Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-01-29
WHOLE NO. 1920.

difficulties which would embarras
any Administration, and which ouI
friends should consider before they
are impatient. The financial views
Of Mr.. Hayes, ct . time like this
are q blessing TO the country. For
that reason alone he should BE-
made as strong as possible.
"Hamilton Fish," said General
Grant, sic, / think. the best Sec-
rotary of State We have had 10 fifty
years, unless it may have been
Marcy, This will be the opinion of
those who study the records of the
State Department. He differed from
Marcy excslled him 10 this
that he never did any thing
for effect, while Marcy would
often do things for effect. In this
his aversion to anything that looked
like striving for effeet-Fisk was 90
straight that 1 sometimes thought
be leaned backwards. When l
formed my Cabinet l consulted no
one. The only member OF it whom
l informed in advance was A. T.
Stewart. Mr.. Stewart had so many
vast and stupendous private inter-
ests, that l did not think it would
be fair to offer him such place
without first knowing whether he
could accept. thought his genius
for business would be the quality
required in the Treasury, and /
wanted the Treasury conducted on
strict business principles. When /
spoke to Mr.Stewart he was pleased.
My first choice for the State De-
partment was James +. Wilson, OF
Iowa. l appointed Mr., Washburne
under peculiar circumstances. Mr..
Washburne knew he was going to
France, and wanted to go. 1 called
on him one day when be was i'll. L
found him in desT ending mood.
He said that before going to o ooun.
try like France, he would like to
have the prestige of q Cabinet Of
foe, that it would help his mission
very much. He suggested the Treas
ury. had already spoken to Mr.. |
Stewart on the subject, and said
would make him Secretary of State. |
So came the appointment. You re-
member Schofield was retained for
a time as Secretary of War. 1 did
this to mark my approval OF bis
course in going into Johnson's Cab.
met. As a matter Of fact, before
Schofield accepted Johnson's offer
he consulted with me, and advised
him to accep.. But Schofieio vas
in the army, and . General. OF
course he could not resign life po-
sition of so high a grade to take
political Office that would last four
years. And l do not think it prop
or that an officer in high rank
should be either ct the head of the
army or the navy. After Rawllns
died, l debated for some time be.
tween Belknap, whom l did appoint,
and Fairchiid, now the Consul Gen. |
eral in Paris. What decided between
the two were State considerations.
| appointed Mr.. Borie to the navy |
.sts~ - ssssy- - ss--s'----r-
ed character, one Of the best types
of Americans have ever known q
who had amassed q large
fortune, and perfectly Cited for any
place. If Mr.. Borie had felt able or
willing to undergo the labors of the
Navy Department, he would have
made an admirable Secretary He
declined the place. and only re.
manned for time at my urgent en-
treaty. l wanted the Navy De-
partment to 60 to Pennsylvania,
and offered it TO George ii. Stuart,
of Philadelphia. He was q business
man end could not accept. Then |
asked Lindley Smith. of Philadel-
phia. His professional engagements
were too absorbing. Mr.. Borie men,
toned Robson, and arranged that
we should meet Oh an excursion
was taking to West Point. Here ]
made Robeson's acquaintance, and
out of it came bis appointment to
the Navy Department.. After l gave
the Treasury to Boutwell,, of o,urse
it would not do TO have two Cabi-
net officers from Massachusetts,. and
Mr.. Hosr retired. / have q great es.
teem for Mr.. Hoar, and was sorry
the Senate did not confirm his nom-
ination for the Supreme Bench. l
look back upon my Cabinet seleo>
tons with great pleasure, and am
very grateful to the gentlemen asso.
ciated with me for their assistance.
Boutwell, went out of the Cabinet
to become Senator. Bot think he
regretted it. He told me one day
that he FELT homesick after leaving
the Administration. l was sorry to
lose him. / had difficulty in Undue.
ing Mr.. Fish to remain eight years.
At one time he was 30 bent on re-
signing that ! had selected bis cue.
cessor. 1t would have been Presi.
dent White, of Cornell. Under the
present Administration one thing
has been achieved which l admire,
namely, the proper position of the
General of the Army. 1t is now as
it was before Marcy, as Secretary
of War, quarreled with Scott. Scott
became angry and retired to Eliza.
beth, leaving Marcy 10 command OF
the army. Secretaries have CON-
manded it ever since, until now.
Now it 10 as it should be, and as /
think it will remain.
"I never knew Greeley WE'LL" said
the General, "and don't think ever
met him until after / was elected
President. But 1 had q great re-
spect for bis character. / was raised
in an Old Line Wing family, my faith
er, being an active man in the Wing
party-attending conventions and
writing resolutions. So that all of
my earliest predictions were for
Mr.. Greeley and his principles. /
tried very hard to be friendly With
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