Evening star., 1897-01-16

- I l.
When Grants first cabinet was announced
five of the appointments we're surprises,
and not single secretary had been antict-
pated with certainty. As it was, the cab
inet was changed rapidly after he was in
augurated. Alexander It. Stewart who had
been named for Secretary of the Treasury,
could not serve according to the law which
prevents merchant from holding that
position. Rawlins. his Secretary of War
died in the September following, and Borie
who vas Secretary of the Navy, served
three months. and then asked Grant to al
low him to resign.
Lincoln's cabinet ministers were not sure
ly known before he came In, and they We're
changed very rapidly thereafter Some of
the members of the cabinet were arranged
for at the time of the convention by the
promises of some of Lincon's friends, and l
have heard ii said that Pennsylvania went
for Lincoln at Chicago in 1860 on condition
tnaL simon Cameron was to go into the
cabinet This deal was made without the
knowledge of Lincoln by David Davis and
Leonard SWEET. Lincoln did not like it, and
II was long before he would consent to let
cameron have the place. He finally gave
MIN the war Department. After the ad-
minlstrauon began he did not like him as
secretary OF War, and wanted to get rid
OF him. lie succeeded in doing this through
Leonard SWEET and Thurlow Weed. Judge
me the story. He says that Weed made
cameron think that he was going to lose
both his reputation and his health by con-
tnmEg in the position. Weed came from
New York to see Cameron. As he met him
ne started back and exclaimed: NV God.
senator are you sick? You don't look at
all well
Old Senator Cameron, who had a consti-
tuition of iron, and who, YOU know was
over eighty when he died, replied that he
was IN MS usual health. but Weed went on:
Wen, you don't look it. You have lost
some weight since 1 saw you last. and your
color is not good. / fear YOU are workine
too hard. Cameron"
Mrs Cameron was present when this la st
remark was made. and she said she agreed
with Mr.. Weed that her husband was work
lng too hard. After dinner that r,ight Mr.
"eeo ADVISED Cameron to get out of the
department He told him he thought the
war was going to be a failure. He said it
Would end only in the loss of thousands of
nNes ana millions of property and tha +
Cameron as Secretary of War would be
cursed from one end of the United States to
the other. ~
After some time Cameron became alarm
ed and said: But suppose 1 want to get
out. Mr. Weed How can I do ii without
seeming to be either coward or a fail
Ure2'
To this Weed replied that he DID not know
but that he would take a walk and think i.
over ana see II some arrangement could not
De MADE AS he went out he spoke to Mrs
cameron again about her husbands health
and she told him that she wanted Mr. Cam
ercn TO leave the cabinet In an hour or so
MI Weed returned and told Simon Gamer
On that he had hit upon a good plan and
mat was for him to accept the mission to
Russia But,' replied Cameron, lit has
not been offered TO me-" LAS to that" said
Weed. Il know that ] can fix matters wi n
Secretary Seward and you will get your
appointment This will give you good
excuse for resigning." To this Cameron
consented Weed saw Seward and the Pres
ident and the appointment was made
How GarficId's Cabinet WINS Made
General Charley Grosvenor told me once
a curious story as to how Garfield's cabi-
net was formed. He denies that Blaine
forced himself upon Garfield. He saws Gar
field felt very friendly to Blaine and that
he had thought of him as Secretary of
state even before he had written his letter
OF acceptance. saying one day: What a
splendid chief of staff Jim Blaine would
make
Garfield, in fact" said Gen. Grosvenor.
wrote oct his first cabinet slate the night
ne was elected. 1t was at half-past ten
wher he got telegram from Chester a
Arthur assuring him that New York had
given him 2D.OGO majority. General Swain.
VINO was with Garfield at Mentor at the
time said. as they looked over the telegram.