in his
neutrality 10 the last hour of his ad m oistr,,;a L