New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-01-09
The First Cabinet.


Tae Men who Surrounded Washington.
Mr.. Parton, in the January .iadntic, thu
describes Washington and his first Cabinet
Age had not quenched the vivacity o
either of the four Secretaries-Jeferson, AZ
Knox, 20; Randolph, 81; Hamilton, 80
When, in the worlds history, was so young
n group charged witt. task go new, So dbl
cult, so momentous?
Such were the gentlemen who had gathered
round the council table at the Presidents
| house in New York in 1880; at the head 81
the table General Washington, now IS, his
frame as 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 intel
| lect, the eternal glory of this man is, that he
used all the mind he had in patient endeayors
to find out the right way; ever on the watch
to keep out of his decision everything like
bias or prejudice, never deciding until he had
exhausted every source of calculation within
his reach. Some questions he could not de-
eide with his own mind, and he knew he
could not. In such cases, he bent all his
powers to ascertaining how the subject APP
peared to minds fitted to grapple with il,
and getting them to view it without preju-
dice.
L AM uell9Eleu " ltdTu t!ldl MT. tdrlyIe
can seldom hear the name Of Washington
pronounced without breaking forth with an
explosion of contempt, especially, it is said.
if there is an American in hearing. Wash
ington is the exact opposite Of fell Car
lylean hero. His glory is that he was not
richly endowed, not sufficient unto himself,
not indifferent to human rights, opinions, and
preferences but, feeling deeply his need of
help, sought it, where alone it was to be
found, in minds fitted by nature and training
to supply his lack. 1t is this heartfelt desire
to be right which shines SO aiIectinely from
the plain words of Washington, and gives him
rank 50 far above the gorgeous bandits whom
herO-worshipers adore.
On the right of the President, in the place
of honor, sat Jefferson, now forty-seven, the
senior of all his colleagues older in public
service, too, than any of them; tall, erect,
ruddy, noticeably quiet, and unobtrusive of
his address and demeanOr; the least pugna-
cious of men. Not fanatic, not an enthusi-
asst; but an Old-fashioned Wing, nurtured
upon "Old Coke" enlightened by twenty
five years intense discussiOn-with pen,
tongue, and sword of COkean principles.
Fresh from the latest commentary upon
Coke-the ruins of the Bastie--and wearing
still his red Paris waistcoat and breeches, he
was an object ofpartieular interest to all men,
iOootiSoo, OltVh iSiICNCu Severity
business by some thrilling relation out of his
late foreign experience.
Opposite him, on the Presidents left, was
the place of Hamilton, Secretary of the
Treasury, in all the alertness and vigor of
thirty-three years. If time had matured his
talents, it had not lessened his sef-sufficien-
cy; because, as yet, all his short life had been
success, and he had associated chiefly with
men who possessed nothing, either of his
huency or his arithmetic. a positive, vehe-
ment little gentleman, with as firm faith in
the apparatus of finance as General Knox had
in great guns. He was now in the full tide
OF activity, lobbying measures through Con-
gress. and organizing the Treasury Depart
ment-the most conspicuous man in the Adj
ministration, except the President-as usual,
his unseen work was his best. In organizing
system of collecting, keeping, and disburs-
ing the revenue, he employed so much tact,
fOrethOught, and fertility, that his successors
have cach in turn, admired and retained his
most important devices. He arranged the
system SO that the Secretary of the Treasury,
at any moment, could survey the whole
working Of it; and he held at command all
the resources Of the United States, subject to
lawful use, without being able to divert one
dollar to purpose not specially authorized.
He could not draw his own pittance of salary
without the signatures Of the four chief Off
GERS Of the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Audi
tor, Treasurer, and Register.