The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-07

In nDdlDg men Tor TINS once, and an addl-
tional illustration OF the penury Of the Re-
publican party in this kind of taleut, may be
seen in the fact that he once offered the Office
to Governor Todd, OF Ohio. Now, If such was
the field which Mr.. Lincoln was called to har-
vest, what is left for General Graut to CLEAN
We suppose he will not think of taking any
of MIR. Linooln's appointees or of his candi-
dates. Chief Justice Chase is OF coarse out of
the questions; against Mr.. Cameron the same
objections lie as when Mr.. Lincoln refused
him the place, 10 say nothing of his failure as
Secretary of War. Mr.. Fessenden and Mr..
MeCulloch have been weighed aud found
wanting. The field of selection would seem
to be narrowed to the very few Republi-
cans who have risen to financial prominence
since Mr.. LiDceln's death. Governor
Fenton is not included in this description,
although he is understood to be an esger can
didate. We suppose nobody but himself per-
oeives that he has any sort of fitness for the
Office. His claims rest on the fact that he was
a rejected candidate for Vice President; if he
has any others, they are secret which has
not been divulged to the public. After the
exclusion of all the names thus far mentioned,
there remain but two that would naturally
suggest themselves as within tue range Of
probable selection. These are Senator Sher-
man and Senator Morton. General Schenck
can hardly be thought of; and the fact that
such a man as he holds the important position
of Chairman of the Committee of Ways and
Means, may be taken as pretty conclusive evil
dence that a competent Secretary of the Trea-
sury cannot be found among the Republicans
of the House.
Mr.. Sherman's talents are respectable, and
his position in the Senate has made him con-
verssDt with financial subjects, which he
always explains with clearness and generally
debates with ability. But he has never had
any training in an administrative office, and
II Al I H., 49,,
different senatorial is from executive talent.
The scheme for a new funding of the public
debt which Senator Sherman broached at the
last session, would doubtless have proved a
failure in practice, if the President had not
killed it by a pocket veto. 1t gives but
moderate idea OF the financial sagacity of its
author, and we hear of no attempt to revive it
at the coming session. The failure of the only
measure with which MIR. Sherman has con-
nected his name is not favorable to his chances
to be made Secretary of the Treasury.
We thus arrive, by process of exclusion,
to Senator Morton, who, on the score of fit
ness, seems as suitable candidate as General
Grant can fud IN the party that elected him
which is a very moderate compliment to Mr..
Morton. Administrative capacity of no mean
order he undoubtedly possesses; and it has
been displayed in sphere which must have
commended it TO the appreciation OF General
Grant. AS Governor of Indiana during the
war, he eXcelled in executive energy all the
other Republican Governors, except perhaps
Governor Andrew, of Massachusetts,. The
sphere of his duties being in the West, where
General Grant was serving, his merits must
often have attracted the notice of that
officer and prepossessed him in Governor
Morton's favor. Mr.. Morton is in good
general standing among the Republicans (al-
though they regard him as heretical on the
greenbaok question:, aud is one of the most
rising men in that party. He only needs to
make some signal exhibition of a decided
capacity to deal with questions of finance to
make him the strongest candidate for the
most important Office in the gift of the new
President. He does not seem insensibe of
the advantages of his position, and is under
stood to be employed in maturing some great
fiscal measure, which he will try to carry
through Congress at this session. This is
going TO work in a very practical way-like
a general who seeks to win battle as
ground of promotion. If Mr. MortOn's mea-
sure, whatever it may be, successfully runs
the gauntlet of discussion, and meets with
public favor, it will be generally conceded
that he is the fittest man to administer the
new system of which he will be the author.
He has fine chance either "to make spoon
or spoil horn.n