Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1869-01-07
Gen. Grant and His Cabinet.

course, continue the construction,
and reconstruction, of Gen. Grants
Cabinet, with unabated confidence
and zeal But the public faith in
their work is less absolute than of
old, and somewhat less than could
be desired for the credit of Journal
ism.
Nobody now, so far as we are
aware, pays any attention to the
talk Of the newspapers about Gen.
Grants Cabinet. 1t is announced,
from day to day, that the Hon. Mr..
So-and SO is certainly to go into
it;-whatever else may be doubtful,
that is certain at all events: and the
most certain of all has hitherto been
the assertion that Mr.. Washburne,
of Illinois. was the Secretary of the
Treasury, or anything else that he
might prefer. But even this rumor
has been good deal damaged by a
letter from Mr.. Washburne himself,
in which he says:
$50 far as the political position is
concerned. / am content with the
one assigned me for the ninth time
by generous, confiding constituent
cy. / know but little touching
Cabinet appointsments, and take no
stock in any newspaper talk assign
ing me to this or that position.
The most desire is to see Gen.
Grants Administration success,
and see all rights of all men vindi-
Gated and protected-to see an hon
est, economical, dignified admins
istration of the Government, bring
ing to the.people peace, quiet, hap
piness and prosperity
We have not the slightest doubt
of the entire sincerity of these just
and patriotic sentiments, which re
iect more real credit on the man
who feels and utters them than
would any appointment in the Pre-
sident's gift.
We are inclined to believe that
nobody in the country knows any
thing concerning the imposition of
Gen. Grants Cabinet. We do not
| believe he knows much about it him
self, or that he has given it much
thought as yet. Beyound all ques-
ton his mind dwells upon it more
or less, but rather, we imagine, in
the way of studying the wants of the
Government aud the necessities Of the
public service, than in weighing the
claims of individuals or the respect
i've weight due to rival localities and
| interests.
But it is curious to note how ma
ny things are ''settled'' for General
Grant, already-not only without
his assent. but without his knowl-
edge. We are told every day of
matters which are .fred, not by Gen.
Grant but for him, by PERSONS and
parties that know good deal more
about these matters than he does,
or ever can, and whose chief anxiety
Is to save ham the trouble of at
tending to them when he comes in-
to power. ltis perfectly well set
tied, for example, who is to sue
ceed Mr.. Smythe as Collector, either
upon his translation to the Russian
Mission, for which it is understood
'sthings have been .fred' in the
Senate, or upon the advent of the
new President. Some half dozen of
the principal missions abroad have
been disposed of, and their prospec-
tive incumbents are busy with their
grammars and dictionaries, or with
the cut of their garments, in conf.
dent expectation Of what is soon to
be their fate.
All this is very interesting and
very innocent. Playing at admin
istering the Government is as di-
verting to political parties as 'puss
in the corner to children,-and it
is very much the same kind of game.
But while Gen. Grant contents him
self with merely looking on, we
fancy it won't amount to much.
He is evidently taking a rest before
his work begins. He does not act
in the least like man who is eager
for Office and the purple,-longing
to grasp the sceptre and WELD the
power the people have placed in
his hands. He has the Tearing
rather of one who feels the weight
OF the great responsibilities that
will be upon him well enough, and
who values every dav of deliverance
as day of relief. His troubles and
perplexities will come soon enough,
and will be weighty enough when
they do come. He will not anticipate
the day Of their coming,-nor will
he shrink from their weight when
they do come.
1t will not be wise for ANYBODY
to set his heart very strongly on
seeing any special man in any
special place,-still less on seeing
himself there. Those who expect
least, will be least disappointed.
We do not think Gen. Grant at all
likely to accept dictation from any
quarter, or from cliques and factions
OF any kind. He is much more
likely, in our Judgment, to act on
all public questions, and especially
on all questions of appointments,
With as much of independence and
Of reliance on his~own judgment, as
onr system of government allows to
any man in office. which is not, it
must be confessed, at best excessive.
We are inclined to think that he
does not intend to spend all his
time, while President, in deciding
on the rival claims of applicants
for office, or in listening to the
history of the local political contests
and qnarrels of Squashtown and