The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-03-06
STILL EHIGMATICAL.

We doubt that the commissions of curiosity
into which most of the Republican editors
and politicians were thrown by Gen. Grants
persistent mystery regarding his cabinet will
be altogether sssuaged by the final announce
ment of its composition. In the course of
official events this riddle was of necessity to
be solved; but its solution amounts to moth
ing more than the propounding of another
riddle. The seeker after definite knowledge
will be fortunate, indeed, if he shall find it
easier to construe the new Presidents cabinet
appointments now that they are made, than it
was to construe his previous reticence in that
regard. Not one of them, perhaps, would
have been admitted by caucus of Republi-
can politicians to a catalogue of optable
names for the respective positions to which
they are assigned. Not one of them has
made what might be called a distinguished
political record. Not one of them has &C
CURED what is understood as national repu-
tation. Not one of them is known to have
displayed any special aptitude for administra-
tive functions. All of them may be re-
garded as new and untried men with respect
to the several divisions of public service to
which they are called. But this fact is not
conclusive as to their unftness, any more
than it is conclusive as to their fitness. It
signifies nothing one way or the other. For
the present. therefore, We can only say that
Gen. Grant has a cabinet whose capabilities
touching the duties of the various depart
ments are about as indefinite as his own polit-
ical character and civil qualifications; and we
suspect that many of his Radical supporters
begin to regard him as an ominous example
Of intense indefnitude in point of political
sympathy no less than in point of civil ability.
There are two theories under which the re.
lations of the President to the cabinet may
be viewed; that which regards the heads of
departments in the light of personal staff,
and that which regards them IN the light of
ministers responsible for the administration
of their proper departments, and allowed
degree of discretion corresponding with their
responsibility. 1t was intimated not long
since that General Grant, initiating the course
of the first President-though Washington
set no such example-would be guided by
the former theory in the construction of his
cabinet. Whether he has done SO in fact,
whether we are to view its members as oc-
cupying TO him position analogous to that
OF the staff officers who attended him in his
military campaigns, is a question that can
not be determined at this initial stage of his
But this can be said with per.
feet assurance of its truth, that if he set out
by imputing to the secretary of state, the
of war, and other secretaries no
larger dignity and accountability than apper-
tain to generals staff, he will set out with a
system of organized failure. He will be |
pursuing false analogy. Cabinet officers |
correspond to heutenantS commanding sepa-
rate divisions OF an army, not TO the adjutants |
attached to the person of the general, who |
consults with these lieutenants in councils of |
war as the President is presumed to consult |
With his highest subordinates in cabinet meet |
ngs. If Gen. Grant had five times the capa- |
city for civil affairs possessed by the ablest of
his predecessors. he could no more make a 1
administration without capable |
and responsible ministers, acting independ- |
ently OF his immediate direction and super
vision, than he could have fought one of his
battles before Vicksburg or Richmond with.
out commanders OF divisions and corps What
,ver may be his theory, he cannot move an
nch without depending largely on the spon-
aneous and discretionary action Of his heads
If departments. And hence, If he has made
Diudicious cabinet appointments in the idea
'f constituting a personal stat, he has
his administration with fragrant
1lunder based upon a fundamental error