New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-07
WHAT TIE NEW GOVERNMENT MEANS.

| What does the new Government meant That
| is the first question asked, by intelligent men,
when a new administration is formed. Thin
and shallow persons think it enough to take
| the measure, as best they can, of the visible
brillancy" or greatness " of the chosen
| Secretaries. But Secretary Stanton, when he
was appointed, was not widely recognized as
man of especial force. The executive and or
canizing faculty is the one of all others which
does not make it's presence known, until the
opportunity comes for its exercise. For the
rest, a strong man at the head of the Gov
! eminent, with efficient Secretaries to aid bin,
| is much more likely to do well than dummy
Mt the head, with half q dozen great men to
quarrel over their relative influence and their
chances of the succession There will be
found quite enough of ability in the Cabinet
of President Garfield. The real question is,
What does it meant
First of all, it means united Republican
marty. The President means that every element
and section in the party shall have share in
its councils. The party finds that decision SO
satisfactory that the whole Cabinet is con-
firmed by unanimous vote, without reference
or delay. The Democrats, who have INDUCED
great hopes of division in the Republican
ranks, are forced to admit that the President
has shown great tact in harmonzinR the differ
ent elements. But the work was compare
lively easy when it was known that the
President was going to be the leader, not Of
any faction, but of tho whole Republican
marty; that he would give full and fair hear
| ing to every i0terest, and then decide for him
| self what should be done. SO long as the
President succeeds in giving due preDOnder-
| ance to the highest aim and the wisest judg-
ment of the party, absolute unity will result
| more surely from this frank consideration of
differing opinions than from any other course
that could be adopted.
Second The Cabinet means that the Presi-
| dent has more strength of purpose, more
tenac,ty of opinion, than has generally been
| supposed either by friends or foes. All the
chatter about his imposed vacillatiOn has
| originated In the readiness of some news
papers to believe every rumor they hear, and
the disposition of politicians to believe that
| everything they want to happen is going to
! happen. All the powerful efforts made during
weeks of excitement have entirely failed to
swerve the President from the just and wise
purpose with which he started, or to change
his Judgment in any essential respect as to
the representation to be secured for different
elements Mr.. Garfield is a genial, generous
| and kindly man, who likes to crafty the wants
of others. But first of all, and above all, he
| likes to satisfy his Own convictions of duty.
Third: The Cabinet means positive and un-
compromising loyalty to genuine Republican
principles. There will be a determined effort
to enforce the laws and to protect all citizens
in the exercise of the right of suffrage ia
every part of the land. The South will have
to amend its ways, to secure obedience to the
laws, and to give to all its voters fair vote
and an honest count, unless it wishes all the
power that the National Government possesses
put forth to remedy existing evils. Not step
will be taken by President Garfield, it is safe
to say, for the purpose Of exasperatiHg the
South, or keeping alive old issues or getting
strength through them for the Republican
party. It is evident that the President means
to rely, for the building up and strengthening
of the party, upon the progressive elements of
his policy, and particularly upon its atten-
ton to the commercial, industrial and fnan-
cial interests of the country. But it is equally
evident, from the selection of Cabinet officers,
that the President does not mean that the
country shall lose q single iota of all that has
been gained for justice and liberty, by all the
sacrifices, trials and struggles Of the past
twenty years.
Finally: The Cabinet means that the business
interests OF the country, which have been so
long neglected by a Democratic Congress,
shall now receive all the attention that Wig