The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-10-04


One Of the editors Of the Richmond Times, sf
not both, ought to have known us better. He might
have done the justice to believe, that we would
to quibbie about the meaning of any word, when
we came forward to make a fair explanation. His
whole article is unworthy Of las. II is still more
unworthy of him. We said not word to Justify
the harsh and illibera construction which he has
been pleased to place upon our article. The whole
spirit of 1t showed that we knew nothing Of Mac
kenzie's infamous pamphlet, until Il had been pub
lished and, in truth, that no one in Washington, as
far as we are advised, knew it. The fact is, we
did not even suspect the forthcoming Of such pro-
duction, much less knew of it, before il was pub
lished in New York We know that Mr. Polk did
not After the appearance Of the pamphlet, very
intelligent gentleman from New York was in this
city and happened to meet with him, and obtained
from him what we recently stated He was not ac-
quainted with the precise character Of it before it APP
peared He was told that something was coming
out-he knew not precisely what it was. The
gentleman resides in New York, not in Washing
ton; and we do not believe that he informed any
one here OF his suspicious, before the pamphlet APP
peared, or before he arrived in the city. He was
aware of the ''channels through which they (the
eters) were to rum" but we do not believe that he
communicated the little that he knew to any one in
this city.
Why does the "Richmond Times" stoop to the
insnuations which discredit its columns, without
having facts to rely oDi Why suspect US Of de-
scending to contemplate quibbesi Why hang a
chain ofhypothetcal differences, not ofwhich is
true, upon idle premises, that have no connexon
with those infcrencesi Because gentleman in
New York was aware that something was going on,
does it follow that he communicated it to US, or that
he even knew anything certain about III Is
this inference probable, much less "uInvoid-
able, that the official editor knew, and, he be-
ing the Presidents confessor, that Mr.. Polk
knew, several ,oeeks before they appeared that
Hoyt's private correspondence was TO be pub
lshed'' The Richmond Times goes on to say
that "f this fact was known to the administration,
protesting friendship to Mr.. Van Buren,, it was its
duty stop the publication by legal process. This adj
mission of the Union cannot be explained by
equivocations as TO the meaning of words. The
sum of its explanation is, that his informant knew
that Mackenzie was to be the channel Of the publ
cation but did not know what the publication itself
would be. Surely, no intelligent man can be con-
WINGED that he did not know that the publication
was to contain the correspondence of Van Buren,
and others with Jesse Hoyt' +,
We pass over the decencies of its expressions
sthe Presidents confessor," and the 'quibbles"
and the ''eguivocations" with which we charged,
to come at once the gist Of the whole matterand
Kat ,f tie pfar ,.hich
it calls "unaroidabie," is true Every single propo-
s;ton is unfounded and untrue. We knew nothing
about the pamphlet Mr.. Polk knew nothing of it;
and consequently Mr. P. could not inform Mr.. Van
Buren, of it.
One word more. We scorn to make any serious
of the "Richmond Times" But this is
not the first time that it has stopped to do gross
injustice to the editor Of the Onion" We might
have expected better things from its editors; but
the false model which they apparently seek to
initiate has entirely msled them. The erich
mond Wing" is hackneyed in all the arts of
Its editor has abused his talents
he has sunk the true dignity Of his calling in the
fury Of his passions and the iliberality of his at
tacks. He might have been something, if he had
done his duty as high-mnded gentleman; but now
he is next to nothing. He might have raised the
dignity Of the press by his talents-he has lower
ed it by his abuse. We defy him to injure us; but
let not the "Richmond Times" expect to accom-
plish, by similar weapons, what the editor of
the "Whig" has in vain attempted to do for
more than twenty years. They are only lower
ing themselves by Initiating the false model which
their neighbor has set them Leave to him the
silly sneer, the ridiculous misrepresentation the I'M
generous ascripton Of the worst motives, and the
idle ephets in the place Of solid arguments. These
suit his character habits and temper far better than
they become the more youthful, and we should
hope the more generous editors Of the "Richmond
Times"