American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1827-05-11
From the National Mteltigencer.
WASHINGTON


WASHINGTON, ApKIL 6, 1897.
Signs Of the 1imes-Among the portents Of
the present epoch we have seen none more re.
markable than the congeniality of feeling and the
alliance of sentiment which prove, crcumstantial
", an identity of purpose between the Richmond
Enquirer and the albany Argus, now that the lat
ter has displayed its colors. Two and twenty
days having elapsed since the publication of our
first view of the Signs of the Times, and at least
seventeen days after its arrival at Albany, the Ar
gus comes out upon us, and has taken its stand by
the side Of the New York Advocate in defence Of
the conduct If Mr.. Fan Buren, and his associ-
ates, commencing Of course by detracting from
our motives, though scarcely attempting to i'm
peach our statements. 1t is remarkable fact,
which the experience OF some twenty years has
established, that whenever any politician or any
party of politicians propose to abandon the plain
and open path of constitutional Republicansm for
purposes of personal interest or party combination
the very first object of their offensive operations
we have at different periods seen presses set up
and editors employed, in vain: for no public
journal can ever maintain itself which has no bet
ter foundation than mere party spirit 1t was re-
served for the present day to behold the whole
power of the august assembly of the States in the
Senate of the United States put in motion to effect
what new party, in more disguised operation
had vainly endeayored to effect by lesser agent.
ant private means. 1t was reserved for this day
too, to see prints of respectable standing coming
to the aid of such purpose, and sacrificing to
scheme of political combination and intrigue all
the considerations which regard for their owr
reputation, not to speak of the S still small voice
of conscience" cannot but have suggested to them
But SO powerful were these considerations, it APP
pears. that it was II days after receiving our pub
LEGATION Gust long enough for our paper to get II
Charleston, and a letter in return to reach Alba
N.Y. before the Argus could screw its courage tt
the sticking place, and take the field against the
National Intelligencer. The assault is commenc
ed in an article of brief length, beginning by tel
ling its readers that i" circumstances have hitherto
prevented them from 6 noticing the exhibitions oil
i'll disguised spleen by the Editors of the National
lntellgencer towards Mr.. Van Buren;'' Who
doubts it ?? and that, in the part they have taken
. the Editors of the lntelligencer seem to have
oyerstepped their habtua caution and self-re
spect." The Argus mistakes the matter. 1t was
the latter of these which caused disregard Of thu
former: these habtual traits had lost their com
patbilty. g Circumstances' have changed
fempora mutantur. 1t is true that we were no
as cautious as the Editors of the Argus, who tool
seventeen days to consider of the matter: for ",
took but Screen days. We took time enough how
ever, to discourse plainly and dspassonatel,
what we had to say, that we confess we did no
calculate upon evaporation" being charged upol
US, as it has been by the Argus. We certainl,
never have been i'll our lives in better hume
than whilst we were uncovering MIR. Van Buren,
projects, and disclosing, as far as we could, th
secret machinery which he has had a considerable
and indeed controlling, agency in contrving ant
setting in motion.
| The Richmond Enquirer was not so slow as tn,
Argus in mastering its forces against us, but s.
contrived it as to exhaust its ammunition by ill
directed firing without producing the least effect
and the Commander of the Allied forces on TIL
field of Waterloo was not more rejoiced when HI
the Enquirer, when at last it discovered the Ar
gus coming to its aid from the North. I" We see
| by the following article from the last Albany Ar
gus,'' say the Editors of the Enquirer, on the 5,
instant, that this influential paper is about akin
the Intelligencer in hand" They are willing. w
have no doubt, that the Intelligencer shall b
6 taken in hand' by any body who will reliev
them from that unpleasant task. If the Enquire
is pleased that the Argus has taken us in hand TIL
Argus feels reciprocal pleasure that the Enqui
rer has preceded it. 6 We substitute extract
from an article in the Richmond Enquirer in repI,
to the structures of the National Inegencer,'
says the Argus, 6 instead of such remarks as w
proposed ourselves to submit ON that subject.
The Argus quotes the Enquirer, and the Enquire
quotes the Argus, each glad to find that the othe
has any thing to say. If they can say nothin!
more to the purpose than what they have vet pu
i forth, they had better have continued. like thu