Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1882-01-07
THE NEW CABINET.
The Lawyers Haye " Monopoly Of chs
Departments-Age Of the Presidents,
Etc,


Departments-Age Of the Presidents.
Etc.
From the New York Herald.
The president can hardly be said to
have reconstructed his cabinet, although
there are reasons for believing that Mr..
Lincoln, Mr.. KirkwOOd and Mr.. Hunt
may remain. If the cabinet remains as
now composed it will have some pecu-
liar features. In the first place, 1t is
composed entirely of lawyers. We have
now a legal administration. The presi-
dent, vice-president, the speaker OF the
house and all the members of the cabinet
have been active members OF the bar.
We might add to this list the general of
the army, as General Sherman, among
the incidents of a varied and illustriOus
career, attempted to practice law In
Kansas. The second point about the
cabinet is that it comprises on the aver
age an older body of men than have ever
sat in council with any president. Pres
ident Arthur belongs to the group OF
Young presidents. The average age of
presidents of the United States has been
As years. The oldest chief magistrate
was General Harrison, who assembled to
the presidency at 68. The youngest was
General Grant, who was elected ia his
46th year. After Grant we have Pierce,
who was in his 49th year when chosen.
Polk, Garfield, Fillmore. Arthur, Tyler
and Lincoln were all about the same age.
Garfield, Polk and Fillmore attaining
the supreme Office in their 5Oth year.
John Adams, Harrison, Monroe, Taylor
and Buchanan belongs to the older pres
idents, Taylor being 65, Buchanan 66,
and Monroe SO. From the English point
of view all of our presidents, even Har-
risOn, would be regarded as young men.
While Mr.. Arthur Belongs to the group
of young presidents his cabinet presents
a strong contrast. Washington, who be-
came president in his 57th year, selected
young men-the youngest group that
ever was collected round a president.
Hamilton was 32, Knox 80, Randolph SO.
add Jefferson 46, the average being 38
years of age. MOnrOes group Of advisers
is next to Washington's in point of youth.
He had two young men in the persons OF
Calhoun, who was only 30 when he be-
came secretary of war, and William
Writ, who at 30 was attOrney-general.
Even Crawford and CrOwninshield were
As when they entered the Monroe cabinet,
and CrOwninshield had been in office as
three years previous. The oldest officer
who was 80 years of age when he became
secretary of state. Next in point. of
youth was the cabinet of John Quincy
Adams himself, whose advisers averaged
As years. The youngest member was
Southard, of New Jersey, who entered the.
Monroe cabinet at the age of SO years,
and was continued by Mr.. Adams through
his whole administration. Southland in
his day was the favOrite son of New Jer-
sey and became afterward the president
of the senate. Henry Clay, who was
Adams secretary of state, was AZ years
of age. Grants cabinet, in point of
wears, was next to that of Adams, and
averaged with the cabinet of Jefferson.
His oldest adviser was Mr.. BOrie, who
remained but few weeks. Mr.. Raw
Inns was SO; Cox and Creswell were Al.
JacksOn's cBbinet ranks next to Grants
i'm point of youth, the average being 40.
The oldest member was Samuel ID. Ing
ham, Pennsylvania, who was to live into
an hOnOred liage, seeing almost the out
break Of the rebellion. The Lincoln
cabinet was the oldest body, with the
exception of the present cabinet. In this
respect should be mentioned the cabinet
of Mr.. Van Buren,. The youngest officer
in LincOln's cabinet was Blair, who was
two years older than WashingtOn's senior
officer, Jefferson. Seward was 60, Bates
90, Cameron 63, and Welles, although he
was generally believed to be about 80, was
really only SO. The Van Buren, cabinet
contained mature statesmen, DlckersOn
being 67 when he became secretary Of
the navy, although he had been in the
same Office for year or two under
Jackson. Our cabinet officers as body
have not been old men. the oldest having
been Lewis Cass, OF Michigan, who be-
came secretary of state under Buchan-
an in his 18th year. Mr.. Cass, however,
was so illustriOus man, and had held
such high place in the foreign and do
nestle service of the country, that his
appointment to the state department
was guarantee of wisdom, courtesy
and peace. Thompson, who was secre-
tary of the navy under Hayes, and
Bates, who was attorney general under
Lincoln, belong to the elderly group of
prime ministers, having taken Office in
the 6Sth year of their age. Mr.. Pierce's
oldest minister was Mr.. Marcy, who was
secretary of the state at the age of 81,
although he had been in the cabinet
under Polk as his secretary of war.
But Mr.. Arthur, as his cabinet now
stands, not only has made for himself a
cabinet of lawyers, but the oldest body
of advisers who have ever assembled
around the executive council board. Mr..
Lincoln and Mr.. Hunt, perhaps, are the
only two gentlemen who are under 60.
II these two should resign, and we could
have in their places some bright young
n Dz%e
Cooper the cabinet would be unexampled
in ito avara 0a maturitv The tandpncv