American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1827-05-04

la principle OF action so m0nstr0us. avo,,ol !, v
prominent member OF great party in the by
lie. ''spuo'
But the office Of public accuser ia inf :,
able one, and to Col. Johnson owed several vn'
OF kindness and apparent friendship. tba,,. saS
spoke oil his lmprudence to no une for several d.e
nor until the following incident led me fl da!s
and then, without giving permission to reps,t "
In Tree ilre-side conversation some evening. y
forwards, member Of Congress- in Speculate, al,
the probable course Of certain politicians, hapns0s
to say that Col. IL. NJ. Johnson would 20 for ~
Administration. asked him if he had a ov w M
to think Col ]. friendly to the Admnistr,;;o,ae aGn
replied that he was confident of the fact a. ne
been informed that Col j. had given ,ram H. Haa
the Cabinet to understand that he was daoI' VI
friend. thought it incumbent on me TO undooa;.'
the gentleman alluded TO-, and did So bv .,.:'
what had passed between Col. J. and mysef;n ~
Senate Chamber. subsequently mentionsa u, us
conversation to one other gentleman; but whe,b.
either of the two communicated it to Mr. III. r"s
whether MIR. Clay ever was informed of il A. u,
know not, as have not exchanged word hav",i
simple sautation, with that gentleman. s;ncs I.
became Secretary Of State; and therefore (oI ~
insinuation that betrayed him to Mr.. c. !, wba
ly gratuitous and untrue.
1t may be proper to state, in explanation If r.,
remark, respecting Mr.. Clay's hostility IN on g
paper that il had reference not altogether 10 uun
he indications OF feeling on his part, which he 0"t
no pains To conceal (for whatever faults he MI
have, want OF frankness in avowng his diskes a,
rcsentmehts IS not among the nunber.) but 10 N.
communication Of distinguished member from
Virginia, who, in dscoursing to me, some time b..
Tore ON the propriety Of our assailing the Admin
lstsation, urged as reason, within his knowlelop
that Mr.. Clay had always been nimical to i.
That gentleman will rccolect the answer which
made TO him also:-that in shaping our editolia
course we threw our personal affairs entirely Ovl
Of view.
Bat Col. Johnson alle,lges that his remarks n
me we're confidential. The fact is, Col. J. bod a.
little right to make me the depository Of his poGl.
cal secrets, as had to know that his revelation,
were intended to be confidential: for We wpro ton
well acquainted with each others Presidential pe
objections, to invite from him confidential tdis
closure OF his attachments on that head or 10 rem.
der such a disclosure necessary. As far lack as
the preceding session, that is, Tie Session in Which
Mr. Adams was elected President, and even be.
fore bis inauguration, Col. Johnson had dctelmil.
ed TO enter the tanks OF the Opposition that was to
be, and urged me to 20 with him and his party. Il
may be well to advert to this incident little more
particularly; ior every body acquainted with the |
Colonel's earnest and impressive manner, knows |
that what he says is not easily forgotten. It |
was Just before his departure from Congress in |
March, 1925, meeting the Colonel in tie yestibue |
OF the Senate Chamber, he stopped to take leave,
and said to me. he hoped that as General Jack |
sons friends would support us in the election OF |
Printer, to take place in day or two.) we wculd
come out against the Administration, after the adj
lonrnmcnt OF Congress, although the ADMINISTERS
ton was not then formed, for the Presidentva
not Installed, and of course had not even nolnna'
ted member OF his Cabinet and further said, !!
we did not, we might expect the opposition OF he
friends Of the General. informed the Coouel
then, as afterwards, that we could not regulate The
course OF our paper BY private considerations that
as Mr. Crawford had not succeeded, we were con.
tent that Mr.. Adams had that we hoped he would
the Government ably and benefciaIIy,
aud II he did so we could not oppose him SIMPLY
because we had opposed his election; that General
Jackson should always receive at oar hands thas
and respect which his eminent public SER
wees and well earned standing entitled HIM 10;
but that we never had and never would tramme!
or compromise our editorial course BY any prNaN
stipulations. Is it probable, after this CONVEX
saton that Col. J. should, at the following session,
think OF making to me a confidential revelation
- ochtiheHts Oh tne SAME topie 1-bu' 'NP'
was not authorised by a single Circumstance
consider it confidential, and had not the remo'es
idea that It was so nor indeed did it deserve 10 ot
AS well might another Opposition senator clam
70 have been confidential, who, in pAbIlc PaS',
in the hearing Of several, on being rallied ON ~ NV
triumph Of the, Administration party on the "a
mama mission, said, yes, they have beaten Us
few votes, after hard battle, but IT they ''O
'nly tasen the other side and relased the Mission
We would have had them.''
am far from imputing to Col johnson 'ntcn
Iion misstatement but he has done me grea!, W.
justice, and have defended myself BY de.an "
facts, as brief as could make it. would na,s
said less, had less sufIiced; bu. when an hulD.
individual is called on to vindicate himself aSa.tS
the great odds of distinguished name and ny,
station, it is due to himself that he omit ho''"o
which truth authorises him to use.