The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-12-15
CLEVELAND AND FRIENDS.

CLEVELAND AND FRIENDS.
Absurdity of the Charges OF Discussions
In the Official Family.
When certain critics of the Admins
tration are short of other ammunition
for their guns, they fall back upon the
oft-repeated charges of unpleasantness
in the relations between the President
and the members of his Cabinet. How
absurd most of the stories Of this char
acter are when confronted with the
facts! And none is more absurd than
the one which is often repeated, that
the President is sort of petty despot
who has changed the official relation
of Cabinet officers from the old one of
advisers to that of clerks in charge,
though not in control, of the several
departments.
The writer's who are continually
putting afioat assertions of this char
acter know very we'll that they can not
be denied er cdthedra. The President
and the several members of his Cab
met alone can with knowledge of
the facts dispute such assertions, but
for the President, or any member OF
his official family, to enter into de-
NAL of such allegations would be in
compatible with the dignity of the
offices they hold. Fortunately, how
ever, the common sense of the Amer
lean public can be reached, even though
direct denials from the interested per
sons can not be had. The logic of
facts in this as in other matters is in.
disputable.
What are the facts as to Mr.. Cleve-
land and his Cabinet that are known
or may be learned by every one? Mr..
Cleveland came into Office as President
without practical experience of National
Administration. He selected as his Cab
met officers three men oflong experience
in national affairs as Representatives
and Senators in Congress; three whose
services in the higher line of political
organization had made their names
household words in their party, and
the seventh jurist of unquestioned
ability and responsibility. This Cab
iret, thus selected, he has held intact
for nearly two years, longer than any
President since Van Buren,, except
Presidents Fillmore and Pierce, who
did not change their Cabinets at all,
and Buchanan, whose cabinet lasted
three years without a change in its per-
sonnet. Harrison changed the mem
bership of his Cabinet in the first wear
of his administration. Polk in the first
year reorganized his. Lincoln changed
his Secretaries of War in the first year
after his election. Grant changed his
Secretary of State and of the Interior
within a month, and Hayes within two
years changed his Secretaries of War
and of the Interior, his Postmaster
General and his Attorney General.
In spite of assaults upon almost
every member of his Cabinet, which
have been characterized by malice,
mendacity and violence, Mr.. Cleve-
lands official family in the twenty-frst
month of its establishment remains the
same as it was when he gathered it
about him on March 4, 1885.
In view of these facts alone, can anv
thinking person credit the assertion
that there have been serious differences
in Mr.. Cleveland's Cabinet or that he
has treated his Cabinet officers with
disrespectp Is it credible that Score
tary Bayard, with his seventeen years
of experience of public life, would sub
NIT to be treated as mere executive
| clerk by a man who was novice in
National affairs when he had attained
to the degree of masterp That Mr..
Lamar, q representative statesman Of
the South, who was national
legislator ere Mr.. Cleveland had
cast his first vote, would permit
4 himself to be thus slightedi
That Mr.. Manning, Mr.. Cleveland's
friend and counsellor before the Presi.
dency had dawned upon his widest
ambition; his guiding spirit in Later
days and the manager of his cam,
paign for election to the Office Of
Chief Magistrate, would brook sucf
treatment now? Each of these three
has had excellent opportunities t.
withdraw from the Cabinet, withou
trouble, hid they wished it, and vel
they remained beside their chief.
Surely, tie common sense of til,
American people will assume tina
these men did remain because the,
desired to assist that chief in admins
tering the laws of the land, not as OK
ecutive clerks, but as advisers AMI
counsellors. And so with all tn,
others.
And in like manner with regard t.
the stories of discord and disagree
J ment within the Cabinet. The stand
ing of the gentlemen who compose it
and the fact that they show no DISPOSE
ton to retire from it, ought to be sui
ficient proof that there is no founda
ton for statements which discredi
their high character, and which 90 un
contradicted by them. for the sole rea
son that the dignity of the Office the
hold does not permit of their stoopin,
to resent such imputations.-M ]
Graphic.
What He Would Do.
If the appeals of the Plumed Knigh
to the war prejudices of the peopl
mean any thino thew maan thot ~ III