Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1831-12-15
PUBLISHED WEEKLY.
From the Philadelphia United States Gazette.
TO THE PUBLIC-LETTE


That fatality, which by an unknown
principle, controls our purposes as if to
mock human judgment, and battle the
acutest perceptions of sagacity, again
made this writer the victim of a journey
to Washington city. Fruitless as it prov
ed in its ostensible object, however, it
yielded most abundant harvest Of know
ledge and information. The partially of
friends urged ia sort of general SYM
pathy in the public mind seemed to de-
mand a last effort on his part to penetr ate
The mystery which overshadowed the late
conduct of the executivc-or to detect
and expose the treachery, if any, which
had induced so singular catastrophe las
to be unexampled almost in the history of
any individual in any country-that the
parsonage welded the patronage of su.
preme authority, should penetrate the re-
tiremcnt of an obscure citizen to deprive
him Of the avocation by which he sub
sisted large family! Not to receive
office, is an every day feature of politi-
cal liie-but to lose an office, through
the management and finesse of men in
power, is phenomenon not often present.
cd to the eve ofthe public, as an ilustra-
ton Of the artful policy of the refined y
nagitious disciples of the willy and acute
Florentne. This fact is stated, to show
the exact relation in which this writer
stood to the executive, when, in compli-
ancc with the public voice, he proceeded
to Washington, to obtain restitution Of
what he had been deprived by the act of
the president-not the veto Of the scna-
tors-they but performed their duty-but
he had travelled out of the orbit Of his
public functions, to evade and dctace the
household gods of a citizen, in the deep
est recess of their sanctuary. He went
not as an oflice-seeker, but as seeker
of Justice, urged by the eloquent plead
ings of the noblest feelings of our nature,
and sustained by the unanimous voice of
the members of our legislature-by the
party, anG by the public-and this in
terms neither frigid nor formal, but gush-
ing warm from the heart, in the burst of
honest sincerity and benevolent condo
lence.
Iarrived at Washington early in March,
and Immediately waited on Major Ea-
ton. Detection sat on his visage, ar
rayed in haggard expressions OF care and
perturbation. He appeared distracted
and gloomy. 1t was at first difficult to
make him comprehend the object OF my
Journey. He was, at that moment, pre-
pairing to attend a cabinet dinner, land sol
emn importance sat upon his brow. we
were interrupted by a tame relation, who
hin, xvtfb accounts ut
elections-ponting his attention to news
papers, over which he rapidly cast an
eager and anxious glance, at the same
time affecting to treat it with cold indif-
ference. Alternately lost in reverie, land
gazing on underlined space, it was some
time before he collected himself suific-
ientIy to say that he would mention my
arrival to the president!-an honor alto
gether unnecessary, as l had previously
apprised him Of my intended Journey to-
the capitol, through letter to MAJOR
Lewis.
A second interview was had, on the
following day, with the Secretary at War
at his mansion. His lady received me
with that cordiality Of manner for which
she is so remarkable. The Major was
out-but in short time appeared. A
gain pressed the subject of indemnity tor
the injury done to me by the injudicious
and strange conduct of the presldeht;w
were again interrupted. Mr.. Van Bu-
rem entered-to whom, of course, pre-
sentation took place. He appeared to
labor under the consciousness of lost
Importance, or diminished fortune-he
looked ill--it was the aspect ofthe losing
gunester-the rayless eye and the relax
ed feature of vanquishcd general
His countenance revealed a volume of
disasters that had overwhelmed him dur
ing the past session of congress. MIR.
Calhoun's victory was written on every
line of his face. Mr. Calhoun's honor
had blanched his cheek with a paler hue.
"Mr. Simpson, you have been rejected
it is the fortune ofwar," observed MIR.
Van Buren,. "That is the special OBJ
iect of my presence in Washington-but
Is il the practice of general Jackson to
leave his wounded on tho lield;" "No,
sir, the general never lie ives his woun-
dcd to be scalpcd or captured by the en-
emy.o lie then retired, with MIR. Ia