The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-30

].
james Monroe. John Quincy Adams
Henry Clay. Daniel Webster. Edwar,
Everett and William H. Seward
There suid Secretary Elkins. .'ari
the faces and The pictured lips of mel
far more eminent and distinguished
even than the President of tlt
United States as whole 10 have
your picture hung in that line is
fame"
There was and Is merit In tho con
tention OF Secretary Dlliins. Unknown
and untrled men have In some in
stances been called to the Presidency
On the other band every Secretary
OF state has been picked man. OF
proved ability and worth In many
administrations. the Cabinet head has
overtopped the President in ability
In statcsmanlilSc stature. In the true
qualities OF real greatness.
There have been twenty six Pres
idents and forty Secretaries of State.
In Washington's Cabinets were
Thomas Jefferson. Edmund Randolph
and Timothy Pickering as holders Of
the State portfolio. John Marshall
was John Adamss Secretary of state,
and no one doubts his superiority
over the President he served. James
Madison came next in JcTcrson's Cab.
met. followed by Robert Smith and
James Monroe. in Madison's own
Cabinet. John Quincy Adams was
Secretary of State under Monroe, but
the erratic Massachusetts man
was in no sense the match of MIR.
Monroe. When Adams came into tho
White House. he selscted Henry Clay
for the Cabinet, and the servant was
greater than the master. In Jackson's
sCabnet there were four Secretaries OF
State. but none of them was the peer
of the President They were Martin
Van Buren,. Edward Livingston, Louis
McLane and John Forsyth, the last
OF whom served Van Buren, rs secrc-
tary OF State. Daniel Webster, who
had the portfolio under Harrison,
and awhile under Tyler. and again
under Fillmore. lowered above any
OF the chief magistrates he served.
In Tylers Cabinet, beside webster,
there were Secretaries of State Abel
z. Upshur, Hugh S. Legare and John c.
Calhoun, the two last named men
ranking in history above him who
appointed them. James Buchanan
served Polk In Il similar capacity but
Polk was n greater man than his Sec-
rotary of State. for he was an ideal
President. John NJ Clayton, on the
other hand. was an ADLER man than
President Taylor. who. however. had
little opportunity to show what sort
OF presidential timber he was built
Of Edward Everett was a far ADLER
man than President Fillmore Presi
dent Pierce and Secretary OF state
Marcy were about on level. Lewis
Cass and Jeremiah S. Black stood head
and shoulders above Buchanan.
President Seward was Lincoln's chief
rival for the Presidency, and while
Lincoln goes down in history a greater
man than his Secretary of State,
Seward was his intellectual superior.
Johnson retained Seward in his Cab
met, and though Johnson was a
strikingly able man. Seward will main
tain supremacy over him in American
annals. Elihu B. Washburn and
Hamilton Fish served President Grant
as Secretaries of State. but do not
rank IS superior to him In any way.
William NJ Evarts had the same port
folio IN Hayes's Cabinet and is re-
membercd WILDLY when his chief has
already been assigned to an incon-
spicuous place among those who have
held high public office. James G.
Blaine, who served both Harrison and
Garfield, was hardly superior in fame
TO either of them. +. t. Freling-
huyscn was Secretary of State in Ar
thurs Cabinet. and was Arthur's equal.
Thomas r. Bayard. a very able man,
served President Cleveland, but can
not be measured OH the same plane
with the great Democrat John w.
Foster, in Harrison's Cabinet, was and
is very talented diplomat. and was
mentally, at least the superior of his
chief. Neither Gresham nor olney
measured up to President Cleveland in
distinction, though the latter was and
is an exceptionally strong man. John
sherman, William r. Day and John
Hay served Mckinley and at least two
of these, the first and last have per-
manent places in the nations chronicle
Of public servants. John Hay and
Eiihu Root were mentally far ablqr
men than President Roosevelt, though
Robert Bacon was not above par.
Taking them, then. as a whole. tho
Secretaries of States have been ADLER.
moro distinguished. superior intellcc-
finally to the Presidents. Yet there
are some who would like to have the