Year: 1871

WASHINGTON, Feb. /, 1871.
Reconstruction Of the Presidents Cabinet


seeded.


The sensation IN political circles to-day was the
rumor that President Grant has at last concluded
10 reconstruct his Cabinet. 1t was a secret known
to a very few last evening" and to-day it was
whispered with great caution among those who
are supposed to be in the confidence OF the
administration. 1t seems that the President has
had the subject under consideration for some time;
that his attention was first called to it by certain
leading politicians who are anxious to save the
republican party in 1872, and that he now sees that
there must be complete change in the Cabinet as
the first step IN the campaign. The members Of
the present Cabinet all personally acceptable to
the President, but 1t is said he has discovered that
they do not and cannot bring HIM that which he
most needs-namely, political strength and influence
Beginning with the Premier, Mr.. Fish, and coming
down to the Postmaster General, Mr.. Creswell,
there is not a man in the Cabinet, it is alleged,





out the country. They all respectable men, but
not strong, not influential even in the States from
which they hail. New Jersey, the politi.
cal managers say, was carried last time
by accident and not through any effort
of Robson. Iowa would be republican II
General Belknap had never been IN the Cabinet.
The same is true OF Massachusetts, concerning Bout
weI. The presence OF Mr.. Creswel in the Cabinet
has NOT won Maryland to the republican party, nor
has Georgia been saved by the fact that Mr.. Aker-
man is Attorney General. Mr.. Delano does not pos
sess the confidence Of the republican party any
more than did Mr.. Cox. Neither of them, it
is asserted. could carry their own State. This
is the argument Of the managers and it is said this
is the way they have presented the case to
the President, until last he has come to look at
the matter from their standpoint-poitical expedi-
ency. The time when the revolution in the Cabinet
is to take place is SET down or about the 4th Of
March. The successors OF the present incumbents
are not known as yet, but it is said
they will be leading men of the republican
party-men who understand how to manage political
macnnery-@sn who can 60 into States and look
after conventions; In Short men who have some
status in the party which is expected TO nominate
and re-elect Grant in 1872 1t seems to be
conceded that Morton Will go into the
state Department. This was stated by the HERALD
first Of all some weeks ago, and has never
been successfully contradicted. 1t is probable tnat
Mr.. Delano may remain in the Interior Department.
The proposed reconstruction OF the Cabinet seems
to be hailed with satisfaction by the leading repub-
cans in and out Of Congress. It is matter to
which they have looked forward as inevitable The
emily fear was that 1t would not be done in time to
arouse the waning enthusiasm Of the party.


Excitement in tho House-Sharp Debate and


Passage Of the Bill Abolishing the Test


Oath.


There was good deal Of excitement in the House
to-day the bill to abolish the test oath and Ben
Butler, Sam Cox, and other gentlemen who always
take hand when there is anything OF interest going
on, managed to get on few personalities upon
members who have the temerity to engage them in
debate. Porter, from Vlrginia-or, rather, from
the "Richmond district,' as Sam Cox put
tt-undertO0k to call Cox to account for
something he had said the other day. Unfortu-
natey for Porter he was not always as radical he
is now, and even since he became member OF the
House the fact has been brought out that Ben
Butler at one time had ball and chain attached to
him for expressions ofdsloyalty. This is sore spot
with Porter. Sam Cox knew 1t, and when the
member from Richmond pressed Sam he came back
at him with the ball and chain story. Before
that the Speaker had been compelled to call Porter
TO order for personal remarks towards Cox. At the
nf fhn hall md r1,otv1 DorVA
ribly excited and indignant He attempted to reply
to Cox, but the Speaker apprehending an old.
fashioned row, raped loudly and necessarily with
his gavel. Porter was too mad to say anything but
Sam, who managed to control himself, got home
again at Porter, and while the Speaker
was hammer1ng away Cox was heard above the din
to say tnat he could have quarrel with the men,
ber from Richmond, because ne (Mr. Porter) was
not o fighting man. and that fact had already been
demonstrated. This was touching Porter again on
the sore spot. He Is the same man who, it will be
remembered, was whipped by Pat Woods in the
streets Of Richmond for which Pat was brought to
the bar OF the House and afterwards imprisoned.
The Speaker, after nearly knocking his desk into
splinters with the blows of his gave succeeded
In drowning the voice OF the beligerents; but Sam
had got out all he wanted. and sat down apparently
well pleased Porter Will hardly attack him again.


Later In the debate Ben Butler got the floor, and
ended by getting into an encounter with Jones, or
Kentucky. The democrats like to put impertinent
questions to Ben, because they know it always
enrages him. Butler had been deprecating
the passage of the bill, because every
time the government had yielded anything
to the rebels it only made them more
rampant gave rise to fresh outrages upon Union
men, and worked against the interests OF the repub
hcan party. Jones, Of Kentucky, wanted to know
W had cd nlca ockau hi
question at the same time. "One at . time,n cried
Butler; "rn all Of you II you only give me
chance" Jones persisted in having an answer
At once. Butler went on to reply, and told
Jones that they had yielded in giving the
gentleman from Kentucky seat in the House. There
was about to be another scene but fortunately, the
previous question exhausted itself about this time,
and the Speaker managed to get the House in order
so % to come to vote on the bill.