The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-03-10
THE NEW CABINET.

| THE NEW CABINET.
HOW THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS RECEIVED IN
coNGREss-A POLITICAL BoMBSHELL.
CONTENTS OF THE NORTHERN PRESS ON
THE APPOINTMENTS.
The Northern papers are filled with amusing
details concerning the announcement OF Presi-
dent Grants Cabinet ministers to Congress,
and the excitement and CONSERVATION attend
ing tho event. The correspondent of the New
York World, writing on Friday, says:
The six cats which President Grant let out
of the bag to-day, jumped into the Cabinet with
marvellous celerIty and ease. The Senate did
not even say boo to them, but stroked them on
the back, allowed them to be good pussies, and
permitted them all to stay snug. The appear
anee m Of these remarkable grimalkius was, ne
yertbeless. a surprise to everybody, the men,
hers of the Senate included. There is but little
doubt that the President kept bis proposed
Cabinet nominations secret from all save his
wife, and, perhaps, from one or two of the ap-
pointees until after the oftielal envelopes which
presence of the whole body. Gentlemen
in Washington, who were prominently
cauyassed for Cabinet places, certainly profess
| ed to know nothing about the matter. The
crowds at the Inauguration ball last night
heard not an authentic whisper breathed con-
cerning it, and among the thousands who
locked to the capitol this forenoon to await
| the tidings, there was not one man who knew,
although there we're many who were willing to
| bet that this man or that man would be ap-
pointed. The Senate, called to orIer of noon,
continued in open session until precisely four
teen minutes before two o'clock, when General
Rawlings, OF the Presidents staff. appear
ed, and announced that he had two
messages in writing from the President
addressed to the Senate. These commit
nications having been conveyed to the Vice
Presidents desk, the Senate, on the motion OF
MIR, Edmunds, went into executive session as
soon as the galleries were c.rared. The news OF
General Rawlings arrival was almost instan-
taueously conveyed to every part of the capitol,
and General Rawlings, coming out OF the main
door of the capitol, after he had delivered the
two sealed envelopes, was set upon ut once By
several acquaintances, who begged him to re-
veal what the envelopes contained. Upon my
honor" said the General, II know as little
about It as you do" Just then the venerable
but profane editor Of the New York Tribune
happened to be conversing with the Hon.
Elihu B. Washburne in the room Of the House
Committee on Appropriations. at the other end
was the clerk of the committee, Mr.. R. J.
Stevens, who, having heard what proved to be
reliable rumor, that Mr.. Washburne was to
have one OF the debatable secretaryshlps,
told MIR. Washburne what he had heard MIR.
Washburne averred that he had received no in
timatioa that Cabinet place would be tender
ed him, and that the report probably had no
foundation. Before this asseveration had fair
ly left his mouth, q fourth person entered the
apartment in haste, and informed .'the father
OF the House" that he had actually been nomi-
mated as Secretary OF Stale. Mr.. Washburne
received the assurance with some remaining
doubt, and Mr.. Greeley, without uttering q
word of congratulation, turned and went out OF
the door, In the meantime the Senate, closet
ed behind closed doors. had silently listened
to the clerks reading OF the nominations.
The News Leaks Out.
The dense masses without watched every
door on three sides of the chamber, expecting
the advent of some senator who would tell
them what was going on. Three correspond
epts OF the press who stood near the west door
Of the private lobby in tho rear OF the cham
ber. first obtained the news. Senator Conness
opened that door, and was 1nccrcmoniously
seized ind dragged through it into the lobby
by three eager pairs OF hands. "Tell US quick;
who are tllcy?" dema nded the correspondents,
in tones that would not be denied. Draw
your pencils, then,' said MIR. Conness. "and bo
Good Lord !" groancd ono of the three, inscrib
ingWashburne's name. Two minutes afterwards
the rival correspondents were running wild
rare down stairs, and through the capitol base
ment to the nearest telegraph office, and in less
than ten minutes the new Cabinet was bulletin
cd throughout the United States. Without
debate, but with good deal Of secret disap-
pointment ond disgust, the Senate proceed
ed to confirm the nominations. When MIR.
Bore's name was read, Senator Howe inyolun-
tarily asked, "Who is Borle ?" Whereupon
Dir. Cameron arose and described the antece-
dents and character of the Secretary OF the
Navy. "Well," SAID Mr.. Howe. resignedly.
ssIet him pass, the League Island job Will, OF
course, be all the safer" Washburne's pame
was the hardest to swallow. psenai or was 80
insenslble as not to recognize the motive
which must have prompted the President to
assign his best aud bravest friend to posi-
ton for which he is considered to be quite unfit
ted But grave senator's smlie1 sardonic
smiles when they thought OF such bolsterous
ungovernable temper as Mr.. Washburne's hav-
ing to deal with affairs so delicate aud supreme
as those of the Departmene0f State. Mr. Fes-
sender, turning to his neghbor, was under
stood to observe that sit was just to expect
that Secretary Of State should at least oe
familiar with the English language. MIR. Wash.
burne, When ha made speech on the hoor OF
the House, almost invariably trlpped in his
syntax; but perhaps. as he was never troubled
by ton great familiarity with his own language,
foreign languages will not trouble him at all"
Mr. Fenton said of the nomination OF Aexan-
der L. Stewart, that "it was q surprise" In
deed, it was terrible surprise, not only to
Fenton, but to all F.mton's friends.
Mutterings OF the Coming Storm.
The Connecticut men beWailed the loss of
the secretaryshlp of the navy on the ground
that the State had earned sort of prescrlptlve
right to 1t. hlr Buchanan, said they, appoint
ed MIR. Toucey, good Connecticutter; he
served four years. Mr. Lincoln appointed Mr.
Welles; no has served eight years. These
Connecticut men hayo done long, II not excel
lent. service Why should tho State be de-
prived of the privilege OF saying: "ThIs Is my
son IN the Cabinet p
So did and do the Massachusetts, men, Won
dering ut the selection OF Judge Hoar. They
complain that one OF the more celebrated per-
SONS of that celebrated State was not the lucky
one, and States north, south, east and west de-
mand, through the mouths OF their citizens, to
be informed by any one who has the wit to tell
why this Cabinet hasn't got one of their cham
plon notorieties IN it. iowa and the whole
Northwest are especially indignant because MIR.
Wilson lid not get his expected DESERTS. MIR.
Wilson HIM ,elf, while walking down Pennsyl-
yania Avenue this evening with blatant anti
conservative acquaintance, was observed toll
lustrate his disgust With ardent gesticulatlons.
How different would it have been with MIR. Will
son, il he had been allowed by the patronage
of the President and the. grace OF The Senate
to cali himself Secretary Of the Interior Oh this
bnistcrons eve of tho 5Th Of March, 1869. But