Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-01-09

The Government Editor, perhaps, has Information
from head quarters, that the Administration are
about to propose to interdic all trade to the West
Indies, or to establish an sddtional Department,
or 10 extend Executive patronage. or to furnish the
Palace in style suited to the magnificent ideas OF
our rlers or perhaps, to ask leave OF Congress 70
| strike out of the accounts already rendered, the
item for the Billiard Ta6ie, &c. All these, and.
for ausht we know, many other matters OF impor-
lance may be " about to come before Congress;'
and they are ali, doubtless, OF infinitely more
importance, in the eyes OF the Journal and Its EN-
ployers, than the vindicstion Of the fair fame Of
MIR. Calhoun a man who has, for sixteen years,
devoted himself to the faithful discharge Of the
most important duties to the public, and who has
been rewarded by the suffragee Of the people, with
the second Office in their gift. But this Editor,
whilst holding this language, tells us that =" the
charge Of ci1aton in the Mix contract, by
Msjor Vandeventer, is not new; neither is it now
for the FIRST time that allegation has appeared in
the papers, that Mr.. Calhoun was acquainted with
| that circumstance. The fact of participation is
| admitted in a letter of Major vandeven,er, pub
lished in the W ashington Gazette, the predecessor
of the TelegI aph, on the 22d Of April, 1922; and
the fact thai his participation was with ho<lknow
ledge of MIR. Calhoun. and that the contract with
Mix was entered into without the usual notice
having been given by public advertisements, was
stated in the Report of the Committee of the
House of Representatives upon that subject, made
at the close Of the session, and published about
that time"
Here we are told that ' the charge of a parti-
cpa,ion in the Mix contract by Major Vdnde
center, is not new" But that is not the charge
now made. The charge now made is Of par
ticipation Jy Mr.. Cdihoun-and this is as nctc
as it is false. But we are told Z" that the fact of
participation is admitted in letter of Major Van
deventer," &c.; and we are further informed that
x,c~ IS no .f
Representatives states that Mr.. Calhoun knew
this and that the contract was made without pub
lie advertisement Now, can any thing be posi-
bly, more uncandd than the statement? II il true
that the Rip Rap Contract is no new inatter-it
was fully examined in Congress, and every cir
cums,ance belonging TO it most thoroughly invesii-
ga,ed-and il is well known to the writer's for the
! Journal, that no, a shadow Of suspicion rested ON
Mr.. Calhoun for his conduct in that affair. There
is no public man Of four years. standing who does
| no, know that the original contract was made
with the Head OF the Engineer Department-that
| Major Vandeventer had, in the first instance, no
concern with 1t whatever-and though, at later
period, he became interested in the contract, which
fact afterwards became known to MIR. Calhoun and
the public, yet proof has been adduced TO
shew that the Major had in any way abused his
trust, much less that Mr.. Cslhoon had, directly or
indirectly violated his duty as Secretary of War.
| contract, and, If we mistake not, recommended
, suspension of the work; but on an investigation
of the facts by the House, that commentator
was rejected by an overwhelming majority. and
the appropriation made. The Journal may pub
lish the Report often it pleases-it may
take care to STATE jus, much of the transaction
as suits their own purposes, and conceal all the
rest-it may artfuly attempt to divert the public
attention from the direct charge made against
Mr.. Calhoun, Of his participation in the Mfr
contract, to other circumstances connected with it
but they must fail in their object. We have one
short answer to the whole Of their garbled and I'M
candid statement of that affair. II is this: That
the whole affair has, in all its bearings, been al
| ready fully examined and MIR. Calhoun stands
fully acquitted, by the Committee who Investigated
it by the House of Representatives, to whom
| the Report was made and by the People, who,
with the knowledge of all the facts which the
journal promises to review, with suitable COM
ments have elevated him to the high station which
he now holds. But it is worthy of enquiry and re-
mark: why should the Journal bring forward at this
time, against Mr.. c., the circumstances connected
with tn. Mix contract? Is ii to give color 10 the
charge of criminal participation, on his part. in
the profits Of that contract, IL it to draw public
attention from the true issue, by bringing up
question OF administration, TO supercede one OF
criminal violation of duty?' How comes it that
the Government paper here is found engaged in
this dirty work. countenancing, if it does not up
hold and justify, the attack made upon Mr.. Cal
houn's integrity! We should be glad to have an
open avowal of the meaning of all this. Do the
Editors " and contributors of the Journal mean
TO signify their belief in the charge of Mr.. CAL
houn's participation in the Mix contract. Speak
out, gentlemen. Yash Tel
As usual, the Democratic Press is laying before
its readers, the fruits of Mr. Binns' Washington
Correspondence. The abatement abou, a caucus
of the members Of Congress, friendly TO the election
OF Gen. Jackson, is as false rs the statement that
they celebrating abou, his withdrawal is ridi.
cnlous. Gen Jackson i, not the candidate of Con-
gre-s, he is the candidate of the people; who will
not permit bis name TO be withdrawn, if every
member of Congress should desire it, But SO far
from celebrating about Withdrawing his name, his
friends here, in and out of Congress, coniden,
of his success, and we are encouraged By the
movements OF the people in every quarter.
Wash. Telegraph.