New-York tribune., 1867-10-11
CABINET MAKING as A FINE ART

As the result of the late election, it is again
announced that the President contempates an
entire change in his Cabinet SO far as the
functions of Cabinet are purely clerical and
ministerial, consisting merely in carrying out
in detail the will OF the Executive, in putting
the Cars ukdSe into grammatical language
and clothing the despOts passion and rant
with the forms of responsibility, we do not
see that any Cabinet Ministers could serve
the Presidents purposes better than those
now in Office. 1t seems pity to turn
out such plant premiers, not for a failure
to serve a President whom they despise, and
policy they disapprove, but from failure to
serve it zealously, and to believe in it enthu-
siasticaly. Even the worst of religious despots
allow their devotees to believe what they
choose, provided they profess and do what Is
required of them. The President should make
some allowance for the early education and
lifelong antecedents and associations OF most
of the members of his Cabinet. If al Official
like Mr.. Seward, whose entire previous repu-
taton had been won in the service OF
freedom, has proved himself willing to indorse
a policy which would have restored Slavery III
fact after it had been abolished in law, tenn
per so convenient should be held in high regard
by a President who needs tools of that stamp
and may some day want more of them than he
can find. If men of clear intellectual acumen,
who chnnot fail to see the folly OF policy,
will silently ignore its folly, and speak
and vote for it as often as called
upon. what more can the President ask
But the President does want men of different
stamp; men who do not see through his crudi-
A.. 10 Of hplipViuU
his blunders. A hypocritcal Difference to stu
pidity does not satisfy him; he must have stu
pidity itself We hope the change, If any, Will
be square, fiat footed. and thorough. The ablll-
ties and scmi-repubcanism of his present
Cabinet have sheltered the President from
contempt long enough. Unless they stand COM
bincd with frmness that will bravcly oppose
his errors, their accomplishments become merely
the sugar-coating to his fatal and mischeyOus
errors
Let him surround himself by men of his own
grade if he would utterly unmask his own
character and purposes. Let no statesman, no
patriot, no sober man come into his new Cabl-
net. Let him eschew the negative quantities,
Blair, Rcverdy johnson, Cowan, Doolittlc
Steodman, and the like These men would say
and do no more for JOhnsonism than his
present Cabinet What the President wants to
enable him TO resist Congress and the laws are
practical revolutionists; Cabinet officers who
will give opinions in favor of turning out
Congress a War Minister who will locate and
order the troops to that end; Secretary OF the
Treasury who will use the financial power III
his hands to defeat the law-making power; a
Secretary of State who will sign any required
proclamation. For these purposes he can
trust no renegade Republicans or Con
servatiye army officers None but Demo-
Gratis who had all the animus OF the rebellion,
but who did not participate in, and therefore
were not cured by it, are trustworthy. Jere-
miah Black of Pennsylvania who thought 1t
treason to subdue the Rebellion, would prove
as true as steel to any political yillainy. He
might not have the physical courage to take
part in a comp d'etdt, but he would lack none
of the necessary rashness. His lack Of physical
courage as also that of other Cabinet officers,
might be supplied by ordering several iron
clads to some rendezvous in the vicinity OF
Washington, on board which the new Cabinet
might take refuge and flight to foreign lands,
in the event that any revolutionary policy
that the President might inaugurate should
miss fire. With ready means OF escape at
hand, in case the policy of cleaning OUT
Congress should fail, it is impossible to fore
shadow what prodiges of valor might not be
accomplished
With Mr.. Black as Secretary of State, and
an iron-clad on the Potomac to facilitate escape
from all consequences of raslness, no man for
Secretary of War would be so eligible as
Clement /. Vallandigham His Christian
name is happily expressive of the Executive
clcmency. His experience as an officer OF the
militia of Ohio, and his military observations
within the Rebel lines, and at the Clifton
House during the war, would be OF vast ser
vice TO onr War Department. Nevertheless,
the claims of Mcclellan, II. L. Lee, and Z. G..
T. Bcauregard to tins Office should receive due
consideration. Notwithstanding the average
sagacity generally attributed TO Providen-
tial dispensatiOns, we arc compelled to
regard it as great mistake that two
so available Cabinet candidates as Nallan-
dgham and Pcndleton should como from the
same State. Whether this difficulty Is to be
got over 10y dividing the State or the Office, or
by hOnOring that State with double appoint
ment, we are at a loss to advise. But certainly
the Cabinet of Mr. johnson could no more dis
pense with Mr. Pendleton than the establish
"ment" of Mr.. TurveydrOp could dispense with
the "model of gcntlemanly department.
Mr.. Pendeton has IN economical mode of main
tanning the national credit by repeating all the
taxes and tariffs now existing and collecting
the whole revenue of the Government from
the holders of its bonds, which will simply
enable the Government to Z" live on the interest
"of what it owes' Such scheme renders
his appointment as Secretary of the Treasury
and Financial Premier foregone conclusion.