The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-23

1t is with sense of relief that the country
sees the main point of curiosity and specu-
lation transferred from the question, Who IS
to be the next President? to the less exciting
question OF the composition OF the next Cab
met. Since the Louisiana decision 1t has
been universally conceded that Mr.. Hayes Is
to be at the head of the government for the
next four years, and the political quidnuncs
are busy with conjectures as to whom ne
will select for leading places in the admin
istration. The Washington correspondents
of the leading public journals ore the CHIEF
purveyors to public curiosity in this line OF
speculation. In spite of their occasionally
wild guesses they render q real service bothto
Mr. Hayes and the country. The Washington
correspondents are in the very focus OF tne
| inevitable Cabinet speculations. The opin-
ions they listen to are those OF men VINO IN
| derstand the personal and political relations
of Mr.. Hayes. However worthless the gossip
| they hear may be us clew to what the IN
coming President will actually do, they as
! sist the public in surveying the possibilities
of the situation, and are of still greater
service to the new President in enabling
him to Judge how this, TINT or the other ap-
pointment would strike the public sense OF
the country. The success of his administra-
ton requires that he should select a Cabinet
not only strong in itself, but strong in the
estimation of the public. The conjectures
of the Washington correspondents, the COM
ments made on them by the press and the
reception they meet in the country are
a valuable aid to Mr.. Hayes in enabling
him to judge what appointments would
be acceptable to the country. The exer-
tons made by the friends Of leading aspir-
ants to diffuse the impression that their IA
vorites will be appointed serves at least TO
gauge the popularity of those favorites by
the Endorsements or protests OF the public
press. The current specylations may be OF
little value as predictions, but what is said
of them may serve as guide to Mr.. Hayes
in performing the duty on which the success
of his administration will mainly depend.
| We accept the idea of our special
| Washington correspondent, expressed In
one Of his dispatches yesterday, that it
would be an egregious blunder for Mr..
Hayes to give o place in the Cabinet to any
member of the Electoral Commission. The
new President cannot discharge personal
obligations in that way. If he should offer
the most important places in his administra-
ton to men who have been influential in the
recent proceedings it would look too much
like paying personal debt at the expense
of the country. If Mr.. Hayes is fit man
to be President he will not think of offer
ing O Cabinet position to any member of tho
Electoral Commission; and if the members
of the commission have decent self
respect no one of them would accept Cab
met position if rendered. They have acted,
or were at least expected to act, in Judicial
capacity; they we're bound to decide In
accordance with law they cannot afford to
have it supposed, or even suspected, that
they were counting the favor or expecting
the rewards of the man whom their votes
made President. The members Of the
Electoral Commission were bound to do
their duty according to their oaths, and
| if their conscientious action makes Mr..
Hayes President they have no more claim
on him for personal recognition than a
Judge would have upon the successful party
| in case tried before him. It is preposterous
| to think that Senator Morton or Mr.. Hoar
or any other republican member of the COM
mission has laid Mr.. Hayes under personal
obligation by voting according to their
sense of justice. They would be dis
graced forever if, by accepting Office
from President Hayes, they should expose
| themselves to the suspicion that their votes
| in the tribunal were controlled by their
political expectations. Mr.. Hayes must not
think of appointing any member of the COM
mission to any Office in his gift Neither
Senator Morton nor any other member could
accept personal favor from the President
without sinking himself in public estimation.
So strict rule cannot, perhaps, apply to
the eminent counsel who have argued Mr..
Hayes claims before the commission. We
will not undertake to say what attitude q
delicate sense Of honor would require them
to assume in reference to appointments,
which the public would naturally construe
as rewards Whether it would be-
come Mr.. Evarts, Mr.. Stanley Matthews
and Mr.. Stoughton to accept high
offices under President Hayes is a
question which must be left to him
and to them. The general expectation is
that he will reward them with high appoint
ments for the services they have rendered.
| Whatever claims they may have on his
gratitude the country would esteem them
more highly if they should refuse Office.
There is n general expectation however
that Mr.. Evarts will have an opportunity to
accept or decline the Office Of Secretary of
State. Had Mr.. Hayes been elected in No
vember by clear and undisputed majority
we suppose nobody would have expected
him to give the first place in his Cabinet to