Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-01-20
THE RICHMOND ENQUIRER.

In this once influential journal of the 18th in
slant, we find the following article, and we should
have noticed it yesterday, but for want of
space:
CABINET CHANGES CLEMENS. The
rumor Of the election of Governor Brown to
the Senate from Mississippi is discredited.
We have now authentic intelligence of the
election of Jefferson Davis. This announce
ment has set the quidnuncs about Washington
to specializing as to the successor of Colonel
Davis in the cabinet. Already have we as
surances that. Mr.. Jeremiah Clemens, of Ala
bama, viii be made Secretary of War. We do
not believe this story for good and sufficient
reasons. In the first place, zoe hare no appre-
hension that Mr.. Pierce means to abandon the
principle ON phich his administration is or
gdnized, by introducing into his cabinet q
Union-democrat of the stripe of Mr.. Clemens
neither do we believe that he will promote to
SO responsible position man of doubtful
allegiance to party. In the third place, we put
TOO high an estimate on the sagacity of Mr..
Pierce to suppose that he will voluntarily en-
cumber his administration with broken-down
politician. If the cabinet stood in need Of any
ris inerti9, Mr.. Clemens would be the proper
man to supply the deficiency. He is utterly
devoid Of strength or position in his own State,
nhna~;ous. We do not doubt that If Mr.. Davis
should leave the cabinet, the President will
supply the vacancy with man who enjoys the
confidence of his party and the respect Of the
country
The words Union'' democrat are EN-.
ployed by the Enquirer. The rest Of the
italics are ours.
Here we have from the Richmond Enquirer
distinct admission, that the principle upon
which General Pierce's administration is or
gained, is an exclusion Of Union democrats
from places of trust and influence. And yet
the Enquirer, whose senior editor was Union
democrat as his venerated father is, zealously
sustains an administration organized upon
such principle, as itself admits; and whether
truly or enormously is immaterial, as far as
the Enquirer is concerned. A principle which
puts in coventry majority of the Virginia
delegation in Congress, and three-fourths of
her voting population.
VIII the Enquirer, however, say that in ex-
pressing its leading and first reason for the be-
lief that President Pierce would not introduce
Union democrat into " so responsible posi-
tom as that of Secretary of War; and by
doing so, "abandon the principle upon ,chich
sohich his administration is tounded;" it quail
fed its statement by the words, of the stripe
Of Mr.. Clemens and "a man of doubtful allie.
glance to the party?" lift means anything by
that, what win it have to Justify the qualifca-
ton? What did Mr.. Clemens do in respect to
those questions which have attached to him the
appellaton of I. a Union" democrat which the
Enquirer and Washington Onion at that time
did not approve?
Again: as to Mr. Clemens doubtful al
legiance to party" The Enquirer and Wash
ington Union and other prints which we shall
not mention, must settle this last point 1t
was but few days SINCE that Mr. Clemens
wrote letter, and "hte .taittt ul" did not think
that it exhibited him as "a man of doubtful
allegiance to party, if we may Judge from these
prints.
We must not be misunderstood in this matter.
1t must not be inferred that we are, at all, dis
posed to find fault with Mr.. Clemens, if the En-
quirer does, even under the circumstances. We
must give political offenders "lMller's time"
and supposing Mr.. Clemens to be one of them,
land yeonly say this in reply to the Enquuer's
insinuation) we do not think his time as yet
has come. There are others 80 much more
fragrant, that we advise the Enquirer to attend
to them first, as we shonld unquestionably do /;
and if it takes our advice in this matter, we
think it will be long time before it comes to
Mr.. Clemens.
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