The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-19
Reconstruction OF the Cabinet.

From the lines
The restoration Of the Union is to ne preceded
by reconstruction OF The Cabinet. The resg
nation OF Mr.. Denson and Ar. Speed will be
followed by the resignat on OF others, until the
President shall have advisers whose opinions
and purposes harmonic with his policy.
In these chances there is nothing TO Justify
surprise, although there is Undoubtedly much
to occasion regret to these who have hoped Tor
the establishment OF corual relations be.
tween the President and the majority in Con
gIess. So long as this hope endured, rUmors OF
Cabinet changes were or the nature OF predlc.
tions or wishes. What then was guesswork Is
now reality, and III the fact we have formal
confession that the Union party Is deprived OF
Its unity, and that the time is coming when its
members will be Constrained to identify them
selves with one of its sections or the other 1t
Is mee', the reore that only they shall occupy
confidential relationship to the President who
are prepared cordially to promote his views.
And when Messrs. benson and Speed arrive at
the conclusion that, as between the President
and the radicals, they are with the radicals, self
respect not less than duty, dictates their with
drawal from the Cabinet.
They have discharged their duty to themselves
and the President and their example ought to
be speedily initiated by every Cabinet officer
whose position ls Identical with theirs. The
change begun its completion ought not to be
delay ed. The conscience which refuses to help
relinQuish an Office whose requirements 1t can
not fulfil. For the process of reconstrucGng
tie Cabinet cannot be allowed to halt midway.
1t must be thorough and early, because the
failure or the refusal oil Congress to cooperate
| with the Executive necessitates determination
on the part OF the latter to secure assistance in
| quarters that consututionally subject to his
| direct control. They cannot with any propriety
| remain in the position of the Presidents advi-
| sers whose hearts are on the side OF his enemies
Nor should it be forgotten that the retirement
or removal OF CABINET officers, at this PERIOD Is
| in no respect a consequence OF altered purposes
| in the mind oil the President. Capricious con-
quot cannot be justly imputed to him. His
principles. his DESIRES his plans are as they were
seven months ago. If certain Cabinet officers
now find their relationship to Inn different from
what 1t then was, it is because the interval has
developed in Congress purposes and tactics at
| variance with the wellunderstoOd principles of
| the Union party. The President has simply
| maintained his ground. Congress, submitting
to the domination OF the radicals, has altogether
changed its course, and the consequence has
been gradually widening breach, against the
LrObable dangers OF which the President is
| bound to provide.
Under any circumstances this would be the
| Presidents duty. But circumstances now exist
which render 1t specially urgent and imperative.
The recent caucus has revealed degree oI
radical recklessness ior which, we fancy the
country has been unpIepared. Restrained they
are in some measure by the better sense o.
other members; but of their readiness TO resort
weaken the President and TO carry out the
ends 10 which they are pledged, there can nc
longer be the slightest doubt Their ends are
revolutionary, and they are, as a faction, not
unwilling to employ revolutionary means. The
eXtraol binary resolution which has been forced
through the House under the pressure OF the
previous question-as alluded to IN these col
umns on Tuesday-admts OF no mtslnterpreta
tion. 1t contemplates, as a not improba
bic contingency, armed resistance to the con
stltuuonal authority of the, Executive; II
other WORDS, another civil war, TO b(
gotten up by the radicals to enforce
their doctrine OF southern subjugatiOn anC
negro suffrage Upon the folly OF such pur
pose We need not dwell. OF tie summary ami
hilatlon that awaits any movement of th
nature we are not required to speak in advance
The tact Is all we Care now to note; its slgnih
canoe as an indication OF radical violence ou
readers may estimate for themselves. They vii
be aided in their task by further reference L
the outrageous attacks Of prominent radicals
: upon the President, and their almost uncon
trollable anger at the prospect of defeat. 1t il
| clear. not only that the radicals are averse t
] the restoration Of the Union on constitutions
! OASIS. but that they are prepared to trampl
: upon the Constitution whenever 1t impede;
thelE schemes, and, II necessary, 70 preclpitatC
3 another bloody struggle 10 establish radica
e | supremacy
: The President then, is entitled TO, and mus
7 nave, Cabinet heartily, determlnedly, cours
seQusly united IN support OF the authority Veste
IN nun uhoer the Constitution. and oil the polio
!, 10 Whlch he Is iTrevocably committed tor tn
i restoration OF the Union. He cannot afford +
q lntrust the execution OF his measures Tn gentle
9 men VINO SIT at his councILboard, indeed, an
e draw salaries as his officers and advisers, bu
j. whose sympaqhiss are with those who assail bi
e every act, and threaten revolution as q mean
y of overthrowing his authority. There was unit
e IN the Cabinet during the war, or the Rebellio
e had tiumphed. There must be unity in Tn
It Cabinet now, or the peaceful completion of th
s | work of restoring the Union will be slblC