Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-01-05
THE NORTH
A New Cabinet, =

A new CdDlnets
We have been urging the President and the
country has been urging him for months to reor
ganze his Cabinet and place men of honesty ana
ability in II who will command the respect and con-
fidence of the people. The Richmond Rhig Of
recent date says:
"When General fails in campaigns or battles,
he is required to give place to another Success IS
the recognized test of merit There IS no reason
why this rule should be limited to the army. In
popular government especially in time Of great
public peril success in craftsmanship is necessary
as success in arms, and failure should be redressed
in the same way. The statesman or diplomatst
who lacks competency and commits bunders may
do as much harm the General who wants skill
or courage Tried by this standard, there can be
no doubt that the present Cabinet should give way,
be removed. They have uniformly, sgnally and
deploeably failed The Secretary of State has failed
utterly to establish State relations with any one
government after nearly three years of effort The
Secl etary of the Treasury has failed to save the
finances from running into such disorder as threatens
immediate and general bankruptcy. The Secretary
of War has failed to keep his armies from being
almost destroyed by desertions to prevent the loss
of State after State, and to provide regular and re-
liable means of supply for his troops. The Sec.
retary of the Navy has failed to create navy
The Postmaster General has been diligent and
laborious, and has succeeded moderately we'll: The
Department of Justice is vacant With no feeling
of personal unkndness or political hostility, but
regarding only the good of cause doubtless as
dear to them as to ourselves, we respectfully sug.
gest to the chief of the four Departments first
named that they owe it to the genius Of our insti
tutions and to that judgment of mankind which
DEGREES the forfeiture of place as the penalty for
failure, to resign their offices, and allow the Pres
dent to test the capacities of others in the important
duties they have had in charge. Should they decline
fO do CO WA fhaTo IL,
ton Of the President to require them to vacate their
posts. Wea fully convinced that reconstruction
OF the Cabinet upon a wise and liberal scale would
send shock of joy through the country such as no
triumFh of our arms since the first battle of Manas
sas has produced. We express ourselves temper
ately and respectfully with the hope of accomplish
ing the object A much stronger utterance would
better reflect the earnestness of our convictions
and the strength of the public desire this sub
ject"
But the President will not heed the voice of the
country. He seems to be "cursed with heart un.
knowing how to yield" A partizan himself, he is
surrounded by narrow. minded partizans who never
lift themselves to the level of the great duties and
responsibilities devolved upon them. 1t is sngu.
lar fact that this revolution has developed no great
General in the South, who compares fayorsby with
Napoleon, or Wellington, or Caesar except Stone.
wall jackson and that no great man has yet shown
himself in the Confederate Congress or Cabinet
When Alexander H. Stephens, who from his very
position is necessarily cypher in public affairs, is
absent from Richmond, there is no great man in
that City on whom the country can lean in this day
of almost superhuman trial
We are among those who voted for Mr. Davis for
President We did so with the hope that he would
ignore party and unite the whole country in a Wig
orous prosecution of the war; We have been griev.
ously disappointed But it is not too late for Mr.
Davis save himself in history and save the coun,
try. Let him throw himself with generous conf
dence the sovereign States-et him respect their
rghts-let him remodel his Cabinet and call to his
aid the ablest and best men of the country in this
trying crisis, without regard to party-let him re-
quire his subordnates of every grade respect the
rights ofthe States and deaI justly and kindly with
the people-let him to contend for terri tory
which has slipped from our grasp, and which can.
not be recovered-let him consent to a reorganiza.
ton Of the army by allowing the men to choose their
own officers let him know no party but the coun.
try,-let him do these things, and he will infuse
new life into the cause. Let him refuse, and the
cloud which now hangs over us will thicken and
darken, and the cause may be finally and irretreVa
bly, lost.