The Coming Cabinet

Mr. Cleveland has two weeks in which to arrange his Cabinet, with regard to which, he declares, nothing is as yet finally settled. One thing, at any rate, is clear — that disappointed aspirants will be plenty, when the Cabinet is announced. Not less than fifty prominent Democrats have been urged for Cabinet places; and for not less than twenty of these a good deal of work has been done by their friends and adherents. The 'work' has not been confined to pressure in favor of certain men; but includes decided opposition to others. Thus Mr. Hendricks and his wing of the Indiana Democracy are fighting the selection of Mr. McDonald of that State, for any Cabinet position.

They, or Mr. Voorhees and the twenty-one Senators who are with him in backing Mr. McDonald, will be disappointed. Mr. Eustis, the new Democratic Senator from Louisiana, is decidedly averse to having Senator Jonas, whom he defeated for the Senatorship, placed over him by elevation to the head of a bureau. Mr. Pendleton has the hearty opposition of the spoils Democrats; and so on through the list.

If Mr. Cleveland has settled nothing, other people seem to have settled several things. It is generally agreed that Mr. Bayard of Delaware is to be Secretary of State, though there is little doubt that he dreads the expense of the office, which commonly costs the occupant three or four times the amount of his salary, and would prefer the Treasury or some other place. Probably no appointment to the premiership of the new Administration would occasion less criticism.

Senator Garland of Arkansas is also considered sure of a place, probably that of Attorney-General. He aspires to be 'the power behind the throne;' but has a strong rival for that position in Daniel Manning of New York. The persistence with which the latter's friends have declared that he did not desire and would not take any place in the cabinet, has been quite suspicious, and probably few knowing ones are surprised to learn, as is now asserted, that his objections have been overruled, and that he has consented to be Secretary of the Treasury. He is a sharp, smart, money-making New York politician [...]