Year: 1867

Phe UnrepOrted Proceedings OF the Re-


cent Sessions OF the Cabinet


When the proceedings OF the Cabinet were
given to the public, few days since, some little
surprise wac felt and expressed that the matter
of deciding upon the opinions of the Attorney
General should be disposed Of with 30 little evil
dence of contention.


Knowing that two members OF the Cabinet
were not unit in their views of General sheri-
dams action at New Orleans, it was believed
that the first Cabinet meeting would be long
and stormy one; but the published account of
the Cabinet deliberations informed us that the
portion OF Mr.. Stanbery's opinion referring to
registration was concurred in with but one dis
senting voice. Many persons, however, re-
garded this official statement of the Cabinet
operations as very meagre display for four
days of cogtation, and suspected that all had
not been revealed.


Circumstances being favorable, your CORES
pondent has been enabled TO obtain glance at
the internal machinery of the Cabinet, and has
observed something of that part of the transac-
tions which have not yet been given to the
country, 1t was understood, when the Cabinet
met yesterday week ago, that the opinion
the Attorney General on registration was to be
considered; but on the third day of the sessions
the opinion on the power of military command
ers to remove and appoint civil officers was in
troduced for discussion.


Mr.. Stanton, learning that the proceedings of
the Cabinet on the first opinion were to be pub
lished, prepared written statements of his rea-
sons for voting against such points in the second
opinion as did not coincide with his views. As
the second opinion was to be considered in the
same manner as the 6rst-that is, divided
into sections, and a separate vote taken on each
section-and as a secretary was present to record
all the proceedings of the Cabinet, when Mr..
Stanton voted against section he handed over
his written argument why the section should
not be concurred in, and requested that his rea-
sons for voting so should be included In the pro-
ceedings. As some hesitation was manifested in
agreeing to this proposal, a vote was taken to
decide whether the arguments of the Secretary
OF War should go into the proceedings, and this
time all voted mo-" except Mr.. Stanton.


The discussion of the latter opinion is said to
have been quite warm and spirited and it was
afterwards decided not to publish this portion
ofthe decisions. Before the President left the
city he gave the order to have the instructions
to District Commanders prepared, and the
Secretary of War is now engaged in completing
them; but it is not expected that they will be
issued until the return of the President.


Effect OF General SherIdan's Letter to


General Grant-The President Urged to


Attend to the Difficulties at New Or


leans.


The assertion may be safely ventured that the
hackneyed question, how to rehabilitate the
South, has never been more enthusiastically
discussed than it has been here since the publ!-
cation of General Sherdans letter to General
Grant, complaining of the Presidents request to
him to extend the time for registration. The
opinion of the Attorney General on reconstruc-
ton reawakened the interest felt in this sub
ject, which had been gradually falling of,
under the belief that the late legislation of
Congress was the last duty that body would
be called upon TO perform to enable the re-
belious States to assume their places in the
Union.


Most of those who express their opinions on
the decision of Mr.. Stanbery take issue with
him, and think that the conclusions of the dis
tInguishcd exFounder of the law SAVIOR more of
wrong construction than of reconstruction.
Speculation is active in surmising what will be
done next, and all seem to look forward to the
coming session of Congress as the only means
of laying the unruly spirit of opposition to the
will OF the people.


Telegrams, it is understood, have been sent
by influential parties to the President, urging
him to return Immediately and give his atten-
tion TO the difficulties at New Orleans; and if it
is true, as stated to-day, that General Grant will
not reply TO General Sheridan until he consults
lAwith the President, the Presidential recreation
of swinging around the "Hub' may terminate
lsooner than expected.