Public Ledger

GENERAL BUTLER has led the Potter committee off into a rat chase-a lively hunt after the rat that ate up the telegrams that lay in the closet of the Atlantic and Pacific Company. One telegram the general produces which the rat didn't get, or, what is more likely, rejected as too unimportant to eat. This is a long message from a meeting of "Southern Republicans, Southern Unionists and Southern Whigs," all distinguished persons, of course, whose names are unfortunately omitted, who wanted to save President Hayes the trouble of making up his cabinet. It was near the fourth of March, and these distinguished characters were filled with joy at the near approach of the time which was "to truly in heart harmonize the South," and were so much in love with the brand-new idea of Old Line Whigs that they couldn't repeat the name often enough. They were modest people, too. They thought the hungry South would be satisfied with only three positions in the cabinet, and after naming a number of available candidates, they pointed out the four individuals from whom the three could best be chosen. It will thus be seen that they allowed the President the option of rejecting one of these names. When it is remembered that every man present at this meeting had been an Old Line Whig and a Jackson Democrat, as well as an Abolitionist and a slave-holder from his youth up, this seems remarkably magnanimous. If General Butler is dealing seriously with this conference of ex-Senator Pool's anonymous backers, he is making a mistake. Mr. Key was mentioned among the last of their favorites, and was not mentioned in their particular list at all.