Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-10-02


Having already given history Of the formation Of
my partnership with this man, viii now offer accor
ding TO the promise in my ast communication, some
account of it's progress. Immediately after exceu-
ting tho n,ract, entered upon my rights and du-
ties as partner. with n determination To devote INV
whole time and humble abilities To tie political cause
In which we were engaged, and the prosperity aud
responsibility at our establishment, My situation
was soon found to DO embarrassing, and far lees er-
bic than had imagined; but my pcrplcxities arose
from certain pecuares of my associate, which |
thought might be Corrected soencd, did not dcs-
pair OF rendering our connection useful to the cause
aud ourselves.
One ofthesc pecuidrtes was extreme careless sncss
and total want of method III business by which w,.
were almost daily subjected to actual embarrassnrnis,
nnd danger OF serious losses. Another was u DISPOSE
lion to the must wild and visionary speculaons in bu-
siness, which led him to project the most Impractical
bc schemes, for which the mines Of Peru would have
been insufficient and which would have been utterly
useless, il accomplished. Another instability
of purpose, which led him from ono visionary scheme.
10 another, with he rapijy and Inconsistency of the
shifting wind. Another was goes deficiency in that
urbanlty Of manners which characterizrs gentleman
IN any station in society, and which is particularly
necessary TO the conductor vfa press The rudencss
which he has cvinccd Ia highly respectable strangers
who honored his Office with their presence has
times caused me To blush for my connection with him.
Another was an exceeding intcmperance of feeling,
which generally ovcrpowcred the little Judgment nc
possessed ard rendered il difficult for hun to wri,
for his paper without becoming ntox cat vi with pas
SON. and indulging in the foues, tho most revolving
personalities Another was an almost shameful ig-
norance oil political history, and certain contraction
- mind which rendered.. difficult for him TO conprc-
bend general principles, which limited his views of po-
ltical controversy the petty interest of coun nv
election, and which led him to view the little sirifes
OF obscure persons as objects of National concern;
and consequence of this, he evuced deplorable
reckleesness of consequences to the great cause
which he prolessed tn support when seeking To graft
fly any petty spite malrgnity against individuals.
ANOTHER wan. of that delicacy, that chastity
al sentiment, that elevation OF feeling. which leads
The honorable and benevolent respect the sDeet
charities If ie and as consequences, he had era
wing appetite for private SANDER which spared neither
age, sex, character aud which led him to pub
fish the meanest hbels upon respectable individuals,
that were OF no political mporianc and founded
upon authority that decei2 men would have been asha
med to quote. In proof Of this, | need not mention
Ills abuse of Mrs. Adams; which came with an II
grace from who complaining of the SANDERS
circulated by our opponents, against the lamenred
Mrs. Jackson and which did not tend to improve the
advantages which these opponents had given us over
them by such netarious proceedings One anecdUte,
however, in proof If this ibellous propensity, is too
characteristic to be overlooked. Soon after the com
mencemept of our partnership and while he was yet
srnarting under the recollection of having been the
hero of caricature in Boston, which he may thank
me for suppressng though he is utterly unworthy of
the feeling which led me TO do he produced most
disgusting carcature of some leading opponents of
Gen. jackson IN Ohio, and stated his intention Of
printing and circulating an edition. Shocked By this
open contempt of the principles by which he had lust
decidedly and successfully. opposed the. procecd ding
saying that, besides being opposed to this groveing
and criminal mode of political warfare, thought he
would no. promote reputation for consistency de-
cency, by perpetrang against others the very
uf which he had recently complained in bis own per
SON. Another was most gorgeous vanity, most
ridiculous self-sufhccncy, which induced him 10 ina
ginc himself the very Warwick of political contest
"ths setter up and pnlier d0icn of''--PREsIDEvTs
So singuarly wrong headed was he this point that
he used frequently TO congratulate himself upon the
inf ~ he had arc rira6o
American politics. saying that all the presses of the
purity subjected to the Telegraph obliged to re
Ceive their from IL, and afraid to oppose it, and
that he could therefore determine who should and
who should not be president, and what should and
what should not be tho policy Of any adminstralon!!i
If did not sometimes laugh instead of smiling. he is
more indebted to nv forbearance towards an asso-
catc in business, thnn TO an erroneous estimate Of
these magnificent visions.
But above ALL he deficient in the political mo-
ralty which discriihnates between the means of at
tanning end, which acknowledges some other cr-
tcrion of right than success, and which deems prin-
GipIes more valuable than Uotes. Nor his obque
morality confined politics, will appear from an
other characteristic anecdote. At early period of
partnership he stated that nv certain operations
he could obtain from merchants their claims up
on the French Government, aud pocket large sums
for himself and his partner The plan was as follows
These merchants willing to allow, said he
on obtaining their claims certain proportion, which
would amount to $1,000 000-Mr. Vilelc had suiFi
Client influence with his government 10 procure the
allowance OF these claims, and would effect 1t for
compensation of q 100000. One Of us might be ap
pointed agent for these claims, and thus each of
US might pocket g 900 O!!i My reply to this
was given in single DOyd, and that word was--
Bribery.
Here indeed, was mind of no ordinary perversity.
But, though disappointed, | was not dshcnrtoncd,
aud applied to the duties ofmy station with zeal and
nctivity aud have The consolation arising from hay-
ing been told, and by more than one distinguished
member Of the Jackson pnrty that, during the short
period oFmy conner with him. the ofthc paper
lad improved, that vas indebted to- my cxcrtiOns
for the little character it possessed during that peri
oil, aud which IT subsequently lost. ] have written
testimony on this point and with permission, may one
day publish it. safely say that, he seldom or
never offered article for publication without draw
ing from objection against It's acrimonious per-
sonaity; and though these objections not al
why's successful they prevented the publication Of
many things which should have felt compelled To
dsavow. can also say that, | have more than once
prevented him from rendering himself suprrniply ri