New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-06-01

which Washington and Jefferson hsa sfns ,on feel
but accept them sci0ut fear" Great nS
har MN ea Ne had none Either did not see tho
responsibilities, or the Cesar began W s'f iN "' ~
| In either case he was disqualified
SELECTION HIS CABINET
Newt after the Inaugural address, his first Official act
was the selection his Cabinet and here the Tener
disappointment equaled by the general wonder AZ
the President was little known except from the victories
which had commended him, IL was not then seen now
completely characters site this initial act LOOKING
back upon IL recognized the prctcnsion by which al
tradition, usage, and propriety were uscueu NJ.
the Just set n eSae and the Safeguards Of Constitutional
government were subordinated TO the personal pt
relations with the Republican party ana 1se r po
son in the country some aDs9nte Tl.n0un Nv tha
gifts they had made to the President such was tne 20
can bIorT %he reported sayings President
showed the simplicity with when ne ae.ed ssmiIsS
with which no stranger could be allowed to interfere
and 70 member Of Congress be a1a1dne e sTa s.e
beng good rules gnqaestonsoy for the 90 gwsaS tSe
ofa household and the choice OF S esona gov
ernment Powered In the Navy Department where glt
less parsonage than the grand old admiral the brave.
yet modest Farraeu was reported as asking on t.e ON
nounced in unaffected ignorance Do you know any
thing Of Bore e And yet this unconpcuoss snI ,h
naval superior Of historic character II others were
obscure the Cabinet az unit sss none % where
chance We'd with favoritism as arbiter
All this strange when consider the true idea OF
| Cabinet. Though named in the Constitution by
virtue OF unbrOken usage among US ana In harmony
with constitutional governments eyerygheTs the Cab,
met has become constitutional body, hardly tss than
IL established by the Constitution ITSELF ls members
SSunseoTs q the Presdent With the duty bin
al %S e f, within t 9rt the 81 f
the Constitution beginning with duty to the Union ana
ourselves and our posterty Besides aspcuous illness
for these exalted responsibilities as head OF depart
ment and counsellor member should nave such ac-
knOwedged position in the country that his presence In
spires confidence and gives strength To the Admnlsa-
| ton How little these ,hngs were res"rueu ivy 'N'
PROFESSIONALLY the President has discretion ~ tng
discretion regulated by regard for the Interests Oh tno
country and not Sy eg CABINET Is national in
sttution and not Presidential perqnse, sess our
Frenee In ali constitutional governments the Cabinet
is selected public reasons, and with single syy
the public service; il is not 10 any respect tne
of the sovereign nor is it please himself and nobody
else" English monarchs have often accepted
personally dsagreeable when they had become repre-
sentatives Of the PREVAILING party as when 1eoTss
the most sTcspse obst1s aceepted
Claiming. each bringing to the service cominanuns
abilities BY such instances In constitutional govern
| ment is the Cabinet fixed a constitutional and not
personal body. 1t is only by some eXtraorlnaFy MANU-
constitutional liberty imagine himself invested with
Transforming prerogative above that OF any Engisn
public officers to personal attendant and great conS
terest, is made perquste OF the President
| APPROPRIATION OF THE OFFICES
| Marked among the spectacles which followed ana
kindred In character with the appropriation OF the Cab-
net individual property was the appropriation OF INC
offices OF the country, to which refer In tins place even
at the expense of repetition. Obscure and undeseryng
relations marriage connections personal retainers army
associates friends Of knowp fame ana nV.S5e T AS
| sorbed the Presidential mind during those months OF
obdurate reticence when generous people supposed no
facts il would seem as II the chief spontaneous
thought how to exploit the appointing power 70 MS
own personal behoof AT this period the New-York Gus
tom-houee presented itself To the lnagnatlon anu t
ter written conigning military dependent 70 INC
johnson, acting as executor in selling tne uisery OF
| Mr. Thrale said, ave not selling parcel OF TUBS
and oats selling the potenllany OIL glowihg ren
beyond the dreams OF ayaree" III the president dd hou
evident that his military dependent felt in that let
ter all the potentially" advertised IN TIC Garner ease'
It is not necessary to say that in these things there
was departure the requirements OF law, whether IN
the appointment OF his Cabinet OF personal fayorte
| even in return for personal beDefactOns, although ~
was plainly unrepubncan offensive, ana hdeIeIElpe.
but this usurping spirit, born OF an untuoIed
egotism brookng restraint showed ltsef IN ahother
class OF transactions tn which nave already eieI'ea'
| where law and Constitution were little regarded
PRESIDENTIAL ASSAULT oSsAFEGUARD OF THE TREASURY.
First in time and very indigenous In character was the
Presidential attempts against one of the sacred SAFE
guards of the Treasury, the original workmanship OF
Alexander Hamilton being nothing less than the "acs
| TO establish the Treasury Department" Here was an
important provision that person appointed TO any
Office instituted by the act shall directly or indirectly
be concerned interested 10 carrying on the business
of trade commerce., and any person so oIehe.g wss
declared guilty OF high misdemsanor AMI was W a2s
felt to the United States 5000 with removal from ohce
Office under the United States. Satpiesat Layge, Vol
| l. D. 81, September 2, lis9g From the pes.Dphnf
this statute has stood uhIuestoned. untll II MAJ
acquired the character of fundamental law And yet tho
President by special message, dated March ., ise''
being the second day OF his first service as sivan,
asked Congress 10 set it aside so as 10 enaoe MI
rotary Treasury 70 enter upon the duties OF t ,
Office This sen'eIba d S Mai traaSssted business
| i'm our country. and his imports were Q,
such magnitude as to clog the Custom.honse. *
catch the weak but yield the ricb this was the ocea-
sion for H. and the President should have yielded to no
Temptation against IT, The lndecorum VI MS EFFORT s,as
out more painfully eminent when II is considered mat
the merchant For WHOM he wished to set asiIe une
honored safeguard one Of those from whom nc h"
such was the accommodating disposition of the Senate.
tbot bill exempng the Presidential bonefactor from
the operation the statute was promptly lntrodueed
and even read twice, UNTIL as IT seemed about TO pass
felt il my duty object to its consideration saying, ac-
ins TO me Globe, think it ought TO be most pro.
con - nafoge 1t is acted on by the Senate.
| This objection caused its b. ss.aral anxiety was
| was startled BY telegraph the ge..-- a,neeting oc
| communicated TO Washington. A. the next mes
the Senate, three days later the President sent .
| message. But he could not withdraw the impression
produced by such open disregard Of the law 70 promote
| bis personal desire.
| ILLEGAL MILITARY RING EXECUTIVE MANSION.
The military spirit which failed in the effort to SET
aside a fundamental law If il a transient order
was more at the Executive Mansion, which 40
once assumed the character Of military headquarters
To the dishonor OF civil and total disregard
| TO precedent the President surrounded himself With
officers of the army and substituted military ouDs for
those of civil life detailing for this service members OF
Occupation appeared in The Daily Morning Chronicle Of
March 1862 understood 10 be the Official organ of tho
| Administration:
Prs.dest Giant 10. the White House yesterday b.. the o.
a.suchs Geua bcOck