Year: 1869

| the Administration.


When General Grant commanded the armies


Of the Union victory perched upon his ban


ners, because no man had the right to ques-
tion his acts or demand his purposes. But


the Presidency is different thing. Congress
has reduced it to a mere second mates posi-
tion, and every party leader who controls
section in Congress claims the right to issue
orders and to know all the plans. To make
the matter still worse, these political section
| masters are not agreed among themselves
Each is jealous of his competitors, and the
spatches all agree that there is much dissat-
isfaction among the politicians there, and the
Western newspapers are beginning to fad
fault with the President for this state of
things. There is ground for complaint, and
it lies in the fact that the recognized head Of
the Cabinet, though very worthy gentle
man of the old school, is entirely untitled by
his ideas, habits and tastes, for the post he
fills.


The fact is General Grant is not politi-
clan and does not wish to become one. He
fought many splendid battles and won great
victories, for which grateful people have
elected him to the first Office in their gift,
and are willing to pass over his shortcomings.
He cannot at this time take hold in an
entirely new field and become great worker,
and his disposition, therefore, is to let matters
take their course in Cabinet council. He has
no foreign or domestic policy to urge, no
plans to carry out, no ambitious designs
to foster, and therefore he has conf
dence in those he has called around him.
But for this very reason he should
have the strongest possible Cabinet he can
construct. This would be the best evidence
that he entertains lively interest in the well
fare of the nation and a signal return for the
confidence reposed in him. 1t is admitted on
all sides that the present leader of the Cabinet
is not up with the ideas of the time, and
though eminently respectable and desirous to
do all that lies in his power, he holds no grasp
on the heart of the country, and is incapable
Of marking out and carrying into execution
policy for the administration.


The President, therefore, should not court
disaster by procrastination and unseemly de-
lay. The voices from the east and from the
west are signs of the rising spirit of the times,
and must be needed if he would not invite
defeat. The unanimity with which the Senate
and the whole country have responded to Mr..
Summers recent mastery utterances on our
foreign policy points to him as the best man
to place in the position of Secretary of State
and at the head of the Cabinet; and recon-
struction of the government should at once be
made, not only by calling him to office, but
also by consulting him as to the persons who
may be called to hold the other portfolios
With Mr.. Sumner in lead as the working man
Of the administration the President can feel
confidence that no gross mistakes will be COM
mitted like those of waiting to know what
England says before we decide upon our
policy in the Cuban question, or drawing up
the instructions Of Minister Motley, and with


out taking upon himself the supervision Of


every step in foreign or domestic affairs he
may be sure that his administration will not


stand before the country convicted of inca
pacity and meritorious of defeat.