Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-12-30

TIE FIRST CABINET. Mr.. Parton, in the
Juuuary Atlantic, thus describes Washington
and his first cabinet
Age had not qucnchcd the vivactty of either
of the four Secretaries ID cftcr>on, ~; Knox.
40; II .udnIph 81; Hamilton. 33 when, IN
the worlds history, Was 81 young group
charged with Il i;,ak new, 81 difficult, 81 mo
mcntuus?
Such were the gentlemen who were gathered
round the council table at the President 5 house
in New York 10 1850; at the head Of the
table General Washington, now fifty eight.
his frame a. erect as ever. but his face
showing the deep traces of the Thousand
anxious hours he had passed Not verSed
in the lore of schools, but gifted with
great sum Of Intellect the ctcrual glory
of this uian is thar he used all the mind he
had in patient cndeav"ra to find out the right
way; ever % the watch to keep out Of his de-
csiou everything like bias or preiu lice never
deci'ling till he had exhausted every source OF
clucldation within his reach. Some questions
he could not decide with his own miud, and he
knew lie couil not. La such cas- IS he bent his
powers to a>ceraining how the subject APP
pearcd to mind, fit ID to grapplc with 1t, ANA
getting thcui t. view it without PREJUDICE
o. the right Of the President in the place Of
honor sat Jefferson, Row forty sever the senior
If all his colicacu's, older III pubic service,
too, than any Of item ; tall. erect, rudy;
noticeably quot aud uuohruSive 10 his adj
dress and demeanor the least pugnaclous Of
M Not u auatc : not an enthusiast but
an od.ta>hiohcd wing, nurtured upon old
Coke, " enlightened By twenty-five years IN.
tense discu, sion with pen, tongue and sword
of Cokean principles. Fresh from the latest
commentary. Cokc-the ruins OF the Bias
tlc--and wearing still his red Paris walscoat
and breaches. he was an object OF particular
interest to all men. and, doubtless, often re-
lievcd the severity of business by some thrilling
relation out of his late foreign experience
Opposite him, on the Presidents left, was
the lace of Hamilton, Secretary Of the Treas
ury in all the alerness and vigor Of thirty
three years If time had matnrel his talents.
it had not lessenrd his self >utfciency; because.
as yet, all his short life had been success, anG
he had associated chiefly with men who pos
sessed nothing either of his fuency or his ar;h
metic positive, vehement little gentleman,
with as firm faith in the apparatus Of iinarcs
as Genera Knox hadsin great guns. He was
now 10 the full tide of activity. lobbying meas.
ures through Congress, and organizing the
Treasury Dcpartmrnt-the most conSpIcn"uS
man in the administration, except the Pre>l
dent.
AS usual his unseen work was his best In
organizing a system Of collecting. Keeping and
disbursing the revenue he emplyed So much tact,
forethought aud fertility. thar his successors
have each, in turn. admired and retained his
most Important devices He arranged the syS-
TEN SO that the Secretary of the Treasury, at
any moment could survey the whole working
OF il, and he held at command ali the resources
of the United States subject 10 use without
being able to divert one dollar to Il purpose not
specially authorized. He could not draw his
own pittance of salary without the signatures u!
the four chief Officers of the dcpartmant-coml
trolcr auditor treasurer and register.