Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-05-04
From the Richmond Uhig.
THE PRESIDENT HOAXED!


fun. A wag, assuming the name of Paul Hoo
ver,'' one of Coopcr's characters. in his very
bad novel of the Prairie, and taking his cue from
the "reforming" spirit of the times, address
ed letter to the President, praying his interpo-
sition to remove the Postmaster at Rodney, Mis-
sissippi The Wig, it seems, never imagined
that he should-succeed in quizzing the old gen
tleman, his real object being to ridicule the
proscriptive system, and the hypocritical pre-
fences by which it was defended. Much to his
surprise, and the exquisite amusement OF the
merry fellsR, he received an answer from the
President in due time, to the effect, " that his
letter had been received, its contents noted, and
that whatever justice and the good Of The country
reg,,ired should be done" Had the Joke stopped
snre. it would not have been so bad; nothing
would have told to the discredit of the President,
Int his being unacquainted with Paul Hoover
quite an excusable thing. 1t seems, however,
THAT JUSTICE AND THE GOOD OF
THE COUNTRY required the REMOVAL of Mr..
DART, the Postmaster at Rodney, though, IN point
of fact, he held the office only for his neighbor'
convenience, and nobody complained against HIM
but Paul Hoover, as the sequel proves.
In good time, Mr. Dart was removed, and
commission forwarded to another gentleman, who
very properly declinedit. Butwe must give the
reader the whole story from the GALAXY
A Hoar.-A hoax was played off, on the Pre-
sident of the United States, by wag living at
Rodney, Jefferson county, of this State-whlch,
we regret to say, had serious termination-a
termination which the writer did not intend.-
While it is to be lamented that any person should
have so little regard for General Jackson, and
the diguified station to which he has been exalted
by the people, as to make. him an object for jest
and ridicule-it forms also subject tor deep and
Notifying lamentation, TO every patriot, and eve
ry lover of the good administration of public al
fairs. that The Circumstances Of the times should
constituted ..Sign' to the witty and mischievous,
that they could. in strain of mock-earnest, de-
ceive the President into the performance OF an
act. which would place him i'll ridiculous light
before the people, aud afford a standing taunt
against those of his supporters, who boast OF his
virtue his intelligence, and his fitness tor the sta
ton. The circumstances, as we have been III
formed, are these:
Jackson's readiness TO answer all letters and COM
munications addressed to him personally. and to
listen to their suggestions, probably without en-
uiring very infinitely into their truth or fiction,
that he might divert himself at the expense of this
iafirmity in the President, addressed letter, in
which. amongst much adulation Of Jackson, for
his bold, republican course, he showered many
Censures uDon Van Buren,, and others OF Jack
sons political friends and constitutional advisers.
Towards the conclusion, he suggested to Gen.
Jackson that a change of Postmaster at Rodney
would have a beneficial effect and influence on
society, SC. all of which was designed, as the
suspected writer told us himself, to open the eyes
of Jackson to the estimation in which the people
held his system Of removal and Apprenticeship
other words, reform. That his suggestions would
be seriously considered, he had not the slightest
suspicion; & the very worst he thought that could
happen, was that of eliciting reply.-Even this
he did not anticipate The writer adopted the
name of one of Cooper's characters, PAUL
HOOVER.
On the reception of this letter by Gen. Jack
son, he appears immediately to have replied to
IT. which was received at Rodney duly address
ed to Paul Hoover, and having the Presidents
frank upon it. By some means, against the will,
and in despite of the strictest vigilance OF the
Postmaster, the letter got amongst merry SET
of fellows; and it being on Christmas Eve, Paul
Hoover and his correspondent, were toasted In
many bumper, with biting sarcastic accompan-
iments with regard to the latter, and cOmpli-
ments on the former for his integrity, and proper
conception of character and motives, but they
dreamed not of the contamination of the hoax.
The amount of the Presidents reply was, shat
YOUR letter is received, its contents noted, and
your information with regard to the Post
master at Rodney, handed over to the Postmas-
ter General with instructions to inquire into the
premises; and ending with assuring him, that,
s,chaferer justice and the good Of the country
-snnires shall be DONE Kappears that "jus-
tice and the good of the country" required that
Mr.. Hoover's suggestions should be complied
with. for in proper time. the able and efficient
Postmaster at Rodney, received notification of
bis removal, through the medium of an appoint
ment sent to another gentleman, L. c. Harris,