The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-05-07
Hon. C. A. WIGG.irrE,
1i Postmaster General.


ing inquiry about the publication Of certain letters
connected with the nomination of Mr.. Churchill as
postmaster at ST. Louis, Missouri, and in reply have
to state, that when received the file of letters which
you transmitted to me to the Senate, the Hon. Tho.
mas II. Benton, and the Hon. Lewis F. Linn, the
Senators from Missouri requested to examine the let
tiers and papers referred to- and they represented
the State where the appointment was proposed to be
made, delivered them to Col. Benton, and who has
subsequently, retu ned them to the committee
As to the publication of some two or three Of the
letters in the newspaper to which you refer, | have
only to say that neither myself or the other members
Of the committee knew any thing, except what appears
in the newspaper itself.
And I-have therefore sent to the Hon. Thomas
H. Benton your communication of this morning, in
order that he may furnish any further information,
should any be desired.
Very respectfully,
Your obedent servant
(Signed) SAMUEL McROBERTS.
So Mr.. McRoberts had complied with the re-
quest of Messrs Benton and Linn, and per-
mitted them to examine the letters This was
right. A respectful request from the Senators
representing the State in which the appoint
ment was made, was very properly complied
with They very naturally wished merely to
"eramsia,e" the papers, and of course they were
copies, no permission asked to publish them.
Of course not Mr. McRoberts would have
Indignantly spurned such dishonorable propo-
sition Or. Linn would have cut out his own
tongue rather than utter it! No! both Nc
Roberts and Linn were imposed on, deceived,
betrayed And yet Mr.. Benton, feeling the
weight of his guilt, often trembed at the thought
of the consequences of such deed, and lacked
the courage to proceed alone in the matter and
avow his intention He must prevail on Dr.
Linn, his colleague, to join him in the simple
request TO be permitted TO 'seT0nllne" the let
tiers. Dr. Linn did it without hesitation But
mark what follows. Behold the holy horror on
his brow--the Ioathing repulsion in his eye
when Mr.. Benton (afte, obtaining possession
of the papors) intimated his determination to
publish them Dr. Linn turned from his col
league in disgust. At that moment he washed
his hands Of all participation in the act. RE
fed repentant from the dark chamber into which
he had been@beguilo1, before the cold-heartod
assassin's dagger was bathed in innocent blood.
Such is the man we conceive DR.. Linn to be.
From that moment his connection with the
transaction ceased The head that conceived
the act was left with none but its own polluted
hand to execute it. Even Benton faltered, but
his evil genius led him on The deed had been
CONFERENCE.-The guilt had been in the concep-
tion-it was as well to 60 on as to retreat. His
own degradation had been consummated, and
the only consolation in his power was to make
the innocent (of course his enemies) suffer
The deed was done.
The matter was brought before the Senate
Mr.. Benton rose in his own defence. He could
saw nothing for himself He saw in the coun-
tenances of all around him how much he was
despised. He grew furious, and made per-
sonal assault on the Administration. He applied
the term "base" some half dozen times to the
head of one of the Departments. This was
his only mode of escape. He must divert at
tention from the dark deed Of the individual, to
a political attack on the Administration. Well
did he know that this would be means OF
escape, or the act would never have been COM
mitted He knew the binding character of the
relations existing between the ultras Of his own
party and those of Mr.. Clay's! He knew that
they were indssouby united TO effect the down
| fall of the Administration. He knew, under
existing circumstances, that he would neither
be expelled nor censured by his CO laborers. He
knew that the little Land in the Senate chamber,
composed of both parties, friendly to the Ad-
ministration, would be impoent in any attempt
to nfict the punishment he deserved.
But to return to the letters themselves They
speak of Mr.. Churchll's "claims" and "ser-
uices to the party" These words Mr.. Benton
nuts in italics For these he calls the conduc,
of the Postmaster General {" base prostitution
of the influence of his office for base purposes
&c~ He declared also that Mr. Churchill was
connection of Gov. Wicklffe This he subse
ouently acknowledged was not the fact. Blu
why does he talk about "party services ?-
What recommended Mr.. Watson, and i1ht
recommended him? We do not wish to incul
pate Mr.. Watson. We know nothing of hin
for good or evil, save what we learn from thu
papers. He, too, may have been capable ant
honestn But Mr. Benton will not deny tina
while Mr.. Watson conducted Mr.. Benton's spe
cial Locofoco organ, the Argus, he (Mr. Ben
toni frequently promised him his reward H
will not deny that he (Mr. Benton) wrote t
Mr. Watson on more than one occasion TO b.
J patient-not to despair--that all his losses AM
: sacrifices for the party" should be compensat
ed. He (Mr. Benton) will not deny that he ad
! dressed President Van Buren, in MIR. Watson
behalf and urged his appointment on accoun
OF his "party services" He (Mr. Benton) WI
: not deny that he then addressed letter to tn
then Postmaster General, demanding me az
D pointment of Mr.. Watson on The ground OF M
sacrifices in connection aoiM the argus, an