The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-12
From the Philadelphia Public Ledger.
WASHINGTON LETTER WRITER'S.


One of the greatest nusances which has originated
within few years, in the spirit Of political SANDER,
is the correspondence between the partisan newspa-
pers aud the letter writers at Washington Almost
every partisan paper IN the great cities keeps letter
writer; aud with very few honorable exceptions,
these letter writers make SANDER and misrepresenta
ton their business. Many of them write letters for
the presses Of different parties at the time, and
consequently SANDER both parties alternately. We
have frequently received written applications from
these proiessed letter writers, 10 furnish Us with let
tiers from Washington or Harrisburg during the ses-
sion of Congress, of our Legislature, OF whatever
character required, whether - Loco Foco, "
" Wing or " Neural We have always thorough
ly condemned the whole system and therefore al
ways repudiated such applications, and would tole-
rate no other spondence at either place, than
which furnished a faithful narrative Of events,
and without the usual accompaniment OF Islander upon
public servants
The public should not place the slightest reliance
upon these partisan letter writers. They are EN-
poyed by partisan papers, every of which is con-
trolled by some political clique, intent on some
scheme OF personal interest. The interest Of the let
ter writer extends not beyond his salary and there
fore as his object is employment and the money OF
one party as good as that of another he is ndlfer
ent about the political complexion OF his employers,
and writes letters for both parties or all parties,
aud IN support Of opinion or another, according
to order Our readers estimate the moral stand
ard of those who pursue this trade, and Will not be
surprised In detecting any Oh lHeH IN tHe Brosstst
Misrepresentation. But the interest Of the conduc-
tor Of the partisan paper for which the letter writer
furnishes iasehood and vituperation, is identified
with that of the clique who control his paper and
consequently his object is to make partisan capital
out OF every event which tanspires at Washington,
or any falsehood which can be coined there Hence the
letter writer has instructions to laud one party with
out limit, to abuse another without mercy, TO praise
one member of Congress Executive officer without
shame and censure another without conscience. But
besides pursuing SANDER as business, these letter
writers rarely have to authentic sources of IN
formation and consequently their statements are to
be doubted for want OF knowledge, wellas want OF
honesty. The President and high Executive officers
always avoid them; and the honest, high toned men,
bers Of Congress regard them with little less than
loathing Hence they left to rely upon the
political hacks, or upon the rumors OF Streets bar
bers' shops and taverns. Whoever has been enough
IN Washington TO understand its social structure and
operation will know how to estimate such OF
information; for of all places in the Union, Wash
ngton is unrvalled for gossip, deracton, and SLAM
derous fabrication.
Then what do we IN this whole business Of let
ter writing We see letter writers, without scrupes
relying for information upon street, tavern and back
stair gossip in the most gossppng town IN the Union,
and selling this information, and iaschood Of entirely
new coinage To partisan presses, conducted without
scrupes, under the control of profligate cliques -!
Truly the statements of such organs entitled to
the respect and confidence of an enlightened and
honest community
AT present corps of these letter writers are en-
ployed at Washington, in the very patriotic and pub
hcy useful business of misrepresentng the official
movements of the Federal Executive and other high
officers of the Federal Government, for the purpose
ofdeprying them Of all public confidence One of their
latest fabrlcatons IS tale about intended resigna-
ons in the cabinet 1t tells us that the present cabi-
net is dscordan and cannot long remain together and
that this person will fill the place of that and that of
another Every of these stories is false, false,
FALSE. The President and his cabinet agree general
y, and are busily at work in transactlng public bush
ness; aud while they do it faithfully and efficiently,
they are entitled to public support and will obtain It
from all honest men. We refer to support against
ISLANDERS and conspiracies, and not for future cleo
tons The latter belong to the people, and not TO
chques and should be decided upon patriotic and not
partisan considerations. We repeat that all these
stories about designations in the cabinet utterly
untrue, and coined for partisan purposes and in
speaking thus, we say what we knotc.