Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1868-03-19
Then ana .s,o,p.


member of Mr.. ! Lrncoln's Cabinet,
holding the position of Postmaster
General. Mr.. Blair, as is well known,
differed with the President on many
important subjects connected with the
administration ofthe government, and
did not hesitate to make those differ
ences known both TO the President and
10 the public, When these differences
of opinion between the President and
his Constitutional adviser came to the
knowledge Of certain Senators belong
ing to Mr.. LincoIn's party, they caused
to be drawn up and afterwards signed
and presented to the President the fol-
lowing paper:
The theory Of our government, the early and
Uniform practical construction thereof, is that
the President should be aided by Cabinet coun-
ell ogresing pih Aim ~ political principle and
gsnerai policy, and that all Important measures
aud appointments should Be The resut Of fkeir com
bined risdom and deliberation. This most obvi.
GUS and necessary condition Of things, pifhouf
rhich no administrafion sucpecd, we and the
public believe does not exist, and therefore such
selections and changes in its members should be
made as will secure TO the country unity Of pur-
pose and action In all material and essential re-
'Pects, more especially in the present crisis Of
public affairs.
The Cabinet should be ereinsivelv compo,ed Of
siafssn'in sAo the cordial rssoiuis unvavsrisg
'uPPorfss Of hs principles and pwposes above
mentioned.
This statement was signed by the
following United States Senators:
James Dixon and l.. S. Foster, Of Connecticut
0. II. Browning and Lyman Trumbull, Of Illinois
james Harlan and J. W. Grimes, Of Iowa, S. c.
Pomeroy, Of Kansas, Lot NJ. Morrill, and W. p.
Fessenden, Of Maine; II. d. Anthony, Of Rhode
Island; Solomon Foot and Jacob Collamer, Of
Vermont Charles Sumner and Henry Wilson, Of
Massachusettsj Zaehariah Chaneler, Of Michigan
Daniel r. Clark and John P. Hale, Of New Hamp-
shire; Preston King and Ira Harris, Of New York
Benjamin y. Wade and John Sherman, Of Ohio
havid Wilmot and Edgar Cowan, Of Pennsylvania;
J. X. DOolitte and 7. 0. Howe, Of Wisconsin.
Accepting the theory thus advanced
as sound one, and acting on the ad-
vice Of his party friends, Mr.. Lincoln
signified to Mr.. Blair that his resigna-
tion would be accepted, and it was at
once rendered.
In 1867, Edwin M. Stanton was
member of Mr.. Johnson's Cabinet,
holding the position Of Secretary of
War. The President and Mr.. Stanton
did not agree upon many subjects con-
nected with the administration of the
government, but upon this they did
agree, viz: That the Tenure of Office
bill vas and is an unconstitutional
enactment, and that the object of its
passage was and is contrary to the
established "theory OF our govern
ment," and to "the early and uniform
practical construction thereof" In
TINS tney were agreeu; IOr uI. r,v....-
ton heartily endorsed the message
vetoing the act, which was sent TO the
Senate. That body, however, as did
also the House, passed the act over
the veto, and it became law.
In the course of time the differences
between the President aud his Secre-
tary became irreconcilablc. Never
dreaming that the man who volunta-
rily furnished an argument against
the constitutionality of the Tenure-of-
Office Act, and who declared privately
that it was most nwarrantable
assault upon the prerogatives Of the
Executives, would avail himself of its
provisions TO retain bis seat in the
Cabinet after he had been informed
that he was no longer wanted, Mr..
Johnson signified 60 Mr.. Stanton that
his resignation would be accepted.
What did Mr.. Stanton do? Did he
follow the example of Mr.. Blair. and
resigni Not a bit of it. With an
impudence that is surprising, and with
a meanness that is disgraceful, even
to him, the Secretary refused to relieve
the President and the Cabinet of his
hateful presence. He was suspended.
The reasons for the act were sent 10
the Senate--to the same men who,
just three years previously, had as
serted that "the Cabinet should be
exclusively composed of statesmen
who are the cordial, resolute, unwa-
vering supporters of the President
to the same men who urged the remo-
val Of Mr.. Blair, and affixed their sig. |
natures to paper affirming the right
Of the President TO secure "unity Of
purpose and action" among his con-
stitutional advisers. What did they
doi They basely, and, we may say,
wickedly interposed in fhvor of Stan
ton and forced him back into the Cab
met. Such plain act Of double deal
ing shows that they are bound by no
principle, restrained by no precedent.
II shows that they are ready to follow
any road that promises to advance
their party ends. 1t proves beyond
doubt that bittcr partizans now occu-
py the seats where formerly sat states
men and patriots-where formerly sat
men who were governed by principle |
and who had only the interests Of the
whole country in view.-Repubiican
Farmer
Wages went TO the depot Of one Of
our railways the other evening, and |
finding the hest car flll said in n loud |