Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-01-25


This declaration made with the memory Of
the three months, dragoouing which he has
Just undergone at the hands of bis disiuter-
ested political friends, and under a serious
fofeboding of the many more months of
similar discipline upon the eve of which he
stands, is, in most cases, we are bound to be-
lieve, sincere. But power, if it has its
bitters, has also its compensating sweets
and ambition ts an appetite that has never
yet been permanently eradicated by nu,
tritious ailments The President soon be-
gins to suspect that he has been a
little hasty; he learns to listen with
cslmDess to suggestions that it may posi-
bly he necessary for him to sacrifice his pri-
vate preferences to the general good; and, at
last, having arrived at the conclusion that
the country can not do without his services
for second term, proceeds to employ the
most direct and energetic means that his
position can supply to save the State, by aeon
tinuance ofhis own guardianship of its des-
tiny. In this, the average President is doubt
less inst as sincere as he was in his Piegious
declnation. The incoming President, there
| fore, however firmly fixed may be his reso-
lutious against second term, should so ar
range the material of his Administration
that no inconvenience can result from an
unforeseen change in his views in that
! regard. To a President without ulterior
expectations, the presence of a Presiden-
tial candidate in his council might not
ha tohI 10 od,
verse to the public interest; but to a
President with ulterior expectations, such a
presence would be unfortunate both upon
personal and upon public grounds. Once
Presidential candidate always a Presidential
candidate; the man who has been talked Of
for the Presidency neither forgets it himself
nor willingly permits the world to become
oblivious. Go where be may, he never loses
sight of his Presidential possibilities, nor
ceases to employ as q matter of primary obli-
cation to his country as well as to himself,
the means to transmute them into Presi-
Dental actualities. Feelings of personal
rivalry are certain to produce conflict Of
counsels; the inevitable effect of which will
be weakness in the Administration. They
may be kept out of public sight and go un-
acknowledged; bat they will be none the
less active TO produce the absence of that
vieor without which no Government can
long command the respect of the people, or
preserve consistent course of public policy.
Similar reasons to those which would
govern President having ulterior expecta-
tions, in respect to one Presidential candi-
date, should deter him, under any circum-
stances from taking into his Cabinet more
than one of that order of public men. 1t is
unnecessary to depict what must be the
result of the jostling and jealousies of two
or more gentlemen, each ambitious to ele-
vate himself and to keep down his rival.
The scene can be easily imagined; and the
end can hardly be otherwise than disrepu-
table. .fI
Itis true that there may be exceptions to
this rule as, for example: where Presi-
dent is anxious to kill off his rivals, and is
conscious of possessing the energy, states
mauship, and hold upon the people necessary
to enable him to direct the Government &C.
cordiDg to his own will, and make himself
the embodiment of the administrative unity.
In such case, nothing can be more sup
pressive TO them than the state of sub0rdina-
ton to which they are reduced. Standing
simply as head clerks of their several de-
partments, they cease to be considered in
any other light than as parts of machine,
intrusted with the details of administration,
but excluded from the power to direct the
policy of the Government-to all political
intents and purposes extinguished. But
Presidents capable to carry through success.
fully such an enterprise are rare. To do il
requires strength of character, knowledge o
public affairs, and habits of command, tha
fall to the lot OF few who enter into politica
life through party avenues; and for th'
average President, the experiment is too un
safe to encourage the trial.
But can an honorable gentleman of tn,
4 Presidential caste desire to go into an Ad
ministration where he is either likely to fnC
rival in the President or in/ one of his co
ordinates, or to be reduced to the condition
of mere superintendent of official details
One would think not; but place has its at
fractions; and he who would not counse
such an act in others, would-such are tn
self-deceptive powers Of human nature-read
lily discover in his own case circumstances t
make it exceptional. The politician is unde
the pressure of constant feeling of necessit.
to keep himselfbefore the people. He decline
to consider the easily-foreseen dangers an
discemforts of the tempting position, an
enters where, once in, it is no easy matter t
retire. Fairly established, he is not long i
coming to the conclusion that he has made
, /, mistake. He endeayors to rectify it, but hi
efforts are in the wrong direction, becaus
9 there is no right one and at the close Of th
B term he leaves Office to find that he has GU
minated and declined.
al The thing Of the first Importance 10 an Az
\ ministration is unity: and in ordSo TO unit.
! it is necessary that the head of the govern
q ment should have in his council no greatI
f man, or man of higher pretensions, than hin
Ie self. Mr.. Parton represents General Jacl
!. son as having inaugurated the era of sma
= men in the government. The leading i'd
d of General jackson was that of administr
1t tive unity. OF that unity, he made hims'
2 the embodiment; and when any Of the su
: ordinate entities exhibited disposition
rebel, it was at once dismissed. He d
scended in the scale of conventional emi
/. ence until be found men who could wo