Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-03-09
The Cabinet,

The Cabinet.
The first appointments Of a new President
are the most Important and the most critical
cabinet largely depends the success OF his
administration and his selections for the
heads of the departments are sure to be most
jealousy scrutinized. They are the oistrib-
uting ch annels of such immense patronage
their influence reaches out so widely; so
many public measures and 50 many private
schemes depend upon them so many men OF
influence have distinct and strong preferences
in regard to them, that it is simply impos-
sible to suit every body. Choose whom the
President may, his choice will be sure to
be sharply criticized in many quarters.
President Lincoln shrewdly called into his
Cabinet all his main competitors for the
Republican nomination in 1860, and it
worked better than could have been expect
ed. Gen. Grants selections made not a
little friction for himself and for his party,
and but one of them, from first to last, that
of Mr. Fish, suited both the President aud
the country. President Hayes has had
more embarrassing task than either of his
predecessors. His selections must be judged
in the light Of all the difficulties sur
rounding his position. 1t is certainly
Cabinet Of higher tone than the
last, and is conservative Cabinet. Tie
abilities and integrity of Mr.. Evarts
are 50 generally recognized that his ap-
pointment as Secretary of State will be
generally conceded to be fitting one, even
by those who do not like him personally.
The appointment Of Senator John Sherman
has been 50 generally expected. that it, too,
will ARGUS, little unfayorable comment.
Mr.. Sherman is an honest and able man.
He has some excellent qualifications for the
Treasury department and it will be gener-
ally admitted that President Hayes must be
allowed the privilege of taking into his
Cabine: his personal friend and adviser, to
whom he has been so largely indebted for
his advancement to the Presidency. Carl
Schurz has some bitter enemies in the Re-
publican party but they cannot deny that
he came in like man to the support of
Gov. Hayes and rendered yeoman's service
in the campaign. Whether he has the
balance Of Judgment and executive ability
demanded in the important department OF
the Interior, is a question. His abilities,
if he possesse, them, in that direction have
yet to be developed; but he represents class
who were fairly entitled to prominent
recognition in the distribution of honors
We trust he will justify the wisdom of this
choice.
The appointment Of General and Judge
Devens, Of Massachusetts, is one of the best
in the list lie has been out of active poll
tics; but he is staunch Republican. lie is
sound and able lawyer, and gentleman
of the highest standing for honor and in
tegrity. We doubt not that he will do him.
self and the country honor in the Attorney
Generalship. The special qualifications
which indicated Mr.. McCrary, of Iowa, for
the War Department, and Mr.. Thompson, of
Indiana, for the Navy, We are not informed
about. We suppose that it was first settled
that they should 60 into the Cabinet and
then these portfolios were allotted TO them
because the others were otherwise assigned
The most critical feature of the whole, and
the one showing the most nerve and indie
pendence in President Hayes-and not a
little Of those qualities-is the calling Of a
Democrat into this Republican Cabinet.
Judge Key, of Tennessee, seems to have a
high personal character, and to be q very
fair and moderate Democrat but he is, and
has always been, Democrat. 1t had been
supposed that if Southern Democrat was
taken, it would be from the old Wing
element, which is now not on very good
terms with the Northern Democracy.
The Jostmasters will not take very kindly,
We fancy, as class, to the placing an eI-
Confederate Colonel at the head OF the Post
office Department. This appointment has
unquestionably been made under the strong
est conviction on the part of the President
that the continued existence of any kind Of
Republican party at the South depends on
breaking up Of the present political situa-
ton there. How this appointment will work
Is Of course question, and will depend
largely on how Judge Key conducts him
self in his very delicate and difficult posi-
ton.
This Cabinet will not sait Gen Butler, or
Mr.. Morton, or Mr.. Blaine, or Gen. Logan,
or Senator COnkling, or good many other
public men that might be named But
Cabinet which would suit them might
not suit the mass of Republicans as well as
this. The talk about refusing confirmation
to these appointments is. of course, the
mereSt buster. They will all be confirmed.