The New York herald., 1871-12-15

N6 sAeassat Asitation- Cabinet Rumor
and n "vcments Among the Politician
/ at wnsA insion.
The PresiA ential agitation has actively com
menced. The policy of Mr.. Greeley, of leav
ing the republican, nomination to the nations
party Convention, las been overruled and sci
aside, and, from Che general voice of the party,
EEeneraf Grant is pronounced it's candidate for
| tie succession. The democrats and the anti
Grant republicans accept the situation on this
ground, and the main question before them is,
s'HMv can General Grant be defeated ?" We
have shown how he might be defeated through
the uroh ,cted impeachment movement, but this
movemat It hangs fire. From our special de-
spatclyes the subject, which we give to our
readers thA morning, it will be seen that the
democrats 4 re disposed to take hold of it {;
but while we are awaiting further develop
ments let ,,s 8 ee what the President-making
politicians at W. ,shington are doing and what,
In the republican party aud in the democratic
party at headqsar. ters, is the drift of the wind.
1t seems to be sell tied that, at the request Of
nearly the whole boo y of the republican SEN
ators, Mr.. Fish with RI main at the head of the
State Department, Es an indefinite time to
come, but that Mfr. a \kerman, the Attorney
General, has found it expedient to retire,
and that Mr.. Robesep, the Secretary of the
Navy, will probably rsA re very soon. It Is
announced that Jadge WI 'liams, of Oregon, a
very acceptable man and one Of the Joint
High Commission, bas' h sen appointed to
ho n1o of Mr., hat
probably, in the event etthea retirement of Mr..
Robeson.. some Pennsyfvaui IN (but not the
amiable and venerable Mt. b 'rie) Will be ap-
pointed to- that vaeancys All this is plain
sailing; but the continuance sof Mr.. Fish in
the Cabinet seems to be gr at disappoiut-
ment to Mr.. Greeley He hasA,vidently been
hoping for change in the State, Department to
the disadvantage Of Senator Conkling and to |
the advantage of Senator FentOn a,d his faction,I
in ths councils Of the adminIstratfqn but that |
fat Is now all in the ffe. Moreover, from the
retention Of Mr.. Fish 1t would appear that |
neither the Senate nor the President cares |
anything for the personal hostility Of Mr.. Sum-
ner or the grievances of Mr.. Fenton or the /
wrath of Mr.. Schurz. General Grant, in
enough, In the Senate and In the country, to
get along without these men, and 30 he leaves /.
them to take their own course and sticks to
his St. Domingo friend, Mr.. Fish.
But what does this retention Of Mr.. Fish
signify in reference 10 Cubap Does it mean
the continuance of his exploded do-nothing !
policy, or new departurep From the tone
and the hints Of the Presidents Message on
Cuban affairs we think 1t means a new depar-
ture; but we shall see. Unquestionably the
late horrible Spanish barbarities at Havana,
and other recent events 10 and around the
"Ever Faithful Isle," give an opportunity for
a splendid coup dftat in that quarter from
p olicy is peace, we are not very sanguine Of a
Jacksonian settlement of the Cuban question; /
but we shall see. Meantime General Banks,
as chairman on Foreign Affairs In the House,
is following up the suggestions Of the Message;
but he seems to be very careful in keeping
within the mark He proposes bill, for in
stance, to prevent our citizens from holding
slaves In foreign lands; but he has nothing
10 propose to put an end to Spanish insolence
and Spanish barbarities in Cuba. Is General
Banks temporizing with Spain or only amusing
Mr.. Fish And what has become Of General
Butler?
Neither In the House nor In the Senate,
so far, have we had any foreshadow-
in1s of the Presidential line Of action
of the democrats or anti-0rant re-
publcans. All sorts of democratic bun
combe resolutions have been offered, |
Astounding In glittering generaGties signifying |
nothing; but we have looked in vain for any
proposition Of practical character in refer
ence to Presidential programme against
General Grant. The Hon. Fernando Wood
submits programme for the party in power
which is only good for buncombe, and Tom
Dick and Harry have each their constitu-
tional amendments to propose of an I'M
practicable character but beyond this clap
trap we have nothing yet from the democrats
in Congress touching the great, Presidential
question. The President in bis Message,
recommends the abolition Of the income
tax and all our internal revenue assess
ments except the taxes on tobacco, wines,
malt and sprituous liquors and stamps, and
upon this proposition the democrats might
do something in forcing the republicans to
show their hands, but nothing is DONE Mean
time the period is fast approaching for the col
lection of these internal taxes, and any bill
intended for the relief Of the people in 1872 In
this matter ought to be passed without delay.
The present prospect of any relief to the
country in lessening our burdens Of national
taxes, Internal and tariff, is anything but en-
couraging. The Presidential game Of the demo-
Gratis is evidently the game Of hamperiug and
battling the republicans In their relief meas