Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1831-10-27
WHOLE NO .S2.

a conneyIon of seven years was not to
De broken IA one hour!-lie mig ght re-
trace his steps.
\ cw~days after the publication in the
Mercury, of the letter 10 the Tennessee
legislature, was waited upon by Mr..
Sauue4 i. Bradford, at the Office Of the
Mercury, who, taking me into the back
room, proposed, on the part of the preSi-
dchL, that ! should agree to take situa-
ton IN the custom house, designating, at
the same time, the office of deputy sur
vcyor of the port! | leave the reader to
Judge OF my surprise upon receiving
such an offer, through such source!-
| answered, | could say nothing upon
that subIcct--it could not be considered
in fact, it was difficult to refrain from
laughter--not less at the nature of the
offer, than at the medium OF its communi,
cation.
1t had been minated at Washington,
prior to my departure, that as | would
not accept Of the birth OF the 4th Audi
tor, the president looked to me to make
an application for such as appeared to
suit me. bradford, and others in the
confidence olthe executive, gave me the
same intmation.
! Shortly after this offer, Robert Arm-
strong, Esq OF Nashville, arrived here;
and waited upon me at the Mercury of,
fee. lie proposed private interview,
Oh the cn,ulag day at llcs<ell's, stating
that he had very particular information
to communicate. attended. lie star
ted that he was authorized by the prcsis
dent to offer me the Office of postmaster,
of Philadelphia, g stated that if would
accept 1t, thc appointment would be made
without delay. After some hes itation,
agreed to this proposition, which was so
PUBLICLY made, that few of the party re-.
manned ignorant oft the offer; and the con-
cIusion became irresistible, that person
50 near General Jackson as the post-mas-
ter of Nashville, was known to be, could
not, would not have venturcd thus to de-
tract from the dignity, and lmpeach tho
honor OF The president, without proper
authorization on the part OF the latter
Olthis no doubt exists. Col Armstrong
is respected as Il man of honor. But ho
acted without consultation with MAJ. Ed.
ton and his iady; and it is yet to be prov
ed-nnd | shall prove, that nothing Ia
more common, than for General Jackson,
to make solemn pledge to do an act,
before he has seen that interest-and to
Immediately revoke it, after they have
crossed his path by their counsels EX-
ampIes of this will appear in the cours.
of these letters. Ii was so on this occa.
sion. Col. Armstrong was opposed to
Mrs. E's Interference; and had publicly
rebuked her in Washington, for indulg-.
ing in the propensities of government.
The conse Guence was fatal to Col. Arm.
strong's influence. What the Genera,
promised, the lady compelled him to re,
voke-so that honor, truth, justice, CON-
sistcncv, and friendship, all suffered All
equal havoc in this wild deirium of wo,.
vans sway.
Upon my return home, ] had freely
impaired TO all the original friends of tho
president, the real state of affairs a,
Washington. But one opinion prevailed
/ All admitted that the President was no
longer the man we had supposed him,
and most pronounced him to have ia Hen
into dotage. On this subject, the senti.
ments Of Mr. Henry Horn were decided,
and his declarations of hostility and dis~
Iparagement by no means measured. To
be satisfied Of the truth of his impressions,
however, that gentleman proceeded t.
Washington, in company with Col. Arm>
strong, in order, from personal observa-
tion, to obtain a correct and impartial o.
pinion touching the condition Of the Pres
dent's intellect. lie returned strength
cned in his unfavorable Impressions, both
as it respected the mind, and the princi>
pies OF the head the nation. In his con.
vcrsations with Mr. III. he not only ex-
posed much ignorance, but manifested q
disposition in direct hostility to republic
can doctrines. On the questions Of 'roe
tation IN office" he was aristocratical, and
istlcxibly opposed to the maXims of JEFF
icrson. On the subject toirewarding his
friends of the 18th hour, he defended il
on the principle, that conversion is better
than simple conviction, and that it is moro
mcritorious to yield up first preferences
to second impressions, and come over to
the support of men you originally opPos.
ed, than to accord an honest, simple and
unchanging adhesion to one candidate,
They had seen TIE error of their ways,
and meried promotion. The basis ottho
argument was certainly that of unbound1
cd vanity and ineflable self-lovo, which
declared that his oun merits had wrought
the change, and not the thirst Of ambi-
tion, or the lust Of Office
4 Ii is not the intention Of these letters
to fatigue, by the protracted detail ofmere
personal history, which is so apt to run
n into epiaodes or o epofism. as unple as1nt tn