, 1862-12-25
|q)ita9p Gtiibn>tt,,
THE CABINET QUESTION.

N00 Na0ANAA &UESI4WNs
We think there Will be a feeling Of regret
and disappointment throughout the North
West IN consequence Of the failure Of the
Republican Senatorial Caucus to induce
the President to reconstruct his Cabinet;
and our opinion is founded on certain facts
that seem to us to be patent to all attentive |
observers. They are,
I. Profound dissatisfaction with the cor.
duct of the warm Virginia dissatisfaction
that dates back to the failure Of Mcclellan
to attack and conquer the enemy at Man
aseas, now more than q year ago.
II. Equally profound assurance that the
President is sincere and earnest in all his
endeagors, and that left to him alone his
Judgment and insight, his patriotism and
zcal-the war would have had quite anoth-
er aspect now-
III. Conviction everywhere deep in the
minds Of men slat there is power near
The Government, which, to certain ex-
tent, neut1alizes OF pul1ides the Presidcn-
tial vill-that power being a discordant
Cabinet.
". Belief that at the head Of the reac-
1ionary party, stands Mr. Seward, who Is
thought to be governed, in his dealings
with the rebellion, by the same fatuity
that gave so ridiculous an aspect to his Ire
qucnt prophecies uttered when the rebellion
broke out.
Its not for us to say how just these
items Of belief are. We note their exist
ence, and deduce therefrom the opinion
with which we set out in this article that
the failure at Washington to apply cor
rective to these causes Of complaint,
which, in the minds Of men who credit
them, are real, Will aggravate and intensity
feeling that is already alarming. Our
want Of confidence in Nh. Seward, except
as an cssayist Of philosophical inclinations,
as 1,hrasc-u,ak of excellent taste in ETY.
mo1oey, is well known; and it is so com
pletc that We fear thatwe may not be able
to giyc him credit for the higher qualities
needed for t]iis crisis, which his friends
say he possesses But setting all that aside,
and Iasing an opinion only on acts and
] documents Of public character accessible
to all, we are constrained to say that ne
have never ceased to regard his member
shin Of the Cabinet Is q misfortune Which
nothing but his resignation could remove
hence We have never ceased to hope that
: as his want Of courage, of tlr1nness, and
We may say Of fidelity, and his utter lack o.
power 10 comprehend thenature, purposes
aud treatment Of the rebellion. became
known, lie would be compelled 10 give way
for man Of loftier purposes, wider men
tai reach and more undauntcd spirit. Il
this, if The Presidents refusal to accept Iii
resignation, is: any indication Of what vi
:ue 10 expcos, We shall probably b
disappointed. We are not without th'
horc, however, that the warning that tn
Secretary has received, and the..express1o1
that recent events will call forth, vii
arouse him to full comprehension G
what is upon him, and perhaps compe
him to make common ca11se :With the NOR
earnest and able men to whom the Iebe
lion and the imperative duty Of conquer
lug it By the force Of arms are ever presen
If they fail Of that effect, and if his polio
is the policy Of the Government, We sha
learn, perhaps too late, that though dipl'
macy has sometimes saved nation, it ht
ruined and disgraced the greatest Of Il
tons in our OWL