The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-05-04

ton Of Col. johnson, tina, his countrymen
might be advised Of principle OF action so mon
sifous, asos Ell by a prominent member OF a
grea party IN the Republic.
But the Office Of public accuser IS not an en-
siable one, and 80 Col JohnsonI owed several
years OF kindsess and apparent friendship.
therefore spoke Of his 'imprndrnce TO no one Tor
several DAYS, nor until the following incident
led me TO do so, aud then, without giving per-
mission 10 repeat il. 10 free FIRE side CONVEX
sation some evenings afterwards, member of
Congress, IN Specializing on,be probable course
Of certain politicians, happened TO say that Col.
*. u. Johnson would 60 for the Administration.
asked himrf he had any reason to think Col.
J. friendly TO the administration. lie replied
that he was confident ofihe fact, as he had
been informed that Col. J had given member
OF the Cabinet % understand that he was a de-
clded friend. thought IL incumbent on me TO
undeeeiye the gentlemen alluded TO, and did
so by stating what had passed between Col. j.
and myself IN the Senate chamber. | subse-
guenily mentionedthe conversation TO one other
gentleman but whether either the Two COM
municated II 10 Mr. Clay. or whether Mr. Clay
ever was informed oft AT all know not as |
have not exchanged word, beyond a simple
saluthIon, with that gentleman, since he be-
came Secretary of State; aud therefore Col
is insiauntion that ! betrayed him 10 MIR. {.
Is wholly gratuitous and untrue.
II may be proper To state, in explanation OF
my remark respecting Nj Cay's hostility 10
our paper that ii had reference not altogether
TO public indications ofleeling on his part, which
he took 10 pains 10 conceal (for whatever faults
he may have want OF iraukncss IN ayowing his
dlsllkcs or rcsentments is not among the num-
Der, but 10 the communication Of a distinguish.
cd member from Virginia, who, In dlscoursmg
to me, some time before, on the propricty OF
our assailiDg the Administration, urged as a
reason, within his knowledge, that Mr. Clay
had always been ininical TO ms. That gentle
man viii recolect the answer which made 10
hun also that IN shaping our editorial course
We threw our personal affairs entirely out OF
view
But Col johnson alleges that his remarks 10
me were confidential. The fact Is, Col. J. Ind
ms little right to make me the Depository of his
political secrets, as had to know that his reve
lations were intended TO be confidential for
we were too well acquainted with each others
Presidential predictions IN invite from him a
disclosure of his attachments on that
head or TO render such disclosure necessary.
As far back as the preceding session, that is, the
session IN which Mr. Adam. was elected Prcsl-
dent, aud even before his Inauguration, Col.
Johnson had determined TO enter the ranks OF
thu Opposition that was 10 be- aud urged Inc to
90 with him aud his party. II may be well 10
advert 10 this Incident little more particularly,
for every body acquainted with the COLONEL
earnest aud impressive manner, knows that
what he says is not easily forgotten.
IL was just before his departure from Con.
gfess, in March, 1920 meeting the Colonel IN
d. f.. -. 4 4 IL. =. 4
To take leave, aud SAID To me, he hoped that as
General JackSon's friends would support MS in
the election of Printer, Go take place in day
on two,) we would come out against the Admin
istration after the adjournment of Congress,
although the Administration was not then
formed, for the President Was not installed, aud
Of course hadnot even nominated a member of
his Cabinet and further said, il we did not, we
might expect the opposition of the friends of
the General. informed the Colonel then, as
that could not regulate the
course of our paper by private considerations
that as Mr.. Crawford had not succeeded, we
were content that MIR. Adams had that We
hoped he would administer the Government ably ]
and bencficaly, and is he did so, we could
not oppose him simply because we had opposed
his election that General jackson should al |
ways receive nj our hands that farnes .iand re.
we'll earned standing entitled him 10 but that
We never would trammcl or compromise our
editorial course by any private stipulatons.
Is II probable, after this conversation, that Col
J. should, at the following session, think of mt
king TO me confidential revelation of his senti-
ments on the same topic But repeat, ! was
not authorized by single circumstance to con-
slider it confidential, aud had not the remotest
idea that il was so, nor indeed did il deserve 10
be. As well might another Opposition Senator
claim to have been confidential, who in pub
lie place in the hearing of several, on being raj
lied on the triumph ofihe Administration party
on the Panama mission, said "tthey have beaten
us by a few votes, after hard battle, but if
" they had only taken the other side and refus-
-" ed the Mission, we would have had them"
am far from imputine TO Col johnson in.
tentonal but be has done me great injustice,
and have defended myselfby a detail of facts,
as hriefas conld make it. ! would have said
less, had less sufficed but when an humble in
dvidual is called ON TO vindicaic himself against
the great odds of distinguished name and high
station, il is due to himself that he omit nothing
which truth authorizes him to use
W W. SEATON.
Washington, april ls, 1927.
tFRoM THE DEMOCRATIC PREss
Extract to the Editor dated
WASHINGTON, 18th April, 1927.
DEAR SIN: A friend the other day put into
my hands the Washington Telegraph "A paper
which seldom see unless thus casually shown
to me, in which there was the following extract
of letter from the " Fayetteville Observer"
aud said to be written by 4" a highly respecta.
bile ptrglaian," at present on a visit TO Ten.