The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1827-05-02


an impression on my mind too strong ever
to be effaced. Ehave stated it with fidel-
ity that would attest at the last moment
of life, and have related the rest OF the
with substantial truth"
Mr.. Seaton then notices the intimation that
he had betrayed Col. Johnson to Mr.. Clay. He
says the conversation was never mentioned by !
him to but two individuals, and whether it was
ever communicated to Mr.. Clay he does not
know, having never changed word beyond
simple saiutation with that gentleman since he
became Secretary State. He proceeds:
" But Col. Johnson alleges that his re-
marks to me were confidential; The fact
is Col. ]. had as little right to make me the
depostary of his political secrets, as | had
to know that his revelations were intended
to be confidential; for we were too well
acquainted with each others Presidential
predictions, to invite from him a conhden-
tial disclosure of his attachments on that
head, or to render such a disclosure neces-
sary. As far back as the precedingS session,
that is, the session in which MIR. Adams
was elected President, and even before his
Inauguration, Col. Johnson had determined
to enter the ranks of the Opposition that
was to be, and urged me to 60 with him
and his party. 1t may be. well to advert to
this incident a little more particularly; for
every body acquainted with the Colonei's
earnest and impressive manner, knows that
what he says is not easily forgotten.
1t was Just before ais departure from
Congress, in March, 1925, meeting the
Colonel in the vestibule. 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 cleo
ton of Printer, Ito take place IN day or
two,1 we would come out against the Ad-
ministration after the adjournment of Con-
gress, [althongh the Administration was
not then formed, for the President was not
installed, and of course had not even nom
mated member of his Cabinet and fur
! ther said, if we did not, we might expect the
opposition of the friends of the General. |
informed the Colonel 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 content that Mr.. Adams had that
we hoped he would administer the Govern
ment ably and benefcially. anu if he did
so we would not oppose him simply be-
General Jackson should always receive at
our hand that fairness and respect which
his eminent public services and well earn
ed standing entitled him to but that we
never had and never would trammel or
compromise our editorial course 10y any
private stipulations. Is it probable, after
this conversation that Col. ]. should, at
the following session, think of making to
me confidential revelation of his sentl-
ments on the same topic? But | repeat, |
was not authorised by single circum-
stance to consider it confidential, and |
had not the remotest idea that it was so,
nor indeed did it deserve TO be. AS We'll
might another Opposition Senator claim to
aYepean l 'qthe lnIfgsttiabC
ton party on the Panama mission, said
"yeS, they have beaten US q few votes, af.
ter hard battle, but if they had only tax
en- the other side and refused the Mission
we would have had them.n
am far from imputing to Col Johnson
an intentional misstatement, but he has
done me great injustice, and have de-
tended myself by detail of facts as brief
as could make it. would have said less.
had less sufficed but when an humble in
diyldual iscalled on to vindicate himself
against the great odds of distinguished
name and high station, it is due to himself
that he omit nothing which truth authoriz-
es HIM to use. w. w. SEATON.
Nv ashington, April l8, 1927.
From the .Ne,0 York DaiJy advertiser.
AS the party opposed to the present ad-
mnstratlon have made the subject of In
ternal Improvements the great theme of
complaint, a reference to past times may
show the degree of sincerity With which
this ground Of objection has been chosen.
The following precedents are quoted by the
I National Journal, to show how extensively
the principles now objected to. have been
/ pursued by former chief magistrates. Mr..
Madison, while representative in Con-
gress, proposed the survey of great ma
tlonal road through the Union, north and
south Jefferson had the survey made, and
proposed another national road east and
west, which was commenced, approved
unanimously by Virginia, and by her legis
latlVe enactment given up to the national
/ government, with full power to do every
tllng 1t might deem necessary for the con-
structon and repair. This was brought
about in that Legislature by the arguments
and influence of Mr.. Giles, whose late res.
buttons therefore bear harder upon himself
than any body else. So late as 1917, Vir-
ginia solicited the general government to
continue the exercise of that power, and to
extend the road to the western waters.
Further: Mr.. Calhoun proposed to ap-
proprlate the bonus of the United States
bank to objects of internal improvement !;
Mr.. Van Buren, voted for the erection Of
turnpike gates; and Mr.. Benton brought
before the Senate grand scheme of roads
and canals, estimates for which amounted
to hundreds of millions of dollars. Yet"
remarks the Journal, "these are the men
who oppose the administration on pYip,ci
pie - I" ana Mr.. Van Buren, announces to
the Legislature of New-York, that he viii
be the .warder on the tower-it viii be his
aLLA laa1Lr.r. n tL... Q