Year: 1868

S


Probable Complexion of his Cabinet


SpeculatiOns upon his Designs-His


Views of the Republican Platform.


The New York Herdlds special correspondence
from Washington, yesterday, contains the fol-
lowing interesting information, respecting Gene
raj Grants designs.


The Next Cabinet.


At the present time the most interesting topic
of conversation hereabouts is the probable
composition of General Grants Cabinet. On this
subject there are many claiments to the reputa-
tion of being good authorities, and profound
oracles are not wanting who can foretell the
signs Of the times In this respect. They all have
their believers; bat the truth is, that no other
President elect since the foundation of the
Government ever preserved 30 rigid a silence
in regard to his future course in important
State matters as General Grant, and as a natu-
raj consequence, the vast number of
very few well founded facta. 1t is
Enthusiastically clear that Grant is deslrous
of making his Cabinet selections without con-
sulting party leaders, and OF making them to
suit himself; consequently all those who volun-
teer their advice in the matter are treated alike,
from the dogmatic political manager, who
assumes to dictate, TO the humble aspirant for
Presidential favor, who ventures only to throw
out suggestion. They are patiently listened to
and graciously permitted to do all the talking.
Thus all such interviews terminate highly un-
satisfactorily, without promise or even hint
that their counsel has taken sufficient root to
bring forth iruit


1t is an undoubted fact that General Grant
has fully decided to hold himself entirely aloof
from party restraints; for he feeis that in order
to be free to act in all emergencies for the. best
interests of the country he must not be fettered
by party ties. he evidently feels that in both
his nomination and election, the debt of
is on the other, and he regards himself
as absolved from the necessity of accepting at
the hands OF the Republican patty nomina-
tons to important offices and plans for ma
nal Yln m Ana for Tha
earnestness with which the Republican leaders
impored him to bear the standard through the
Presidential contest, the consciousness that the
honor was unsought and even repeatedly
declined by him, and that when at length he
acceded to their urgent request he did SO with
the distinct understanding that he was to be
independent in action and Just as free to follow
the dictates of his own judgment as when he
| accepted, under the same conditions, the chief
command of the armies in the field, justify his
| reticence on the subject.


| General Grant does not keep his thoughts aud
| views hermetically sealed as 1T were, in his own
mind. He has intimate and confidential friends
| who have been long tried in prudence of good
counsel, who eth share his confidence to a great
| extent; but these friends, knowing the import
ance that the General attaches to secresy con-
| cerning his future actions are almost as reti-
| cent and reserved as the General. Neyerthe-
| less although 1t is next to impossible to obtain
anything in regard TO the formation of the next
Cabinet that may be announced by authority,
| there are some slight intimations dropped
| by those who have opportunities of kno wing,
| which, when taken in connection with other
known facts, form conclusions worthy of men.
| ton. Certain of these intimations lead to the
belief that both j. Lathrop Motley and Edwin
| NJ, Stanton have been spoken of by Grant AS
excellent men as Secretary of State; that Adm
| lal ID. ID. Porter is the likeliest man for Secre
tary of the Navy, and that General j. M. Scho
field will most probably retain the control of the
| War Department. These names are based on
| something better than mere conjecture; but in
| relation TO the other Cabinet positions nothing
more reliable than current rumors can be
found. One statement 1 can make with
| great confidence, which is that the
| Cabinet of General Grant is already ''cut and
| dried" The men have been determined upon
| and the chances that any alteration will be
made in the hist is exceedingly small. Another
fact in relation to the future conduct of the Pre-
sldent elect is that all such professors OF poiti
| cal science ana the art of sharing out pu0iC
| offices as Wendell Phillips, Ben Butler, on the
one side, and N. b. Forrest Wade Hampton, G.
| O. Vallandigham ct al, on the other, may as
| we'll send their advice to the King of DahO.
mey as to General Grant. A word TO the wise il
| sufficient.


| General Grants Views Ofthe Republican
| Platform.


A statement made last evening by a gentle
man in whom may be placed implicit reliance
enable him TO speak Intelllgently on the subject
may give some indication of General Grants
position in relation to the Republican party
| He states that after the General was nominated
he sat for quite a long time carefully reading
| and ponderng upon the platform adopted by
the Convention; that he finally expressed to his
confidential friends that he did not like it, aud
was in great doubt whether he would accept
the nomination on that platform. This
coming 10 the ears OF certain leaders of the
party they fastened to call upon the
General, who stated 10 them his objections