The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-23
Cabinet chanEes-Exit williams, Exit
Delnuo.


been equally reason for resignlng at any
time within the last thirty months but there
are reasons Of great force why he should be
dismissed. He was never ft for the place he
holds and dishonors; but President Grant can
not afford to dismiss and disgrace him. II
the President should publicly force Williams
out of the Cabinet some very awkward ques-
tions would be asked. It is only sixteen
months ago that the President sent the name
\ Of Mr.. Williams TO the Senate, and asked that
body to confirm him for the great station OF
Chief Justice Of the Supreme Courtas the sue
cessor to Salmon p. Chase. After SO aston
ishing an Endorsement the President would
stultiy himself if he openly dismissed Mr..
Williams from the Cabinet How could Gen
eral Grant ever afterward hold up his head and
justify himself for nominating for the Chief
Justicoship man whom he SO soon
discovered to be unfit for tho inferior office Of
Attorney General? We suppose that nobody
is quite SO verdant as to imagine that the
RESIGNATION Of Attorney General Williams IS
in any true sense voluntary. There can be
4 no doubt that he has received courteous out
unambiguous hints from the President that
his room III tie Cabinet is preferable to h1s
I company. What provision the President is to
make for him is as YET unknown; but he viii
probably exchange the Attorney Generalship
for some other office. The Russian mission
might have suited him very well when 1t ieli
vacant by the appointment Of Mr. Jewell as
Postmaster General but the active part Mr.
Williams took IN the Catacazy controversy,
which caused so unpleasant stir IN Wash.
ington society, would have made that posi-
ton very awkward. A statement telegraphed
Yesterday from Washington, that MIR. Viii
liams resigns in order TO return to Oregon
and enter into the contest for the United
States Senatorship, is ridiculous. The first
vacancy occurs in March, 1877, by the ex-
pirntion Of the term Of Mr.. James
K. Kelly, the democratic Senator
and resignation fifteen months hence
would do as we'll as resignation now, if that
were the object Besides, Oregon has become
decidedly democratic State. and, on the
maxim that q bird in the hand is worth two
in the bush, Mr.. Williams would do better TO
hold on TO the Office he mas rather than look
to the improbable chances Of republican
Legislature in Oregon next year. no matter
how cloverly it may DO smoothed over Mr.
Williams resignation has been extorted from
him by political necessities. Had the Con-
pechcut election been a victory instead Of
defeat this partial breakup Of the Grant
Cabinet would not have taken place. 1t re-
suits from an imperative necessity Of doing
something to retrieve the sinking fortunes Of
the republican party.
The similar resignation Of Mr.. Columbus
Delano, Secretary Of the Interior, which is ex-
pected within day or two, will be voluntary
only in the same deceptive sense. Unfor-
tunately for President Grant, his brother,
Orville Grant, has been recipient Of lucra-
tive favors from the Secretary Of the Interior,
AZ we'll as John Delano, the Secretary's son.
Dalano's claim to be ''let down easy
would seem to be even stronger than
that Of Williams For the President TO
turn out al Attorney General whom he had
nominated for Chief Justice would seem less
damaging than to dismiss a Secretary Of the
Interior il whose malversation . brother
Of the President has been an accomplish. II
Pres;den. Grant should venture to make
charges against Secretary Delano as ground
OF removal the recoil would be fatal il il were
shown that the son Of the Secretary shared tha
plunder with the brother Of the President.
The charges Of corruption against that depart
ment relate to ths Indian agents, Of whom
Orvillc Grant was one, and the President could
iii afIord 10 convert the Secretary into an
enemy, knowing that potent weapon Of
vengeance was ia lis hands. These ''resig-
nations q Cabinet officers arc made On
trumped up pretences to save the credit Of the
displaced officers and the President but they
are really removals disguised, because it would
be rs damaging to the President as to tie dis
carded officials to have them appear in their
true character Removals would IL confess
sions. removal Of Williams would be
confession that the President perpetrated
stupcudous blunder il nominating him
for Chief Justice Of the Supreme
Court A removal II Secretary Delano would
he 4 confession BY tie President that he had
conniyed At corruption, to which his own
brother was party General Grant is
constrained to deal gently with the dis
placed members Of his Cabinet, lest they turn
upon him and rend him. lie IS, doubt
less, too thankful t. get rid Of them Oh any
terms.
But Why does he cast them out after keep
ing them 50 long? There are two reasons.
one relates to the most important election 81
tie present year-that il Ohio. Unless the
republicans can recover the State Of OHIO this
year they have no shadow Of chance 81 cal
rying tie Presidential election next year
This Is So obvious AMI 50 well understood
that both parties concede IL But The repub-
lican politicians Of Ohio fecl that there Is no
possibility 81 their carrying the State with
Lr-.lI.--r--- LII nalnnn i, LL.. l.L-.n. A.