The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1861-03-21
From ths Inisaaa Journal.
lnAiiastil iil the Gabinei.

Some OF our cotemporaries, especially the
Cincinnati Commercial aud few papers IN
the extre.ne South, are greatly III satisfied
with tne appointment of Caleb b Smith
to a place in Mr.. Lincoln's Cabiuet They
insist tnat he has neither that uatiouallfy
OF reputation. nor that integrity of charac-
ter. which a Cabinet officer should have
Ihey disparage his abilities, and predict
his failure We might be content To let Mr..
Smiths administration OF his Off g reply
to these attacks. but a> he is the first In-
dianian vino has ever held Cabinet place,
and has stood tor twenty years in that
rank of men from whom a Cabine, officer
would certainly be chosen ii one were AS
signed to this State. the assaults upon the
popular judgment which pushed him for
ward, and We are not content To allow that
Judgment to be lmpeached In silence
twenty five years ago Mr.. Smith was con
sioereo one OF the most active and intiuan
tial politicians ,f Indiana, and his vii,
probably controlled a larger share of III.
popular action than that OF any other mao
lie was then Speaker Of our House OF
Representatives, a"d was regarded in that
position with no inconsderable share Of the
respect that was accorded TO Mr. Claw in a
similar position IN Congress. Almost con
tlnuousiy from that time Til few wears
previous to his brief removal from the S. ate
he was hoDored with the public confidence
Ia some form or other As one OF the
Fund Commissioners he was engaged in
the settlement OF some of the claims due
the State. and the settlement he made in
cluding his soap factory" and water lots"
though abuntanty ridicued AT the time.
had two merits that may now be fairly
granted it. 1st. 1t was all th., co aid b.
0nd ? ha
the property thus obtained it would have
yielded no incon>i ierablc portion of the
debt for which 1t was taken. He myht
point with more propr,ety than his assail-
ANS can TO the outcome OF that arrange
ment. and leave ii to vindicate his Ind Jmen,
an! his integrity. He was next tue repre
sentative III Congress OF the "Batnt Dis
trict." and with Robert Dale Owen. Gsorye
II. Profit. Geo q. Dunn, Henry 5. Lane.
). w. Parker. and j l. White Gately
murdered in Central Ameriea) gave Indi
ana reputation In Congress that was only
impaired BY the continued predominanc- of
the Democracy, and the presence ot such
nen as Lockhart. English. Gregg and
Nibisck. So high dit he stand then, that
be was talked OF tor place In Gen. Tay-
lors or Mr.. Fiilmore's Catinet, As generally
and iavorably as he was before his recen,
appointment. Many OF our readers viii
remember that Caleb B. Smith was AT that
time one OF the most prominent subjects of
Cabinet specuations- His appointment in
the Mexican claim commission the ne x,
/ step Ia ms career. was an acknowlei gmz mt
OF reputation of national extent, aad a
iuil refutatlan OF the .iisparagsments Of il
that make up the staple of the attacks upon
him DOW. Since then. though the greater
part OF his life has been devoted to bis pri-
vate affairs, he has held positions thai
lproved he had los, notliing of hi hold on
seleetoIs in OHIO, during his short residence
IN that Ssate-a tact OF spme significance
as State like Oaio Is not apt TO take up an
iordinary man Of recent residence lor 50
;prominent a post as stelector al larye''-and
he was put IN the saue position here as soon
after mis- return as an election required the
position to be filed. He has thus been
loontinually followed with proofs of public
iestesm. and of the breadth and character Of
his reputation. and if any man in the Cabi-
net is objectionable on the score of made
iquate reputation i, is not be. Mr. Wells oi
:Connecticus was less widely known than
Mr.. Smith, and Judge Blair. whom nobody >
has asssiled in this respect, was ahsoIntel7
unknown in the Northwest The aryumen,
OF reputation is a sufficient reply TO the i'm
ipeacnmens of his abilities No man can
WELD the influence Nr. Smith has for So
many years so steadily and with so little
dimunition under all changes of parties, sud
times, without real sterling ability He i:
not only An effective stump speaker, but h.
lis q lawyer OF first rank Ia his State of Al