The Russellville Democrat., 1881-01-06
CABINET .ss.sGGEEks
The Presidents Who Have Retained their Predecessors' Advisers.
 

utica Herald
 President John Adams was guilty of what on this theory would be a grave offense He continued every member of Washingtons Cabinet, except the Secre- tary of the Navy He changed three of them in the last year of his adminstra- ton, and took second Secretary of the Navy in his second year. President lief ferson, the opponent of Adams in so many respects, yet retained for year Mir. Adams Secretary of the Treasury, his Secretary of the Navy, and his Post master General Madison kept Jeffer- sons Secretary of the Treasury, his Post master General and his Attorney General. President Monroe kept Mir. Madison's Secretary of the Navy and his Postmaster General, and chose for his Secretary of the Treasury Wm. H. Crawford, who had been in Mir Madison's Cabinet as Secre- tary of War. When John Quincy Adams came to the Presidency, he also took from his predecessor the Secretary of the Navy, the Postmaster General and the Attorney General. Gen. Jackson set a new fashion for himself, but Van Buren again continued the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secre- tary of the Navy, the Postmaster General and the Attorney Generel of that illus trious predecessor in whose footsteps he was so ready to follow
 Up to lS4l, therefore, with the single exception of Gen. Jackson, all of our Presidents have chosen some, but not all. of their cabinet advisers from among those who held like positions under the preceding administrations. This rule has prevailed with more vigor with re- gard to the Secretary of the Treasury and the Postmaster General than in the case of any other officer John Adams found Oliver Wolcott in the Treasury, and he kept him until near the close of his own term, when he designated Samuel Dex- ter to that position, whom President lief ferson employed in like capacity until Albert Gallatin was chosen in 1900. President Madison was glad to rely upon the services of the last named until far into his own second administration. Mir. Monroe chose his head of the Treasury from his predecessors Cabinet, but changed his department. Mr.Van Buren left the Treasury in the hands of Lovi Wooruff, whom President Jackson had bequeathed to him.
 Joseph Habersham, who was Post master General under Washington after l795, served in that capacity during all of John Adams time and into Jefferson's administration. Then in 1902 Gideon Granger came in and served until 1874. when Return J. Meigs succeeded until 1923, and John Mclean, appointed by Monroe, kept right on through John Quincy Adams term, giving away only when Jackson became President. Amos Kendall was chosen by Jackson in 1885. after William T. Barry, and went out in lS40. From 1795 to 1S40 the nation had but six incumbents of the office of Post master General, an average of service of nine years, and in every case except that of Jackson no President deemed it part of his duty to change the Postmaster General on his accession.
 From 1795 to 1S40 the Secretaries of the Treasury numbered seven, besides three persons who occupied the place for a short period each under Jackson. With these exceptionst the average service of the respective Secretaries was six years and half. John Adams was content to take Washington's Secretary of the Treasury. Mir. Jefferson saw no reason to assume that his predecessors advisers were not to be relied upon. Mir Madison deemed Mir. Gallatin none the worse be- cause of his success under Jefferson. Van Buren made no little part of his reputation by relying upon the sagacity and the financial ability of Mir. Wood bury, whom Jackson had chosen for the Treasury. Since lS40 all of these prece- dents have been abandoned.