The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-12-25

WASHINGTON, Dec. IL, 1873. q
TIE CABINET CHANGE AND WHY IT DID
NOT COME To PASS. CERTAIN sENA-
TORS WHO HAVE CEASED TO DARKEN
THE DOOR OF THE WHITE HOUSE. ONE
SENATOR WHO HAS NEVER pARKENED
THE DOOR, THE NEW ARsfY BILL AND
THE SERTED RANKS OF THE OPPOSITION.
To the Editor of the Morristown Gazette:
The topics shat have chiefly interested
politicians during the past week have
been Senator Blaine's great speech, the
new army bill, and the cabinet change
fasco. 1t is not at all probable there
will be, during the session, another ora
torica1 sensation that will equal that
just made by Mr.. Blaine. 1t had alf-the
accessories of eclat-crowded galleries,
and such distinguished audience en-
the floor as only Washington at this sea-
| son can present.
OF the rumored cabinet change it
would seem almost useless to write since
Attorney General Devens has decided to
remain, and one wonders now why the
subject of his resignation was allowed
to have such wide publicity, unless it
was tO,excite hopes that never could be
realized in the breasts of half a hundred
aspirants for the office. There is no
doubt, however, that the Attorney Gen
ed vacating his place in the cabinet, and
had received from the President the as
surance that he should have the appoint
ment to the Judgeship made Vacant by
the death of Judge Shepley of Maine,
but. it NAV be the reflection that his
confirmation in this office would depend
on a Democratic Senate, or, at best, n
half hostile Republican Senate, decided
him to cleave to the honors he had rath-
er than fly to those he was not so sure
of. | say a half hostile Senate, for,
contrary to all pacific reports, it is now
known that Senator COnkling will main
tain his fight against the presidential
nominees to the New York Custom
Tors, and, it is thought scarcely posi-
4. tat they will be confirmed in the
teeth of such opposition, both Republi-
can and Democratic, as he can rally to
his support. There is a noteworthy
straw that / do not think has been prop
erly weighed since the beginning of the
session Not a Democratic Senator or
REPRESENTATIVE, so far as | have been
able 10 learn, has called upon the Presi-
dent. Last session the evening papers
published daily list of distinguished
callers, in which the names of Gordon,
Hill, Cockrell, Withers, and othere were
remarkably frequent, and where the
names of almost every Democratic SEN
ator and member occasionally appeared.
There are few stalwarts, however, who
have never called, and Senator Thurman,
on a particular occasion, took pains to
emphasize the fact that he had never in
that wav recognized the occupant of the
White House as President. The cause
of the enlargement of Southern repre-
sentatives is the present attitude of the
Administration towards the South, as
expressed in that part of his message re-
fcrring to the Southern election frauds
and it is significant in the light of the
fact that the Democrats will in about
two months have control of both branch
es of Congress.
What will the majority in the Senate
do without leader, has become, within
the last two weeks, a pertinent question.
Senator Thurman it is said must be the
Democratic candidate for Governor of
Ohio, and when he leaves the chamber
of the upper house there will be none
left in Ithica to bend his bow. All par
ties agree that he possesses a greater
number of the characteristics of q lead
er than any Democrat that has ever be-
Ionged to that body. Bayard is able,
argumentative, prudent Lamar is elo-
uuent, imprisoned, and learned in the
law Hill possesses, with great natural
gifts, much training and experience :;
but Thurman unites in the highest de-
gree the sterling and brilliant qualities
of all, and has something besides that is
not so common among Senators as may
be upposed-cOmmOn sense.
The new army bill is meeting with
unlimited criticism, chiefly from
those officers whom it retires. These
would appear to be only 333 individuals,
but an individual, when he is an army
officer, means wife, daughter,
mother-in-law, all in society, and all re-
lated, inter-related, and correlated to in
fuential members of Congress. Now
multiply this force by 333, and apply
the expansion of arithmetical progress
sion, and you will have an idea of the
nature, but not an adequate idea of the
power, of opposition to a more econOm-
zeal management of our military and
naval establishments. G.. A. S.