New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-05-23
CABINET CHANGES.
,rp NoMJNATIONs APPROVED.

CHANGES REGARDED AS A MOVE IN THE INTEREST
OF Mr.. CoNKLING.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON, May 22.-Political circles IN WISH
,noton were stirred to their center to-day by tine w
.xpected and surprising action of the President III
making two changes in his Cabinet in nominating
Judge Taft to be Attorney-General, and >. Don
Cameron to the portfolio of War, and Transferring
70 the English Mission his late Attorney 'eno'"i'
Edwards Pierrepont. For once the fresiueh' so'
ahead of the newspapers, ana no lh'ini"'io" VI '"e
pestion had been made pubic that SUCH changes
~ero concentrated Many months ago report
,rhcb boweyer. was generally discredted, was cir
.r,oted that Judge Pierrepont would be nominated
"a Minister to England; but, so far as known, the
name of Judge Taft the new Secretary OF war, was
nover mentioned in connection with the office OF
Acknowledgement TO which he is now called. Ana
the nomination of j. Donald Cameron, son of Sena-
tor Cameron, for Secretary of War, was wholly
unlocked for. The changes are so entirely outside
the usual course OF affairs that motive aside from
the desire to fill vacant foreign mission Is sought
by the politicians.
The significance of the Presidents action is found
in "Donn Cameron's nomination. No reason OF a
public nature exists to-day why he should be Secre-
tary Of War that did not exist at the time OF Judge
Tafts appointment, and there has always been
S'""
party reasons why that State should be represented
in the Presidents Cabinet When the Office of Sec
retary of the Interior went begging few months
ago Dom Cameron was as willing as he is to-day
IN make one of the favored seven, and there is no
reason TO suppose that he is better fitted TO
he the head of the War Office than to be Sec
rotary of the Interior. All these facts, and
more, which it is not necessary to
recount here 90 to show what is acknowledged here
Oh every side, that the President had motive III
placing the son of the old Warwick OF PennsyNa-
mia among his constitutional advisers. The motive
is readily understood by politicians IN Washington
THE TRIBUNE several months ago, in dispatch
from this city, made the unequvocal statement that
Gen. Grant was in favor of the nomination OF Sena-
tor Conkling for tie Presidential succession This
dispatch was vociferously denied on the authority
of the White House and all concerned, but 1T never
tbeless was true. This point should be
borne in mind, while attention Is called
TO the fact that Senator Cameron is supposed to
hold the Republican party of Pennsylvania ms a
pilot holds his Wheel which responds to his slightest
touch, now to starboard now to port, and Senator
Cameron has been rather retlcent, 50 far as the
Presidential candidates are concerned lie DID not
want to antagOnZe Mr.. Morton in the National
Committee, and he has prOfesSed friendship for MI
blaine and he has been on the closest relations
+.
politician, "rhe old fox has been duckng to them"
He has professed 10 be honestly and sincerely for
Hartranft, but everybody familiar with the old
centleman's ways knows that he is not the sort of
man in the declining years of his power to nurture
Young man to succeed him one of these days whom
he cares nothing for, when he was ambitious for
his ambitious son. Ii is plain, them that his prefer
ence for Hatranft is no more than that of half the
Pennsylvania politicians who merely want to pay
their brave young Governor the compliment OF
vote for President in the National Convention
1t is for Pennsylvania second choice that Blaine
and Conkling and Morton are contendng, and that
Mr. Cameron might give it to Mr.. Conklng IS why
Don" Cameron has been made Secretary of War.
The question now is, Can the old gentleman deliver
the goods A great many well-infOrmed politicians
from that State affirm that he cannot, but IT Is
question that cannot now be answered. and months
time will demonstrate.
There was rumOr here several days ago, which
did not reach many ears, but which came from the
INNER circles, that the President contemplated the
removal of Postmaster-General Jewell, and placing
in his Office a Pennsylvania, i'll order TO
control the Pennsylvania delegates to the
Cincinnati Convention. 1t had firm
foundation of truth, but the later expedient OF
transferring Secretary Taft to the Department OF
Justice accomplshes the same purpose, and enables
pying the position he held at the beginning of the
war. As to the other appointments they are well
received. Judge Pierrepont, who has been gener-
ally acceptable az Attmney-General, will certainly
be an Improvement on Gen. Schenck as Minister TO
England; and Judge Taft will make very accept
able Attorney General During his brief service as
the head Of department, he has been thorough,
modest, industrious, and capable, and II may be sad
he is better fitted for the position than for the
one he has just vacated.
The appointment Of Mr.. Cameron provokes much
criticism. He is generally regarded as gentleman
Of somewhat remarkable executive ability, but
otherwise there is little about him to commend him
to the high place. He has, however, had "A much
wider experience than majority OF those whom the
President has called to his Cabinet at different
times and VIII be decided improvement on Gen.
Belknap Some enemies of the Cameron family
here say that "DOns" executive ability is over
rated, from the fact that he mismanaged the
Northern Central Railroad to such an extent while
Vce-President and President that he nearly ruined
It, and received vote of censure from the Board OF
Directors A story is also brought up that be was
improperly prominent when his father was secretary
Of War in horse and mule contracts.
The nominations were hurried through the Senate
with unusual haste, and were all confirmed within
an hour after their arrival at the Capitol. they
were informally referred TO the appropriate commit
tees, and reported back at without ever seeing
commIttee-rooIn. Messrs. Cameron and Taft were
confirmed without word against them, but Judge
Plerrepont received some pretty heavy hits on ac-
count OF his disc0uragiDg witnesses letter aud his
general conduct in the st. Louis whisky cases.
Senator Cameron, who is personally q very popular
man among his brother Senators, was very warmly
congratulated on all sides.