Year: 1875

WASHINGTON, Sept 81. 1875.


Those who have studied the character a. the different
embers Of General Grants Cabinet and have a per-
sonal acquaintance with them, have long known that,
while apparently unit, the Cabinet has consisted in
fact of two SETS who might almost be called factions
diverse were their views each opposed to the other
measures Of public policy and each striving for the
of the President and desrous deprive its rivals of
influence at tho White House.


One Of these parties consisted as was well under
stood, Of Messrs Fish, Bristow and Jewell; the other
Of Messrs Dolano and Belknap, with Mr. Williams
while he remained Attorney General Mr. Robson
ior long time believed to be simply 'friend Of the
President" which meant that he was dsinclined to
hazard his political fortunes with either side The
course OF events last winter, however led him gradn-
ally to join the Fish side, and to add more or less
strength to coalition which, with somewhat mixed
fortunes, at last seems to gain decidedly the upper
hand


The Cabinet of General Grant has never been in the
usual consulting body. The President has
treated it less as body of advisers to whom he should
confde his own thoughts and with whom he should
consult public affairs than general in the field
treats his staG-gentemen TO whom he gives his or
ders when he has made up his mind, and whose duty
meantime is TO carry on each his own department of
business. Under this system members OF the Cabinet
not required, unless they chose to do So to
lay any business of their departments before the
Cabinet at Its meetings; and 1t is well known to the
few who familiar with the "inside" of these meet
ngs that Mr. Boutwell, while Secretary of the Treas
ury, but rarely con1ded his Of the Treasury
policy his purposes to the Cabinet. The for
NAL method of conducting Cabinet council
gives to each member in turn, beginning with the
Secretary of State, the opportunity to submit to the
council such public business may be then pending in
his department, which is then discussed in the pres
of the President until conclusion reached
Rumor says that when Mr.. Secretary Boutwell, was
asked the council board what he had submit he
usually replied "Nothing" and advised privately with
the President aferward.


The instances numerous which show how little
the President his Cabinet council board It is
said for example that the military interference in New
Orleans last winter prepared and carried through
without previous consultation with the Cabinet, tho
Secretary of War and General sheridan receiving their
orders direct from the President and is well known that
these proceedings came very causing the resgna-
tion of at least two members, Messrs Fish and Jewell
and made matters very unpleasant for while for the
President and Secretary Belknap. Tho latter having
i'll public dispatches committed the whole Cabinet to
General Sherdans acts and reports obliged to eat


good deal of humble pic the hands OF Messrs Fish,
Bristow and Jewell, who did not, well known,
favor the Louisiana policy of that date, and did not
choose to suffer themselves to be placed in false posi-
tion before the country. still more conspicuous
was the singular message on the Arkansas mbroglio
which, although proposed extraordinary and was
generally thought here at the time unconstitutional
and revolutionary policy, sent to the Senate with
consultation with the Cabinet and evennyithou the
previous knowledge of most Of its members, who
much amazed at the contents of this message the
Senators to whom it read Nor, unless rumor at
the time was uncommonly false, was the subject even
alluded by the President any subsequent Cabinet
meeting II said on good authority that Mr. Shep
herd the only person to whom this message was
submitted before sent in, and the surprise this
was lessened when it became known that Senator Dor
sey of Arkansas the head of the Brooks faction,
the intimate friend Of Mr. Shepherd.


1t during the Louisiana trouble, by the way that
Secretary Robson began to take decided stand with
Messrs. Fish, Brstow and Jewell, and there was a
smile IN Washington society at the time over story
to the effect that Mrs Robson, who is lady OF de-
cided opinions, had warned the Secretary that he
''not hazard his political future by giving his con
sent to what was plainly very unpopular policy"
This was perhaps only a malicious invention of the
political gossps; but it is certain that since then Mr.
Robcson has been ranged on the Fish side.


Cabinet conducted on the military staff system has
serious disadvantage Its members do not infu-
ence the President a body. He hears discussion
and if any member chooses for his purposes to
carry on the business Of his department with the
President alone he has the opportunity do so.
Under previous administrations such course by
member of the Cabinet would nave been
unusual, not to say offensive, TO his
fellow members, and it would not have
been countenanced by any previous President. Mr.
Seward, however it is often said, preferred this way
of conducting public busness but he discovered very
early in Mr. Iincoln's administration that il made
trouble and had the tact TO submit TO the inevitable.


But il was the chosen manner OF transactng bust
ness with Attorney General Williams and Secretary
Deano. They aimed TO be iavorites as we'll as Cabinet
Minister'S; they took great pains to make themselves
convenient" TO General Grant, and every one who
has lived in Washington since. the accession OF the
President knows how easily and indeed unconsciousy,
he is influenced by friendly personal relations especially
If the friends little obsequous. He is by nature
q companionable man, and he feels lonesome in the
White House Men OF culture like Mr.. Fish alarm him
little; he does not feel comfortable in their presence,
for he is only plain man, with limited powers OF
versation and very limited view IN public affairs.
Moreover, he is, an English paper said Of him,
q little frivolous in the of being easily bored
with public business If matter him he is
apt to null it in his mind sound, perhaps,
some one or two of his ntimatos and TO give no sign
TO the general Cabinet until he has himself reached
conclusion, which is then likely to be final.


over nature such this men like Secretary Fish
can have but limited influence and that only in his
own department; but a man like Mr.. Deano Mr..
Williams, servceabe, If not superscrvceabc has great
advantages, for General Grant Is, without doubt
astute politician. He likes to manage the public,
and no likes TO have his own way, Thus
y was shrewd stroke, last winter, in
ment, TO run quietly to New York and busy himself
with making public opinion there in favor of the Presi
dents policy The remainder Of the Cabinet gathered
in the White House. meantime, and some Of them told
General Grant 10 did not all to hear that
be had made a mistake. Naturally he liked Mr.. Dcano
better than his critical advisers


Mr. Deano had at one time the ambition 10 be Secre
tary Of the Treasury, and tho President upon the
point of naming him as Mr. Richardson's successor,
ana would have done SO, had not some intimate
friends interiered and prevented what they
explained him would have been serious
bunder. This disappointment tor a while soured
the temper OF tho Secretary of the Interior, and he
would have been unhappy had the Louisiana affair
caused the resignation of Messrs Fish, Jewell and Bris
tow, was for some days expected. But the Presi-
dent at that time that serious break in
the Cabinet would condemn his policy, and, with the
political sagacy which he possesses felt that the best
way to tide the wave OF public Indignation was to
manage the opposing members as TO retain their
allegiance OF course, hedid no; for their future,
nor did he ask 10 take their advice


The present predominance of the Fish Bristow-
Jewell wing Of the Cabinet Is believed here 10 have its
chief cause the influence which the Postmaster GEN
has ,.ith Tic nrcsihnnL .nyunll &c