The New York herald., 1862-12-22

tne incompetence end tOrtuoug policy o.
those members Of the Cabinet specially chargei
with the conduct Of the war. His domesti,
policy, when called to exercise his vote or in
tuence in the Cabinet, was equally character
lied by craftsmanship; for in the awful pre-
ssnce of the dangers which menaced the life o
the nation he forgot that he ever was poll
tician or . partisan; and in the eyes Of the radi
calls this was "the head and front of his offend
ing" He held that his obligations to his whole
country were paramount to those which he
owed to party, and be had the sagacity to see
that In the contamination of the ruin impending
over the cause Of the Union the destruction
OF the party was necessarily involved
The radicals, blinded, like all those whom
the gods make mad in order to destroy
them, instead of listening to his wise remon-
strances, have attempted to throw him over
board, like Jonah, to appease the angry waves.
But these madmen, who are taking no heed Of
the signs Of the times, may yet find to their
cost that Mr. Seward is sae while they are
doomed to the destruction which they court.
In sacred history we read that God would have
spared the city of Sodom If ten righteous men
could be found in it; and the people Of the
United States might have tolerated the Cabi-
net of Mr. Lincoln If even the one good man in
it had been permitted to remain. He was the
Lot for whose sake the popular wrath was sus-
pended. The tragedy at Fredericksburg was
only the climax of accumulated blunders, dis
asters and corruptions necessary to rouse the
people to that point at which 1t is no longer
safe to trife with them.
What is the duty of the President under these
critical circumstances? 1t is to initiate the
example Of Jackson, and compel every
member of the Cabinet to resign. Some
of them are consciously so odous in
the eyes Of the nation that if they
had spark of pride or honor, or even
the slightest sense Of shame, they would
not wait for a hint from Mr.. Lincoln, but would
speedily relieve him from all embarrassment,
and leave the ground clear for the construction
of new Cabinet of better materials and ON
broader basis If they will not yield to public
opinion, we trust Mr. Lincoln will soon compel
them to do SO, to the great JOY of the nation,
and that he will at the same time send General
Halleck back to San Francisco to practice law.
But the Presidents duty will then have only
been half performed. He must build up, as
well as pull down; and it will not do to dis
place one set Of radicals in order to make room
for another set rs bad II not still worse. That
would be like she mau out Of whom the devil
was cast taking seven other devils, 30 that his
last state was worse than the first. What the
President is called to do by the voice of the
people and the voice OF God is TO select capa-
BILE, conservative men, ii such can be found in
the republican party aud to add others from
outside Of that party-in fact to erect . national
Cabinet instead Of sectional one.
Thus, By a coup d'etat, single effort Of the
will to cut Loose forever from the radicals,
Mr.. Lincoln may make himself master of the
situation, save the country. and cause despair
to give place to restored confidence in the pub
lie mind. The people have not lost faith in
his integrity; but by his resolution in this try
ing hour will the complexion Of his own future
and OF the fu,ure Of the country be decided. A
great opportunity has arisen to Mr.. Lincoln,
which, if greatly improved, will make him the
political saviour Of the republic, and his name
will be remembered with gratitude by gene
rations yet unborn. II he fails to see and to
seize the advantage now presented to him he
will look back with unavailing regret to the
Christmas of 1862 as the darkest and saddest
period in his history. 1t has been well OBJ
served by philosophical poet that there is
tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the
food leads on to fortune, but which, if neglect
ed, leaves them stranded wrecks. Now is the
high tide in the administration Of Mr.. Lincoln.
Let him take advantage of it before the ebb
leaves him high and dry on the shore.
THE JAPANESE GIFT TO TILE PoLicE.-1t will
be remembered that when TIE Japancee ENJOYS
quilted this city on their return home they lett
large sum of money to be distributed among
the police, in acknowledgment of The attention
and protection which they received at thsir
hands The money was given to tie Comnlis-
sioners for division among thc wfIt hut It has
been ever since retained b,ihem. - lbs srsand
that they were not entitled Il IT, al.. that il
would be best TO make mel, iiiua 4 it. This
has naturally given great dissat.a action 20 the
force, and through some Influential parties
they have made arrangements to bring the mat
ter before the Legislature, to compel com
pliance with the intentions Of the aenors. On
leal ming this the Commissioners tnok steps 10
de,eat the movement by having q petition,
purporiing to originate with The laen,
sent for signatures to the different pre-
cncts, praying that they the Commis
sioners) would usc tho fund for war
purposes or any other Objects to which they
might see Git to appropriate il" Accompany
ing the petition was an order TO the captains to
get all the members Of sheir command to aigu
of their claims |. the fund and in case Of re-
ftrsal to forward he uamea q the recusants -
Headquarters.
Such are the facis. as they i,a,s been stated
to us. Of this singular proceeding, and, a. might
ucaioi tha.. hala axciLnd .Lr...o r.clin.s