The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-06-07
THE POLITICAL GRAVE.
1t Awaits Every Man Who Accepts Il Cab:-
net Po>tion-Hard Luck and Obscurity
About the Only Rewards.
New York Letter to Atlanta Constitu-
ton.

/ New York Letter to Atlanta Constitu-
| ton.
Secretary Bayard's recent fruitless
attempt to regain control of the demo
cratic machine in Delaware put vete-
ran politician whom I met at the Nor
ton house the other evening in Il rem
inisccnt mood, and for an hour or more
chattcd most interesting Of the ambi-
tious men whose political careers have
been spoiled by the acceptance of a
cabinet portfolio, '"The man of infiu-
cnce who has any designs on the future
always shows his sense by declining a
cabinet appointment" said he, "for
hard work, poor pay and political
grave are about the only rewards that
awaits him if he accepts. This has been
my observation for thirty-fivc years and
it holds good to-day. Pierces cabinet
was the first one formed after l had
! begun to take an active interest in
politics. Its members We're all strong
men, but only one of them figured in
after politics, and not one man in a
thousand could recall their names to-
day. William l.. Matcy, statesman
never appreciated at his true worth and
one Of the broadest minded men that
ever filled the office, made a great
reputation as secretary of state and
buried his presidential prospects at the
same time. Caleb Cushing, another
able man, filled the office of attorney
general. He came before the public
but once afterward. Grant nominated
him for chief justice of the supreme
court, but a California congressman
named Sargent unearthed letter f'om
Gushing written years before to JEFF
ferson Davis expressing sympathy with
the shareholders and his nomination
was overwhelmingly defeated in the
senate. Guthrie, Dobbins, Mcclellan
and Campbell, the latter ofwhom is the
only one now living, all dropped into
obscurity when their days in the cabi-
net came to a close. Davis, Pierce'5
secretary of war; was the only member
of the cabinet that lived to play role
in the drama of the civil war. Judge
Jere Black, Of the numerous members
| Of Buchanan's cabinet, alone kept his
place before the public, and he more as
a ,urist than as political leader. Holt
is the only member of Buchanan's
official family now living and three
fourths of the people have forgotten
that he had an existence.
MEMBERS OF LINCOLN's CABINET.
''How many can remember the men
who composed the war cabinet of
President Lincoln? Nearly all of them
! had the presidential bee buZZing i'll
| their ears, but all of them with one or
two exceptions are dead and almost
forgotten. Chase, by all odds the
brainieSt and broadest man in the
cabinet, saw his presidential hopes
vanish when Lincoln, with his usual
shrewdncsS, put him out of the way by
making him chief justice. Seward won
fame as secretary Of state, but his presi-
dental prospcctS-he was Lincoln's
chief opponent in the convention of
lS70-were killed the day he left the
senate to accept that office. Stanton
died three days after Grant made him
a justice Of the supreme court, worn
with disease and broken by disappoint-
ment. Speed, whom Lincoln made
encouragement in remembrance OF
early friendship, but who never proved
equal to the duties of the office, became
a country lawyer in kentucky, and
died almost forgotten not long ago.
Harlan, Lincoln's secretary of the in
terror, Slid into obscurity by way Of the
| -Aldbdlilit CitllllS SOUll, vi NillNll liS
was the head until its affairs were
wound up a couple of years ago. The
cabinet of Andy Johnson has Jared
even worse than that of Lincoln.
Evarts, who was made attorney-gene-
raj for defending the president when
the latter was tried on impeachment
charges before the senate, is the only
one of its members now in public life.
Mccullough, the secretary of the
treasury, was accidentally recalled to
his position during the closing days of
the Arthur administration, but he is
emphatically back number.
"What of the twenty-five men who
were members Of Grants cabinet dur
ing his two terms? Many of them are
dead and Of those still living Don
Cameron, who held the portfolio Of war
for short time is the only one in ac-
tive politics. Elihu B. Washburn, the
first secretary Of state and subsequently
4 prominent candidate for president,
for years before. his death which oc-
Cured quite recently, led retired life
and ranked among the by-gones. The
same is true of Hamilton Fish who sue,
ceeded him. E. L. Hoar managed the
affairs Of the attorney generals office in
such Way that the senate refused to
confirm his nomination for chiefjustice
and forced him to 90 back to his law
practice in Boston. Richardson is rich
and still a prominent figure in Wash
ington society, but his career as the
head OF Il department is almost forgot,
ten. Bristow's prosecution Of the whis'
Ky cases ended his public career He is
now lawyer in New York, demanding
and receiving big fees, but taking nc
part in politics. Boutwell, is Wash.
ington claim agent. CreSwell allowed