Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-10-02
a STARTLING PUBLICATION.

pamphlet has made its appearance in New
York, and been sold by thousands, with the
name of William l.. Mackenzie, late an officer
in the Custom House under Mr.. Van Ness. afHx-
ed 10 1t as It's author and compiler, containing
some singular developments Of the prohgacy and
corruption of the principal actors in the Van Bu-
rem school of New York politics for the las,
twenty-five years. 1t embraces copies of great
number of letters to JESSE IIoYT, the former Col
lector of the Port, from Benjamin Butler, Martin
and John Van Buren,, Gov. Marcy, Sas Wright
Samuel Swarwout, ]. Gordon Bennett and nu.
merous others, which unveil system of political
proiiigacy, hollow heartedness, intrigue and viii
iainy, that must overwhelm the actors in it with
shame and public contempt, and make them to
wish for "the mountains 10 fall on and cover
them"
When the pamphlet first appeared, the general
disposition was to regard the letters as forgeries
although 1t had been lnsinuated in a preliminary
notice that they were obtained by the Poindexter
commission, and carried on to Washington, and
IN that way, by some unavowed means, have
seen the light. The New York Courier and En-.
quirer, however, thought they must have been fe-
loniously puroned from locked depository in
one OF the rooms of the custom-house, where they
were left for safe-keeping by Mr.. Hoyt-and
this, it appears from subsequent developments,
was the fact.
In recent number of the Courier and Enqui-
rer the editors say-"Mr. HoYT assures us that
they the let;ers] have been distracted from "A
trunk marked 'IAe Laac Papers of j. S' l.. Hoyt,'
the key of which is still in his possession"
And in the New York Morning News, the fol-
lowing statement is made on the subject by En-
Collector VAN Mss:
few weeks before left the Office of Col
hector, a person, not connected with the Custom
house, informed me, in casual conversation.
that he understood some important private cores.
Pondence OF Jesse floyt, Esq, and certain of his
friends, had been discovered among the archives
OF the Cusom-house by Mr.. Mackenzie imme
dlateiy sent for Mr. Bogardus, the assistant COL
lector, and requested him to employ confiden-
tlai clerk to make private examination in the
room where MIR. Mackenzie with other clerks
was employed, and where the papers, if any,
were supposed 10 have been found, and if there
were any private papers, 10 have them secured
and taken care OF for the owner, whoever he
might be. Some days afterwards Mr. Bopardus
iiiOllbcu DIt tudt le idu caused the examination
TO be made by trusty clerk, and that some let
ters and papers, belonging probably TO Mr.. Hoyt,
had been found in large chest, bnt that they
were OF no apparent consequence. Believing
that there was really nothing of importance in
the matter, and being then preparing to leave the
office, gave it no further attention.
This is all had ever known or heard upon the
subject until the appearance of Mr. Mackenzie $
book, which surprised me as much as it could
have done any other person in the world.
G. p. VAN NESS.
Thus the whole affair appears to be pretty
clearly made out family one, and whatever of
Inlamy attaches either 10 the writing of the letters
or their exposure TO the public, is all confined to
the loving brotherhood of the Democracy. Mac
kenzie's motive in The publication is believed
to be mingled feeling of personal vengeance and
mercenary speculation.
More Of this hereafter.