New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-07-20
THE CABINET.

If the presence of Messrs. Dennison, Har-
Inn and Speed in the cabinet, was source Of
annoyance to President Johnson, their with
drawal from his councils will not cause him
MUCH embarrassment Why, indeed, those
gentlemen remained so long, where they were
so little wanted, can be accounted for only BY
that characteristics persistenoy displayed 10y
most men who get taste of Office The only
wonder is that these gentlemen did not at last
weigh the allurements of position against theil
fanoied duty to their party, and kindly consent
to give the President the benefit of their qr1es-
tionable support in his cabinet After then
experience Of the last year, it would have been
easy enough for them to Offset their energetic
professions of fidelity before his face by the
zeal of their treachery behind his back.
+ Perhaps one of the greatest embarrassmeuts
with which the President has had to contend,
has been the quasi-neoessity of retaining in
Office the persons whom he found in the cab
met at the time of his accession to the chief
magistracy. Whilst decent respect for the
memory of his predecessor, and due defer
ence to the opinion of the day demanded that
he should not disturb Mr.. Lincolns arrange
ments by dismissal of Mr. Lincoln's cabi-
net officers, a proper courtesy would have
suggested to those officers the propriety Of
placing their designations in the hands of the
new President But proper courtesy seems
to be the last thing to dawn on the comprehen-
sion ola radical politician. They had noidea
Of giving UP their places merely out Of polite
ness. Consequently they held on and thus Mr..
Johnson has never yet had an opportunity Of
so organizing his administration that by its
harmony Of opinion and action, it should cor
roborate his views and strengthen his policy
A divergence of sentiment between the Presi-
dent and several of his cabinet officers early
became apparent to the public They favored
the congressional programme, in opposition to
the Presidential plan but they studiously
attempted to conceal their views, and tried to
persuade the President that they were labor
ing in his cause, while, in fact, they were
working for his enemies. OF course, such a
state Of affairs could not last forever. The
time was sure to come when the secret antago-
nism would manifest itself, and when the
recusant cabinet officers would be forced to
pay that decent respect to public opinion which
they had refused to extend to the President.
Mr.. Dennison set the example. He had dis
covered that the President was opposed to the
constitutional amendment and in favor of the
Philadelphia convention, whereas he (the
postmaster generaD was in favor Of the one
and opposed to the other Hence his vel
come hegira from the cabinet. It is said that
Mr. Speed and Mr.. Harlan have initiated Mr.
Dennison, and taken reluctant farewell Of
the Offices to which they we're 50 afectionately
It now remains for the secretary of
war to tender resignation, which, doubtless,
will be equally acceptable to the President and
the country. After that cabinet may be
which will be a real ally, and not a
secret enemy of the executive.