The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-04-15

sons Cabinet Absolutely Necessary.
Reconstruction, like charity, must begin at
home. So long as Congress, aided and inspired
by members of the Presidents Cabinet occu-
pies its present position in regard to the South,
there can be no practical reconstruction &C
cording to President Johnson's plan before the
next general election. Neither the President
nor the country can afford to wait so long. The
masses Of the people demand that something
shall be done at once, and they look to the
President to do it. The radicals have such a
majority in Congress that the President is
powerless to carry through any of bis measures
Even his vstoes cannot be sustained by Con-
gressional vote, although they commend them
selves to the best judgment of the country and
are universally endorsed by the people. To
protect, to benefit and to reconstruct the
Southern States the President must have his
party in Congress strong enough to check and
control the radical majority. In order to secure
such party, it is absolutely necessary that he
shall reconstruct his Cabinet Stanton, Harlan,
Speed and other such radical Secretaries are
more dangerous than Mr.. Thaddeus Stevens.
They are the men who give Mr. Stevens all his
influence by giving him the disposal of the
government patronage They discourage those
conservative republicans who are in favor Of
the Presidents policy, by denying them those
favors which friends Of the President usually
obtain. They are the foes in the Presidents
household, the spies in his camp, and all their
efforts and energies are constantly devoted to
thwarting his plans and impeding him in every
possible way. Their presence in his councils
enables them to do this with great effect, and
they even claim that by keeping them in the
Cabinet the President sanctions their proceed
ings against himself For all practical pur-
poses, in the view of "the plain people," this
might as well be the case.
One or two recent instances of the operations
Of the radical members of the Presidents Cabi-
net will fully illustrate this most important
point The President is opposed to negro suf
frage; but, few weeks ago, three clerks were
removed from one of the government bureaus
at Washington for no other reason than because
they saw fit to vote against negro suffrage in
the District of Columbia. A republican SEN
ator, who voted to sustain the veto Of the
Freedmens Bureau bill, was rebuked by the
Legislature Of his State and requested to re-
sign The Senator went to the President, told
him frankly about the situation, and asked to
be entrusted with some of the government
patronage in his State, so that he could support
himself there, and continue to sustain the only
constitutional reconstruction policy. The Presi-
dent as frankly assured him that he could have
whatever patronage he desired; but, upon ap-
plying to one of the heads of departments, the
Senator was informed that he could not obtain
any appointments unless they were for undoubt-
ed radicals, and unless the applications were en-
dorsed by q radical Senator from the same
State who voted against the President at every
opportunity. As this head of department
was not removed, and as the patronage asked
for was not granted, it cannot be wondered at
that the Senator in question became suddenly
converted to the radical doctrines, and voted
TO pass the Civil Rights bill over the Presl-
dents veto. 1t is true that our legislators
ought not to be governed by any such
motives. They should be pure and lofty
and patriotic, and should never allow piques
in regard to patronage to influence their
votes upon important measures. But, unfortu-
nately, everything is not as it ought to be.
Our Senators are but mortal, and the most of
them are politicians. When they see that the
President says one thing, while the Cabinet Of
0cers openly contradict and defy him, snd use
his own powers to defeat him, they are very
likely to go with what seems to be the winning
side, and are very hard to convince that the
Chief Executive, who overlooks such abuses of
his confidence, is certain to conquer when the
questions at issue are decided by the people
There are three obvious objections to any
Cabinet changes which, doubtless, suggest
themselves to the President, but which may be
easily refuted and removed. The first is the
natural delicacy Of the President in regard to
dismissing the advisers selected by his prede-
cessor, Mr.. Lincoln. Undoubtedly il is the
duty of those Secretaries who differ with the
Executive concerning reconstruction to relieve
him from this embarrassment by rendering their
designations; but as they have declined to do
so, under the advice Of leading radical politi-
clans, there is no longer any reason why Mr..
johnson should allow his personal delicacy to
outweigh considerations Of national necessity
The second objection is that the President
believes that his policy is just and right, and
therefore he hesitates to enforce it, as Mahomet
made converts, by the sword, preferring to let
IL gradually permeate the republican party, as
the true religion spreads among sinners We
can appreciate and respect the hesitancy of |
the President. lie does not desire to win sup
port by removing this person from Office and |
that person to Office when he knows |
that his policy ought to be sustained upon its
intrinsic merits alone, as matter of public |
principle and not as matter of private inter-
est But the President should remember that |
he does not live in Utopia. lie must deal with