New-York tribune., 1885-03-04
A rDNTV JST

When the Democratic party came into power
i'm 1915 after the defeat Of Mr.. Clay by close
vote. il needed TO consolidate lis forces and to
strengthen Its hold upon public confidence, as
il does now 1t had elected man who was
Considered but little known. He was much crit
iclscd in the campaign on that account. Yet
SIR Polk had been fourteen years in Congress,
four years Speaker of the House. and the Gov
ernor of his State. To command public conf
dence ho brought into his Cabinet the follow
ing men:
James Buchanan, Of Pennsylvania. had been
ten years n representative, then Minister TO
Russia, and then eleven years Senator. He
was peculiarly acquainted with foreign affairs,
and was selected for the Department of State.
He was from one of the then pivotal States, and
was its most influential statesman.
Robert j. Walker had been nine years In the
Senate and had shown n peculiar interest in
financial matters. He has since been noted for
his very exhaustive report on the tariff ques-
ton. which has been a handbook for free
traders from that day to this, and his selection
for the Treasury Department was regarded as
the choice. not only of most distinguished and
influential politician OF the South but of n man
peculiarly qualified for the duties to which he
was ASSIGNEE.
William l.. Marcy was from the State of New
York. whose electoral votes had turned the
scale for Mr.. Polk, and was the most dis
tingliished and influential Democrat in the
State. He had been Judge of the Su-
prcme Court two years. Governor OF
the State six years, and special com
missioner on Mexican claims for three
years, and his assignment to the War Depart
ment brought proved executive ability and
spccial knowledge of the relations with Mexico
10 the aid of the President at time when the
difficulties between this country and Mexico
were approaching crisis.
Cave johnson had been a member of Con-
grcss for fourteen years. In that capacity he
had shown peculiar qualifications for tho po-
sition to which he was assigned, that of Post
master General and his influence in Tonnes
see, State of political importance, made the
selection the more judicious.
John Y. Mason had been for three terms in
Congress from Virginia, and Judge in that
State. was already Secretary of the Navy when
Mr.. Polk was elected, and was recognized as
one of the most influential statesmen Of the
South. He was selected for Attorney General,
but was soon after transferred to the Navy De-
partment.
Only one member of Mr.. Polk's original Cab
net-there was at that time no Secretary of
the Interior-was comparatively new to public
life. viz, Mr.. George Bancroft of Massachu
setts, and he remained in the Cabinet only n
wear and half. In every other case Mr.. Polk
selected men who had themselves been dis
tinguished and trusted by the people
of their States, and when Mr. Mason took
Mr.. Bancrofts place Mt the Navy Department,
there was selected for Attorney General
Nathan Clifford of Maine who had been for
two terms in Congress-, and Attorney General
of the State. Still later, when he was sent as
Commissioner to Mexico, Mr. Polk chose in his
stead Isaac Touccy, of Connecticut, who had
been for two terms a Representative, and
afterward Governor of the State.
Mr.. Cleveland is not better known than Mr..
Polk was in 1s45. His party stands in greater
need of consolidation, of honorable representa-
ton, and of larger hold upon public confidence
than it did when Mr.. Polk was chosen, If it is
TO be represented in tho Executive Depart
ments by men who have never been trusted by
the people of their own States by men who
have no proved executive abilities, by men who
are not known to have any especial training or
hiking for the duties to which they are Called
aud if those of them who have been trusted by
the people hitherto give strongth to the Admin
istration only in Delaware. Mississippi and Ar
Kansas, where II is sufficiently strong already,