The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-03-14

CABINET POSITIONS.
IN THE EARLY DAYS THEY WE'RE
PROMPTLY ACCEPTED.
Bot that is Not the Case Now, Because MIR.
Cleveland Offered Places to Men who
Declined to Accept Them.

spondence. MIR. Stephens Il. Elkins, who
| was secretary of war in President tiaTrl-
| sons cabinet, recently said that the adVan-
| tages which came to a man who had been
hOnored with a cabinet post were very great
and that he did not understand why OF late
years there seemed to be something OF re-
luctance on the part Of men OF influence
and especially those who were earning large
incomes from their professions or business
to accept cabinet posts. The remark was
undoubtedly called forth by the report thas
several men of high character and ability
declined invitations from President Cleve-
land to enter his cabinet, the reason given
being that they could not afford to make
the pecunary sacrifice.
This report is undoubtedly correct so far
as two politicians who were asked to accept
cabinet portfolios are concerned, and it
may have been true in respect to others.
1t Is only III the present generation that
tendency has been observed on the part
OF politicians to be possessed with less am
bltIon to serve in presidential cabinets than
the greater politicians had in earlier years.
The cabinet wtls looked upon, or at least
the state department was, as the stepping
stone to the presidency. All of the earlier
presidents, excepting Jackson, up to the
time of William Henry Harrison, had had
served as secretary of state, and some of
the ablest politicians of the earlier day,
who had presidential ambition, disappointed
though it was, held the first office i'll the
cabinet. viewing it as the servant of that
ambition. Thus Henry Clay entered the
younger Adams's cabinet. Mr.. Webster and
Mr.. Calhoun both served as secretaries OF
state. Lewis Cass also had that Office. But
after Mr.. Buchanan'S election to the preSl-
dency no man who had held the Office of
secretary of state was ever elected presi-
dent. and Mr.. Blaine was the only one who,
having been the state secretary, was after
wards nominated.
The senate has been called the grave
yard of presidential hopes, but that term
might with equal accuracy be applied to
the cabinet. for it is a remarkable fact of
political history that no man who ever
served in q cabinet in any other capacity
than secretary of state afterwards reached
the presidency. Jefferson Davis had been
in President Pierce's cabinet, was present
ed to the Charleston convention in 1850,
but not nominated. Occasionally men who
have held cabinet office have been spoken of
for the presidency, but no one ever came
within sight of the nomination excepting
John Sherman. who had been secretary of
the treasury; Benjamin ii. BristOw, who
was one of Sherman's predecessors, and
Judge Gresham, who had been both Post
master general and secretary OF the treas
ury.
In fact, as a general thing, service in the
cabinet has been the climax of political
careers. some men nave gone from lhe
cabinet to congress, but none ever
achieved great careers in the
! legislative body after cabinet service ex
cepting Henry Clay. Daniel Webster and
John G.. Calhoun. Mr. Shcrmans career as
a legislator was made before he became
secretary of the treasury.
Very few men have served in presidential
cabinets and not passed rapidly out of the
public eye as soon as their cabinet careers
were finished Marshall Jewell retained
great prominence but it was because of his
unique and brilliant service as q political
manager. Mr. Everts seemed to have
finished his political career when he entered
President Johnsons cabinet as attorney
general, and it was personal friendship
rather than political consideration which
led President Hayes to call MIR. Everts to
the state department. Afterwards the
great lawyer was sent to the senate, not as
the first choice of his party but as a COM
promise acceptable to the friends of more
powerful rival candidates. and Mr.. EyartS s
career in the senate emphasized that po-
itical law which seems 10 determine the
public careers of those who have had cabi-
net service.
There probably was no more ambitious
man than Tom Corwin, whom Roscoe
Conkling regarded as the most brilliant
orator who ever spoke upon the hustings
west of the AIleghanics and who had been
bred in that region Mr.. Corwin had been
secretary of the treasury. His ambition was
not set upon the presidency, but upon the
speakershp of the house of representa-
tives, and he suffered keener disappointment
when he met his failure than any but
his closest friends fully realized.
But if the cabinet is the highest post
which those who enter it can reasonably
hope to obtain, it is certainly of great adj
vantage in other ways to nave been Il mem
Der of it, Mr.. Elkins says that the post is
sufficiently distinguished to crafty any
reasonable ambition for political fame, and
that the holding of a cabinet portfolio gives
to any mali such prestige as Will avail hun
much ii. business or professional pursuit
Those who have retired from the cabinet to
private life have invariably done we'll
When T.. lockwood Hoar retired from
President Grants cabinet he returned to
a law practice which was so profitable as
to make his declining years most comforta-
bic George S. Boutwell,, who was secre-
tary of the treasury under Grant. began the
practice of his profession in Washington,
and became very successful in the prosecu-
ton of just claims. Though he was for u
long time i'll public service, Mr. Boutwell,
frequently made more money IN one year
in private practice than his entire salary for
nearly thirty years aggregated. Another
cabinet officer of General Grant,
General Belknap, who resigned under =
cloud, also became very successful as q
claim agent. Nearly all of President
Hayes's cabinet did well. Carl Schurz be-
came q newspaper pIOpllttUI, anu dltci-
wards the American representative OF one
of the great transatlantic steamship COM
panies. General Devens went almost
Immediately from Hayess cabinet
to the supreme bench of Massa-
chusetts. Richard Thompson was regarded
until the Panama revelations as singularly
fortunate in securing post as representa-
tive of that company which paid him So
600 q year.
The members of General Garfeld's
cabinet with the exception of Secretaries
Window and Lincoln returned to private
life within q year. Mr.. Blame began
the writing of his political history, winch
was one of the most profitable pecunlafv
ventures of his life. Wayne MacNeagh
became c0unse! of the Pennsylvania rail
road system. an Office which is said to
pay him many thousands every year. MT.
Window returned to the senate Tor Il
short time and then engaged i'll business
in New York which promised to make
him, if he could have given few more
years attention TO it. very wealthy Ihom-
as l.. James became a bank president,
Mr. Kirliw0od. VINO was an old man, re-
tired to his farm i'll Iowa. where he has
lived in delightful retirement ever since.
Secretary of the Navy Hunt became min
lister to Russia. where he died.
President Arthur's cabinet served those
who were members of it well. Glr. Ere
ling Huysen. his secretary of state, had
been recalled from private life and CT
course nj the end of his term returned 10