The national Republican., 1869-01-28
Our washington Cores pondence


The fact that General Grant has announced,
In effect, that he has determined whom to In
vlte into his Cabinet, creates less excitement
ucre tnsu eiss-ns... plI- a. Nsn.u.s .n q,
thoroughly appreciate points In
his character which cannot be, and are not, 90
well known where the political public are not
thrown into daily contact with him.
WHY so.
Thus no prominent public man here fails to
comprehend the fact that he is by no means an
impossible mani q man given to adopt the
views OF others upon the devilish clever fel-
low principle. He notoriously requires sub
stantial reason for all things suggested to or
asked Of HIM tqusring all his acts and dec.
larations with reference to public affairs
upon serupulous and high considerations. He
has doubtless given deeper and more solicit
Gus thoughts to the construction OF his Csbi.
net than was bestowed upon that subject by
either OF his predecessors since Washington's
time.
now CABINETS HAVE BRRs PoRNRD.
All OF them, to some extent, permitted those
selections to be made for or forced upon them
BY parties assuming the role Of the Presi-
dents advisers. Expecting such interference,
they have shirked the task OF due investiga.
tion and reflection necessary to enable them
to discharge this important duty themselves.
GRANTS CABINET INVESTIGATIONS.
lquestion whether an Incoming President
ever before knew as much OF the Individuals
from among whom his Cabinet must be Sc
lected as Grant; of their individual ante
eedents, their clique Affiliations, and their re.
speetive capabilities.
HIS CABINET POLICY.
So the country will lose nothing whatever
by his assumption Of the duty OF acting for
himself In this matter. Had he taken any
particular wing or interest OF Republican
party leaders into his confidence In casting his
Cabinet, we should have had a hubbabo In
Warrington, the like Of which was never seen
before. But, as no man can say that he has
sought to propitiste either such interest or In.
nuence, all are, SO far, content to wait the
Developments that must be made shortly after
the electoral votes shall have been counted,
In the hope and belief that Grant will not be
guided by any considerations inimcal to any
especial interest In the party.
PROPER PoRBHARASCE OF CONGRESSIONAL RE-
rrBLIcAss.
No combinations whatever have been made
among members OF Congress to Influence his
action, If but because 1t Is clear that to com.
bine for any such purpose will surely defeat
Its intended result. His path In this connec.
tion is far smoother than that of any Presi-
dent for the last forty or nfty years has been.
He will get a good Cabinet-one devoted to
his policy, and nothing else-whieh will give
him far greater strength in his own govern
ment tadministration) than any President has
had since Jackson's day.
CoNGREssIosAL COMBINATIONS WILL BE
FORMED AGAINST HIM.
He may not calculate upon q rosy path
throughout his term however. 1t is evident
that he intends to WELD what has been termed
the patronage" of the Presidency wholly to
the end Of maintaining or sustaining the pub
lie interest, Ignoring the individual interests
of individual Senators and Representatives
where those interests may possibly conflict
with the public veal
GRANTS PROBABLE POLICY WITH REFERENCE
TO APPOINTMENTS AND REMOVALS.
Hundreds of President Johnson's Ap.
pointees, now In office, were placed there 10
Dropitiate individual measures OF CongresE,
Republicans as well as Democrats. He will
remove every one OF them not ut to be in
office, regardless of who sustains them, and
he win keep In once every one Of them who
has proved eminently capable and useful, re-
gsrdless Of who may want the places for their
immediate friends. l draw this conclusion
from the scrupulous sense Of justice and
clear-hcaded sagacity he evinces In all he does
and says In connection with public affairs.
He will doubtless, to smash up the "wheels
within wheels" which for thirty years past
have been grinding out for the public service
more dishonest and Inc efficient public servants
year by year until, by their accumulation in
Offices Of trust and profit, the q overnment's
expenses have been increased and its reve-
nues decreased millions on millions OF dollars
annually.
Efforts will doubtless be made to defeat more
or less Of his nominations on grounds personal
to Senators and Representatives. just as they
were made to defeat those of President Lin.
coin In hundreds of instAncosi but, as they
will all be made on high public considerations
rather than as personal iavors to Congress
sional friends OF the nominees, those oppos
ing them unreasonably will be held to due
accountability for so doing. In no case will
any Senator be able to overrule Grant before
the Senate, though the effort will be made
repeatedly at the outset Of the administra.
tion.
THE soAIsATIoss NOW PENDING.
A dozen nominations of this Senator's man
and that Senator's man, made by Mr.. John
son, are now pending nominations designed
to forestall Grants choice Of his own subordi-
mates. To confirm some OF them, and then TO
employ the Senate's veto power under the
tenure.of-office law to their cases, would be to
prevent Grant from conHummating the fnan-
cisl and economical reforms In the Govern.
ment he Is bent on etfeeting. So the Senate
refuse to confirm them, though almost super
human efforts to fix them In office above and
beyond Grants reach, are being made by more
or less OF those protesting to be his Senatorial
and Congressional supporters. Though Grant
possesses Stanton's remarkable charaoteris-
tics on this point, and therefore would be able
to weed the public service OF ominal political
friends who seek to steal rather than to serve
and work, he will not have such labor on his
hands, fortunately. lwrote to you weeks ago
that the Senate would confirm no more Of
President JohnSon's important appointments.
Now all realize that fact, and proclaim It in q
thousand newspapers.
BRIDoINu THE OHIO.
Mr., John W. Garrett, president OF the Balt-
more and Ohio Railroad Company, was before
the House Committee on Roads and Canals
this morning, advocating his roads interest In
the matter CT bridging the Ohio at Parkers.
burg and BelAir. He wants to be permitted TO
build these bridges Of Hpans, which the river
men Insist will virtually destroy its navigation
by steamboats,.
VIRGINIA RECONSTRUCTION.
MessTs. John d. Baldwin and Whittlesey
(editor OF the Richmond State JourRGD were
examined by the House Reconstruction Com.
mittee again this morning over the Virginia
reconstruction question. Mr.. Beck tone OF its
memberO moved t. summon General Seho.
deld before II, In order to examine him with
reference to the actual condition Of affairs in
the State, His knowledge Of Virginia affairs