The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-01-24
PRESIDENTS AND CABINETS.


WssHsssTos, Jan. 1.-The lesson oil
recent history Il that politicians who
think they have q good chance TO he
elected president some day should
keep out Of Gen HarrIsons cabinet.
Perhaps this thought may have oc-
CURED 10 Representative Mckinley OF
Ohio, who II said 70 have expressed
great willingness 10 stay where he is
for the present.
There Is remarkable contrast be-
tween the first and the second half
century Of our governmental history
in this respect. The rule In the earlier
days was that president had always
besn either a cabinet officer or vice
president or both: In later times. on
the contrary, this has been the rare
exception.
John Adams. the second president.
~ 4 well known, had been vice-presi-
dent under both terms of Washington.
jefferson, the third president. had
been the first secretary of state under
Washington. his nomination being
confirmed September %, 1859, and he
was also yice-president under Adams.
Madison, the fourth president. had
been secretary OF state throughout
both terms of Jefferson. Monroe. the
fifth president bad been secretary OF
state under Madison and also secre-
tary OF war under him, remaining in
the cabinet for six years. Joln
Quincy Adams. the sixth president,
had been secretary OF state through
out beth terms of Monroe. Jackson.
the seventh president. inaugurated in
1870, made the first break in this re-
narkabie uniformity, since he
had not been q cabinet officer.
But Martin Van Buren,. the
eighth president, followed the
old rule, having been secretary of state
during the earlier part of Jackson's
FIRST term, when be was succecded by
Edward Livingstone, aud he had also
been vice.presisient during Jackson's
second term. The election OF William
Henry Harrison, the ninth president,
made another break in the custom, Us
he had never been cabinet officer:
and il Is worthy noting that Harri-
son j secretary OF state. Daniel Web
ster, never succeeded in reaching the
presidency. John Bell. secretary OF
war in the elder Harrison's cabinet. al
though one Of the candidates for presi-
dent in fsdn. was a long way from get
ting votes enough to be elected. Polk,
who was elected in 1871, had never
held q cabinet Office, bat his secretary
OF state was Buchanan, who became
president IL years later.
There, however. the old rule had It's
last real illustration. aud an opposite
custom came in With the single ex-
sepsion OF Jackson. the rule was uni
form from the time OF the elder Adams
10 the time of the elder Harrison. that
a president had always before served
rs a cabinet officer; and with the ex-
cepsien of Buchanan and also that of
Grants peculiar al iHfeYsm tenure of
the War Department for five months.
the rule has been uniform from The
time of the elder Harrison 10 the time
vt the younger Harrison, that prezis
dent never has served As a cabinet
officer. On the contrary the names Of
more than enc defeated aspiranf for
the nomination and defeated cans.i-
date Tor the presidency, show how
heavily IN the last lifty years the odds
have been against presidents being
selected from those who have held a
cabinet office. just rs in the preceding
( htts years the odds were the other
way. list extending from Henry
Clay defeated In 1874, after be-
ing secretary OF state under John
Quincy Adams. a. James q. Blaine,
defeated in isSt after bring secretary
9! state Under President Garfield, viii
illustrate this point.
Accordingly. any ambitious Repnh-
lean who IS moi invited By Gen. nar.
rison t. take a seat in his cabinet, can
soiaee himself with the assurance that
be iaay be president vet.