The national Republican., 1869-02-13


Mas. SECRETARY McouLLocH receives on
wedns,day Of each week at the residenoe,
No. 800 n street, from 10 TO 4, and on Friday
from q to IL .. m. Cards TO be issued for the
evenipg receptions.
MRs, sHoRRTARY BaowsINo receives on
Wednesday Of each week at her residence, No.
$50 I street, from II N. totp.m.
WILL THE PRESS he REPREsENr-
ED IN THE PREsIDENT's CABI-
NETT
This question has been raised by tho action
OF the people Of Pennsylvania in regard TO
their representative In General Grants Cabl-
net.
This great State Of the American Union
groups around Il a series Of Middle States In
terests, sufficiently important to entitle 1t, In
the estimation Of the founders and admins
traitors Of our Government, to a Cabinet rep
resentatlon. In the early ages Of the Ro-
public, the practice was to select members Of
the Cabinet from this and other sections OF
the Union, with reference to the wishes Of
the people thereof as near as they could
be ascertained without recourse to the bal
lot. But this, like many other good prac-
tices Of the olden time, soon degoncrated
into selections with reference to the wishes
only Of the dominant party, and as tho de-
parture from the true theory has advanced,
an attempt has been made on the part Of the
politicians to patch up Cabinets for the
Executive without regard to the wishes even
Of the masses of the political party In the
ascendency.
But Il has not before been attempted, thai
we are aware Of, to foist on the President 0
Cabinet representative, In opposition to the
declared preferences OF the majority Of the
people Of the section conceded TO be entitled
70 such representation. Such an attempt I
disclosed In the efforts at Cabinet making
now being made by certain Pennsylvania poll
tlcians Of greater or lesser note. While thes
gentlemen have been secretly endeayoring u
procure the appointment, as Cabinet minister
OF various distinguished individuals Of thei
number, the Republican or loyal masse
Of this State who constitute q majority 0
Its entire population have, through their &C
credited and accustomed organs, the press
seemed 10 favor Hon. Edward Mcpherson, tn
present Clerk Of the House Of Representa-
tives. '
The pretences on which Gen. Grant s urge,
TO disregard this expression Of the wishe
Of his Pennsylvania electors are Of cours
various, and rs ingenious rs the wit and skill
of American politicians can suggest. But
stripped Of all their gulses, and diyeste
Of the sophistry thrown around them b
the most practiced intellects In the art o
deception which the world has ever known
they substantially amount to an Invitation o
General Grant to disregard the expresse
wishes, not only Of the people, but Of hi
party, in making up his Executive council
In other words, to recognize the politician
nnd not the people as his constituents.
But this declaration Of the Republics
press Of Pennsylvania has raised, or rath
submitted for the consideration and det
sion Of General Grant, another scarce
less interesting and important political que
tlonj one which has long claimed the after
tion Of his predecessors, and which II
fitting should receive its final solution fro
him. We refer to the Cabinet representatio
Of the press. The selection by America
Of their chief counsellors or assistants, wit
reference to the great primary interests (
society as distinguished by sections or classe
might be defended on principles Of exp
diency, as intended to impart harmony Al
efficiency to the public administration; Al
the careful study of the administratl
history Of governments will prove that I
success Of the Executive has been in propc
ton to the skill with which he has col
pounded these material and social interos
In the psrsoaHA Of his department. II
qualification OF one or Of many promlne
politicians, be they personal or polite
friends or enemies, Is of comparative
kining Importance to the conciliation
the great rudlmeutary, social, material
intellectual influences of society. Pa
mount among these influences in mode
times is that highest expression of o
civillzation-the press. So manifest Al
unmistakable has this become since the
PRODUCTION Of newspapers and periodici
Chat the wisost sovereigns In Europe ha
long since made II the basis OF official orga
ixatiou In their administrations. An auth
and habitual writer for the newspaper al
periodical press, Benjamin Dlsreali, has 7
Gently occupied the highest official positio
In Great Britain with the single exception
that Of the throne. In France distinguish
public journalists and writer's have loI
executed the highest public trusts. Rv,
the present Emperor Napoleon was an O
thor before he became an active poltlcll
and tho ruler of France. He Ia evea no
supposed to be the actual supervising edit,
OF the Aoniteur newspaper.
In the United States alone, where the pre-
coufessedly wlelds Its mlghtiest lnauenc
where II makes and unmakes political pl
ties aud administrations, Is Its claims to Il
highest political considerations Ignored an
It's representative men prescribed. Ger
Jackson was the frst American President I
perceive the Injustice aud folly of thI
treatment of the press, and to rectlfy 1t b
placing a newspaper edltor-Mr Amos Rer
dall-at the head Of the Post OIce Depar
ment, much to the surprise, mortlacatlc
and discomfort ofthe politicians, especially
those Of the Southern or pro-slnvcry schoo
for one Of the crimes Of slavery was Its he
tlllty to the higher phases of cIvlllEatlo
But none Of his successors had the goc
sense or backbone 10 sustain the Jacksonla
precedent In favor Of the press, and none
them, with the exception Of Mr.. Lincol
even recognized the members of the press
onttled 10 those rewards for party seryl
freely bestowed upon the politician and UP,
everybody else. And none Of these obtu