The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-03-06
GRANTS CABINET.


ing with which that was received ny u
country was jubiiant compared to the dee
sense of disappointment, dissatisfaction al
even disgust with which the names of h
cabinet have been read. 1t is safe TO sa
that never in the history of the governmer
have the intelligence and craftsmanship
the country been so completely snubbed al
insulted in the selection Of the constitution
advisers Of its chief magistrate. II COT
bnes none Of the qualities which should
represented in the Presidents political fat
lily and the heads Of departments. The me-
composing il are, with one or ~
exceptions, unknown to flames and all,e1ceP
ing Cox, Of Ohio, and probably. Hoare' -
Massachusetts, possessed of uoqaaIiI''"O"'
for their respective positions, whi"' s''" g."
respectable minority Of the PTr''as"' pa'9
friends will recognize. The is not soI''sry
name on the list whicb IN tho MIND OF any
body !. associated Nth any great struggle
for oripciole n any great achievement
The fact aat Cox was few years ago elect
ed Governor Of Ohio 10 a campaign charac
terized by no great issues nor in any way
distinguish from the usual contests for
the position, does not make him an e1ceP'
ton. CresweIl, Of Maryland, though not
particularly remarkable for his want Of Abil.
itv, does not rank higher than nediocrity.
The fact that he has been a member Of the
Senate, gives him only an accidental prom
ineuce to that extent As Senator, be
belongs to that category Of men who have
been drifted into power and place on the
tide Of revolutionary passions, and not one |
Of whom represents either the people or the |
intelligence Of the locality from which they
have gone, and all of whom have lapsed in.
to private life and obscurity on the with
drawa Of military forces aud the
return Of political power to the people from
whom it had been wrenched by the military
Eth re had 10 no usurpation ofthe political
power OF Maryland by military force, there
would have been no Senator Creswell
When the military scepre departed Senator
Creswe,l was left without constituency |
and became a private citizen again, as will |
oil his class.
IIoare Of Massachusetts, though lawyer |
OF fair ability, la. never been regarded as
q legal lum.uary. His selection as attor-
uey gaura., after that Of Speed by Lincoln,
wi. probably receive more charitable con
sheraton than it would, had Speed never
filed the position. One error Of this kind,
appears to mitigate another.
AdolPh Z. Borie, Secretary Of the Navy,
is probably the most surprising selection Of
the whole number Of cabinet officers, though
it may in fact be the best, for he is so per.
factly unknown to the public that criticism
cannot reach him. The universal inquiry
is, Who is Borie ? He is, we believe, tea
merchant of Philadelphia, and has been in
vitud to a seat in the Presidents cabinet for
reasons unknown to anybody but the Presi.
den, himself unless it Is the probable fact
that he has brought many cargoes of tea
from China and has thus proven himself a
successful navigator; or he may owe hi
appointment to the fact that at some time
he has presented Gen. Grant with n ches
Of choice tea.
The appointment OF Stewart to the man
agement Of any ordinary manufacturing o
commercial business enterprise would b
well received but hls nomination to tn,
portfolio Of the Treasury, only shows tina
Gen. Grant is ignorant Of the character q
ability required in thai department, and ma
also be accepted by the public, as it nc
doubt is by Mr.. Stewart, as a slight token 0
Gen. Grants personal gratitude TO him anc
other New York capitalists for the magnif
cent presents made to the embryo President
year or two ago.
Although during the Presidential cam
paigu Grants election was opposed by some
democrats on the ground that il would be in
49,, $40 P''''''''
weight or force to the objcction.--It would
have been well if it had received more.
While Mr. Washburne has not been an utter
failure as congressman he has never risen
above the rank Of a Jealous partilan
of ordinary abilities, even in the
estimation Of his party; and his selection as
Premier of the new administration must be
humiIiating to hundreds Of better men in
the Republican party who expected and
ought to have been preferred to him. None
but blind zeaots of Gen. Grant will claim