Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-03-12

THE CABINET.-We own that our impression |
of the new Cabinet is not the most favorable,
whether we judge of its members according to
their intrinsic fitness for tho responsible posi-
tons to which they are called, or compare
them with some of the heads Of departments
who have just retired from office. Those who
occupy the higher places in the Cabinet are
not only loaded with duties as onerous, and
entrusted with responsibilities as grave and
weighty as can well fall to the lot of men, but
it has also come TO be their special province to
act as the confidential advisers OF the chief exc
cutive. They have great influence, therefore,
in determining both the foreign and domestic
policy of the new administration. If the Pre-
sident be man inclined to yield to the inilu-
ences that surround him, and to bend to the
| counsels of others, the Cabinet becomes virtlt-
/ ally President, and sways the whole executive
branch of the government. 1t follows that the |
| best qualified, the soundest and most reliable |
men shoJld fill those positions-men whose |
very names and history shall give assurance to |
the nation that our public affairs are not under
the sway OF whimsical dotards in craftsmanship, |
or rash sectionalists, of mole-bind politicians,
and INSCRIPTIONS partizans. Brilliancy is net
enough. Mere capacity is not all that is rsqui-
site. But Cabinet that is thought to lack
these qualities, and does not assure the nation
Of its fairness, discretion, patriotic intent and
comprehensive nationality, cannotwell ehailed
with much satisfaction. by the people ut large.
i Where sections and localities demand to be
consulted, and rival partizans are to be kept
: placated, it becomes indeed task of infinite
difficulty to frame u suitable Cabinet; and
this we apprehend to be the secret of the
+ present disposition of the executive depart
q mentS.
General Cass, who figures in the new ar
!. rangement as Secretary of State, is kind of
q historical character; on which account, and
| because of his more than ordinary talents in
IF certain directions, and his long and conspicu-
n, GUS career on the public stage, he is certainly
entitled to the respectful consideration of the
I'd country. Still we must express our decided
doubts Of his fitness for the position to which
he is now called. lie is well stricken in years;
We and his advanced age must partially incapacl-
tate him 10 cope with tho immense and ever
49, accommodating business Of his department MOI
e is this all. The whole line of his antecedents,
nd abundanty shows to our minds, at least, that
he to manage the diplomatic affairs of the govern
all ment is not his especial province. Whether
it has been to manifest his Jealous patriotism,
II. or whether it is native to his temper, we know
not; but he has always appeared to us to make
IL an ostentatious display OF hostile spirit to-
he wards foreign countries, simply because they
were foreign, and to bring the same DISPOSE
IN ton to the adjustment of differences between
10 our own and other nations Taking this one
prominent characteristic in connection with his
I'd vacilating, and at length ultra upon the
le most important subjects of domestic policy, his
natural impulsiveness, and at the same time
rather hesitating timlity when prompt action
Mt is demanded, we must allow that, despite OF
IN many excellent qualities, he is not the man
e who promises to I'LL that office to the best
i, advantage. Yet he may be aware of his faults,
<; and set himself resolutely to avoid them in the
}. discharge ofhis official duties. And stimulated
,r by high ambition TO serve his country well,
4 and to put an honorable crown upon his lo1g
&c life, he may still prove himself an able and
i, popular Secretary of State.
4. | ba ora ha Tnl,inat ia doubt.
. less Howell Cobb, of Georgia, who is widely
known to the American people, from his long
10 career in Congress, where, for term OF two
us years, he filled the post OF Speaker with credit
IL to himself; and widely known also through his
hS stump efforts in PENNSYLVANIA and elsewhere
" during the last Presidential campaign. He
lot tlkes the place of MIR. Guthrie in the Treasury
g. Department; but our impression is, that ht
we will fail to make good the place of the late Sec
o! 9i Rotary. He is doubtless man of strong tai
Nlh ents, who might have been a statesman o
mark but so far as we may judge by what w
INC have seen Of him in public life, we apprehent
~" that he has made himself, by the discipline @
nn'' many years. mot to be unlearned at his tim
orh of lite), mainly a politician who decides a
! at public questions with a supreme reference
-, their partizan aspects. He is not tho most fiji
~ ting man, therefore, to fill the treasury depar
,. ment, nor yet to act as the principal adviser
the President. Naturally, Mr.. Cobb is a ma
Of good temper and engaging manners. Con
9a pared with many prominent politicians in Ii
section of the country, he is not inclined to .
tha excess otultraism; nor is every 0Ie IN that r
IL mote part of the Republic so well enlightent
~ as himself with the idea that there is Mort
- and that the North constitutes very essenti
portion of the United States. 1t is quite eN
,.n. dent that he is tho most popular man OF NJ
Il Buchanan's Cabinet; indeed, as man, he
lool e'Iuomcu "itn strons ,'i'i o,o o oh,
~ able to draw the right hand of fellowship irC
49, ~, all who have intercourse with them. Il
49, whether these attractive qualifications, togeth
III, with his superior talents, will not give him
80 greater influence on the wrong side OF sol
wins moinentous questions, we arc in doubt
,ban this Junction, his selection for that place
800 an experiment, whose results are yet to
l,,,, seen.
~ The now Secretary OF War is Gov. Floyd,
,cns Virginia, the same gentleman who last SUNNI
Nit in the heat Of the canvass, addressed the m
Nils chants of New York from the steps OF the /
~ change in Wall street. This event, and so
,,IIo as we know, this alone, introduced him to
Ii is nation, who had vaguely heard his name
NJ fore, but knew little of tho man. On that oc
,ned sion he manifested good gifts of speech,
i,roi we may presume that he is endowed with 81
II il cient intellect and diligence to go through
rnor common routine of his office, especially
nhI;c these times ofpeace. The same things, IN
,,tin sprct to theirqualiications, perhaps someth
aIinI yet more favorable, may properly be SAD
Messrs. Aaron V. Brown, of Tennessee,
roes Jacob Thompson, of Mississippi, "a State,
mi the way, which has not heretofore EMO
, Jill, many OF the drippings Of oliice,) who have
e,rn, appointed to tho departments of the Navy
b"si- the Interior. They are men of considers
,,nY,n rip6noss in public affairs, OF whom if not
God things yet ut least u safe and fair pertorma
n,or- of their duties, may be expected. Mr.. All
MN, Pumer, the now Postmaster General, from
,nthsr own State, though net so widely known as 81
Nil other names in the Cabinet, nor Of SO
~ tr standing in respect to talents, Will favor
M compare with his Cabinet associates in the
H. RICHNESS of his moral and political charat
" and will doubtless bring to the discharg
,s va. his official duties fidelity and honesty
~ " over common among our public serv'
Lastly, Mr.. Clifford, of Maine, is Attor
General. We are glad of this, or rather
s57 take pleasure in the fact that Toucy, one o.
If tba most seryle tools Of the last administrative
,atnre the Senate has received the reward which
IL tho serviity has fairly entitled him to- Mr. Gil
r "a has held the place before, and we are not a.
ditor that anything Of moment has been, or can
reniy said against him.-North .4mericani
Or the -------
good For the Delaware Republican.
" tllo r,rpr March 49,