The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1897-03-07
MAKING A CABINET.
SOME DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED
BY FORMER PRESIDENTS.

How Hamilton Fish Became Grants Sec
rotary of State-GarfieId's Rapidly Made
Cabinet-HOw Conkling Got Morton OF a
Sickbed-some Good Stories.
1t happened that at a public dinner
In New York one evening recently there
were seated within neighborly distance
three or four guests who were led by
some personal experience or knowledge
in the formation of the cabinets of
Grant, Garfield and Cleveland to speak
OF the embarrassnicnts which presidents
elect always meet with and the surprises
with which some of them must have
looked upon their advisers at the first
meeting around the cabinet table,
The anecdotes which were told by
some of the guests at this public dinner
have all some historical interest, and
one or two of them are of historical i'm
portance. They are, SO far as is known,
entirely new, so far as the public rela-
ton to them is concerned, and this re-
port of them commits them for the first
time to the permanence of type.
Grant first appointed Elihu Washburn
secretary of state, but with the under
standing that after brief service he
was to be named minister to France and
another and permanent secretary be
named as his successor.
Grant already had in mind for that
office Hamilton Fish, who, since his
term in the senate expired, had been
wholly out Of public life and by the
new generation that came in with the
Republican party had been almost for
gotten.
Shortly before Secretary Washburn
was nominated for the French mission,
less than three weeks after he became
secretary of state, General Grant wrote
to Mr.. Fish offering the state depart
ment portfolio to him, and in less form
al, more private note urgently requested
him to accept the honor.
Secretary Washburn also wrote Mr..
Fish, and at the same time sent him the
state department cipher code, SO that
Mr.. Fish could reply by telegraph in
cipher.
Whether this caused misunderstanding
or whether Mr.. Fish desired simply to
answer Secretary Washburn's letter by
brief cipher telegram, intending a lit
tie later to write more formal letter to
President Grant, is not known.
He did, however, reply to Secretary
Washburn's letter in cipher, saying that
it would be impossible for him to change
his purpose not to return to public life.
Soon after the receipt Of this telegram
Secretary Washburn called at the White
House, and after some state department
business was discussed he said to Presi-
dent Grant, 'What are you going to do
about Mr.. Fish and the state depart
ment now?''
Nothing more. There is nothing
more to do. have sent his name to the
senate as your successor.
"You have already nominated him?
When?''
ST sent the nomination to the senate
little while ago."
But, general, Mr.. Fish has declined
yorr offer. l have received a telegram
and supposed, of course, you had.
mo; haven't heard from him and
UOOk III UlldU ne WOu1u dCC6pG.
Here Secretary Washburn showed
General Grant the translated cipher dis
patch. Grant instantly summoned his
private secretary. "Send message to
the senate at once to intercept Mr..
Fish's nomination. 1t must not be de-
livered to the senate. 1t must be Brought
back to me. "
The telephone was only the shadowy
dream of then unknown scientists. Had
it then been fact, not dream, Hamilton
Fish, in all probability, would have
lived peaceful, comfortable life of a
retired gentleman who had an unevent-
full public career as governor of New
York and senator in congress.
His career would have ended as he
expected and not really, so far as great
things were concerned, have begun. The
mounted messenger could not success
fully pursue the official who had gone
with Mr.. Fish's nomination to the SEN
ate
The nomination was before the senate
when the special messenger arrived at
the capitol. 1t was confirmed without
reference. MANY vi Gno SeudtOrS mao
served with Mr.. Fish, and they were
glad to do him the honor of immediate
confirmation.
''It was too late, Mr.. President, said
the private secretary. "The messenger
did not get to the capitol in time, and
the nomination has already been con-
firmed. 3"
Mr.. Fish was Immediately informed
by Secretary Washburn that President
Grant was not informed Of his declina-
ton until just after the nomination had
been sent to the senate, and he was
urged to relieve General Grant of i'm
mediate embarrassment by accepting
and serving until the president could
find some one competent for the office
and satisfactory to himself and the
country.
b Thus accepting, Mr.. Fish went to
Washington, expecting to stay only a
few months at the longest. He remained
with Grant eight years and had the
pleasure of receiving as his successor his
fellow townsman and next door neigh,
Dor in New York, William M. Evarts.
After Garfield reached his hotel in