The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-12-04
Tno PresIdent and his Cabinet.

The President and his Cabinet.
Speculations in reference to the cabinet
sppointments OF the incoming administra-
tiop, are extensively INDUCED in by the De-
mocratic press, and in an equal degree by
the opposition. Buchanan is President, and
there can be but little doubt that he will
select his olon cabinet without fear or favor
from any source whatever. No man in the
whole Union is better nblO to do this, than
the President elect. Forty years OF public
service and constant intercourse with the
first minds OF the nation, will enable him to
select from tho abundant material about
him, Just such as his position aud circum-
stances may require, and, as consequence
the cabinet making Of newspaper editors be-
rorehand, will prove only to be useless la
Dor and unstable furniture.
Still, it is peculiarly the province of the
newspaper press to discuss the merits and
dsmerits of the political leaders OF the coun-
try. Public men are public property. They
become a part Of the wealth and fame OF
nation. America. without her Washing
tons, Jeffersons, Madisons, Jacksons, Clays,
Wsbsters, Cslhouns, Buchnnnns and Casses,
would be beggnred in fame and character
among the nations. To take these names
from our history would be like taking dla'
monds from diaden. Burke soys, ."Grcat
men are the guide. posts and landmarks oI
the State" As the great names ofthc past
are to the history OF the past, so the great
names of the present are to The history OF the
present There are to-day, in the United
States, more really eminent men than have
lived at any other period of our history
Occasion may not have offered to bring
into Wow their shining qualities, or Eerve'
to concentrate public attention upon them
but they possess them, nevertheless, an
they are part of our public treasure. Ii
the field of politics, the majority Of the tru
men Of the nation--those who love thei
country aud their whole country are to b.
, found in the Democratic ranks.
In the selection Of this man or that ont
n as our President, or for cabinet post, W
r do not necessarily say that he is the onl
person fit for The station. Far from it. Thel
are, thank God, in every State of the Col
federacy, men we'll qualified to fill any o
r fee within the gift OF The people or the po
II ronage of the President. From this wiz
e field embracing thirty one independent so
e ereign,ics, Mr.. Buchanan is to make Ii
d choice.
Much depends upon the character Of IL
choice made. The members Of cabnt
though differing from each other as the ne
cssary duties of the departments differ, mu:
at the same time, stand upon precisely Il
same political platform, and entertain Il
same political principles. "A house divide
u against itself caanot stand,' neither can
u cabinet divided against itself accompl
u any good for the country. lfthere be ar
e error in the formation Of Mr.. Pierce's CAT
III net, il lies in the fact, that its members i
C in some cases, men OF extreme and conir
'e dictory views. 1t will not answer TO pla
OF "tire eaters" OF the South, and abolitioni
IT. of the North, in tho same household. Th
U are not the proper persons to govern cou
IT, try or give counsel to President. In tim
g like these, when the young America" Sc
u timeDt is so universal, when 'fast' men a
- SO numerous, when extremist are on o
!! right hand anG on our left, and when I
)" whole country is convulsed by thousa
vague and impracticlble reforms and thee
'e ries, prud.nt,erperieaced and conservative nj
1S are required at the head of the Govcrnmer
: to save US from disaster and shipwreck.-
Such in our judgmeEt, will be the charact
" of tho men whom Mr.. Buchanan will C,
around him.
ii, argued by some that in the distrit
ton OF the government patronage, the
re- States which cast their electoral vote
Buchanan and Breckenridge, are entitled
the highest consideration. We cannot 6
- the justice Of such position. No man
-. entitled to Office except upon the ground
:: substantial merit That man who is b
-. qualified to discharge the duties of any p
:. ticular position, should be appointed there
. whether his home be in Berks county, p
- where they are all Democrats, Or on
a. Western Reserve, where it requires the m
10 a! courage Of martyr to avow adheren
.;s to the Democratic faith. Where differt
D., localities present men of the same quaIii
II. tions, their patronage should be given to
,r. weak,r portion Cf the party for the obvit
~ reason, that in this manner, the strength
~ our organ ;zation may be better maintair
nd and the principles of our creed, &c q con
rv quence, better defended.
ev or the eminent men whose names hi
IN been mentioned in connection with cab
appointments, we shall allude on Iy to lt
Ter LEWIS CAss, of Michigan, it is thou
- may receive the appointment of Secret
IRE of State. Gen. Cass is en- old man, full
els years and full Of honors. Long has he ST
re, among the champions Of out sucred faill
long has he stood in the councils of the
ton. His illustrous compeers have fai
.d one by onc, rs the mighty oaks of the ful