New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-17
C1BIyET FACTS AND RUMORS.

CABINET FACTS AND RUMORS.
Tt Is only a few weeks since a paper III tins
CITY which was supposed to be in peculiarly
intimate relations with General Arthur, an
not need, with an air which suggested plcnary
inspiration, that General Arthur. in case the
death of Garfield should raise him to the Prcsl-
dencv, would retain the Cabinet selected
bv Garfield and would carry out his
policv in every essential respect. lie
statement was accepted with general APP
proval. if not with general credit. Garfield
has not yet been dead thirty days, and
although the President has thus far given no
public intimaton of his intentions, the country
has taken it for granted that an entirely new
Cabinet will be announced, if not this week.
Mt farthrst when Congress comes together III
December, six weeks from now.
We simply chronicle this curious incident as
An illustration of the fallibility of Oracles
There seems to be entire agreement between
the President and the members of the Cabinet
as to the prOprety of their retiring from oiAce'
On the morning after the official funeral cere-
monies at Washington, at the hrSt CaDl-
net meeting after General GariieldS
death. all the members Of his Government,
beginning with the Secretary OF state, handed
General Arthur, with due fOrmaity, their res
ignations in writing. These were received by
the President with the remark that he was un-
able to consider at that moment the questions
to which they gave rise, and he thereupon re-
ouested that they would continue for the
present in charge of their several De-
partments. This was in itself an accept
ance of the designations, and every member OF
the Cabinet has since that time considered
himself as merely waiting for reasonable
time to he relieved of the duties of ms posi-
tIon. There was no distinction among them rs
to the manner of their resignation. So far rs
is known, there has been no distinction in the
manner in which the President has treated
them. Possibly he may include one or
even two members of the late Cabinet i'll
the new one which he intends to form
but if this is done it will be equivalent to
new appointment. The Cabinet OF Garfield
resigned in a body, the day after his funeral.
The President clearly indicated that the resig-
nation was acceptable to him. There Is moth
ing to be gained on either side by mSrcprcscnt-
ing these evident facts. The fact that MIR. WIN
dom is a candidate for election to the Senate
from Minnesota, and the further fact that Mr..
MacVeagh asserts without reserve that his
commission expired ut the death of Garfield,
have created certain impression that these two
gentlemen stand in a different relation to the
Government from that which their colleagues
occupy. This is an error; they all resigned
together and although for special reasons
some may insist upon an earlier re-
lief than the rest, the public may
as well understand first as last that the entire
Cabinet has resigned and that their successors
Il Il 1n,,r
There has thus far not been very much dis
cussion as to who these successors shall he.
The Constitution has charged General Arthur
with the duty of selecting them, and he
seems inclined to fulfil that function in his
own way and at his leisure. A President
usually finds it somewhat more difficult to
make a Cabinet than the casual citizen does.
General Garfield found it no easy matter to
challenge comparisons with the seven eminent
men who composed the Cabinet of Mr..
HAYES. and General Arthur will have
his own difficulties in constructing an
entirely new circle of cOunsellors. The sub
iect has doubtless been very much in his
mind during the last month, and we shall
soon see the result of his deliberations. We
have the right to hope that it will be such as
to benefit the country at large and not disturb
the harmony and confidence at present existing
in the National organization of the Republican
party
There is great interest felt in this city and
State in regard to the disposition to be made
of the Treasury Department, and this is doubt
less enhanced by the persistent rumOr that Mr..
Window will insist upon an Immediate ac-
ceptance of his resignation. A large num-
Der of our most eminent merchants and
bankers have signed petition for the
appointment of our hOnored fellOw-citizen
Governor Z. d. Morgan to that apartment,
and 1t is no secret that his nomination Is
urged by one of General Arthur's predecessors
in the Presidency. Though we have pur-
posely refrained from taking part in the dis
cussion of such matters, it is not improper
to say that this appointment would be
received with universal satisfaction in this
State, and that the name of Governor
Morgan is one which inspires respect
and confidence in every community of the
United States. There are two objections which
are at once made but we think neither is valid.