Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-08
POLITICS REPEATING ITSELF
Previous Tangles Resembling
this Presidential Campaign.
The Year 1912 in Some Ways u Rcpe-
tition of 1S12-IiOw jefferson
Forced the Nomination
Of Madison.


some OF its aspects n repetition OF Itself
as it was in 1872. Jeffersons popularity
although shaken by the embargo. was
still sufficient in 1905 to permit of his
naming his successor, and the man he
named was Madison, writes u. N. Val
iandigham in the Boston Transcript. In
thus depressing tho ambition Of Mon.
roc. whom a considerable faction Of the
Virginia Republicans preferred to Mahi.
son. Jefferson somewhat endangered the
future OF his party, but the risk would
have been still greater had lie set Madi.
aon aside for Monroe Nlndisons noni-
nation was made by the republican eau
Gus OF Congress, but not without a zig
orous protest from some republicans
against the caucus system of nomina-
lions. and Monroe, who received fifty
votes in q Legislative caucus in Virginia,
give tho friends OF Madison fcw I'M
oasy quarter hours by hcsitating TO de-
cline the non!na ion.
Madison vas pledged 10 TIC general
,foffersoninn program, but with a differ
auce. Earlier than jefferson he had seen
mat tho embargo must be. raised. and
when Congress did not yield to Jeffer-
sons wish that the repeal should take
March 4th. Madison was not greatly dis
turbed. With the repeal OF the embargo
The country entered upon a new phase
of the humiatng struggle for CONNER
cial Independence. with England on the
one hand and France on the other and
tho struggle ut length led to the depar-
ture of the republicans from Jefferson's
policy of commercial restrictions as n
four members OF Jefferson'a cabinet. and
would like to have promoted Alber; Gal
latin. the ablest Of the four to the post
Of Secretary of State. vacated 10y Mad.
ison's own promotion 10 the White
House. Gallatin, however. had powerful
enemies, and moved by their threats to
prevent confirmation should he he nom
mated for Secretary of state. Madison
permitted the faction opposed to Gala
tin to force upon the administration as
Secretary of state. Robert Smith, Score
tary OF the Navy in Jcffersons cabinet
Robert Smiths appearance in the first
cabinet Of jefferson, his retention
throughout two administrations and his
promotion to the most important port
folio in a third. furnish one of the most
sinister indications in the politics OF
those times. fIe was the brother Of
James Smith a senator from Maryland.
the very man who had acted rs the go
between during the squalid negotiations
between the republicans and the federal
lists, when James A. Bayard, the elder,
sole representative from Della ware. ar
ranged that enough of his federalist
brethren should abstain from voting TO
enable the republicans In 1901 to elect
Jefferson over Burr, when the two we're
the only candidates before the House
after having tied each other in the Eec-
toral College.
CABINET SCANDALS THEN.
Everybody concerned in these negotia =
tions afterwards disclaimed any corrupt
bargain. but James Smith was able to
Impose his incompetent brother Robert
upon jefferson as Secretary of the
Navy, the least important place in the
cabinet. since jefferson hoped to lay up
most of the ships in that eastern branch
of the Potomac which now contains the
waters of the Washington Navy yard
II is difficult to believe that Robert
Smith was taken into the cabinet for any
purpose except 10 reward James Smith
for whatever he may have done toward
the election of Jefferson. and it is equal
~ difficult to see in Roberts promotion
in 1903 anything but an effort to keep
james from creating an awkward scan
dal. The Smiths had had II in for Gal
latin, PERHAPS, because of his opposition
TO tho me1dhng of James Smith in the
contested election of 1901 Gallatin was
made to understand that he could be
Secretary of State in Madisons cabinet
If he would help to make Robert smith
Sec rotary OF the Treasury. to which pro-
n"sal he replied with sardonic wit that
must have penetrated even so duh n man
us Robert that he had no wish 20 carry
both departments on his own shoulders
vs. matter Of fact Robert Smith had
"' n an e"traVarHnt and inefficient Sec
!ei'rY of he Navy and /. is said that
Madison was 'orCed to write Tor him
most or the papers as Secretary OF state
'l" Smith faction was able to e,ntarrnss
if' administration Tor two yenrs. bit at
4"nEtA Madison found courage 10 MI,
Robert smith ont OF the cabinet, offer
ing him the post Of minister 10 Russia.
conveniently distant appointment that no
d'f not accept. Smith went out in
March. 1911, when tie administration
Was fallng into disrcpute, and Monroe
'ooame Secretary Of State Gallatin. long
subjected to tho most outraseour,y un-