The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-11-18

not IN the hot temper OF some sudden firt of the
Inauguration. Let the reader, therefore, listen to
us IN the same attentive spirit.
The Patent Office was robbed of these same
Jewels, or the most valuable of them once before,
and on that occasion the depreciation was commit
ted at the direction of an entanged telon by Tom
Hand, to accomplish his release. The criminal to
whom we allude was the renowned Tom Walker,
(the former companion OF the Webbs,) now in
Southern penitentary en- ten years sentence for
robbipg the mail. THIS man stood intcrocked
with some dozen or more OF daring and heavy
burgaries in Baltlm ore and New York; and hav-
ing no hope of compromise by ordinary means, he
summoned an outside friend or two TO his assis-
lance, and directed the Patent Office to be robbed.
Ii was done. A reward of 81 900 was offered tor
the recovery OF the property by the government:
" Let me slip through my present dangers" said
Tom Walker to certain confidential officers. "and
III turn up this government swag!' The experi.
enced officers took the hint and having made all
the necessary arrangements with the local district
attorneys, cunninqly advised the agents OF the
government TO raise the reward to fifteen hundred
dollars. The five hundred dollars were added;
when To- as il by magic, the trun containing the
missing jewels was found reposlng all ready to
the hands Of ".ye vigllant police" upon the deck
OF the brig Mary Bright; and Tom Walker,
maugre all his accumulated crimes, was hocus
pocussed into the open air. Noenquiry was made
after the thieves, and the government, with dirty
tondness for Its worthless baubles, paid the Lrice
for their recovery, without making any efforts to
vindcate its outraged laws; and the thieves went
by with Inc Wlnd-nO man 10 queStlOn them.
1t remains to be seen if this latter transaction
is to end IN the same way. For our part, we hope
it may not. We are opposed to compromise, in
toto. Rather than that the thieves should buy
single day from ten years sentence, onsObtain
shade OF faver for associate, by restitution, we
would see the jewels thrown into the sea, or con-
sumed before our eyes and we believe our own
ershp in them is great as that Of the President
himself They are worthless, in every sense I; IN
deed, mere baubles of barbarian caprice, and of
value purely visionary. AS trifling as they are,
however, they will not be hurt, and IN good time,
will all come back again. The altar of roses will
never be uncOrked, the thieves not fools enough
for that; the jewelled snuff box will remain unde-
spoiled, and the scabbard of the diamond. hlted
sword will never suffer under the cruclble or even
the scratch Of irreverent pin. This is matter,
however, that should give great government very
small concern. Its true inquiry is after the de-
spoilers, and It's legitimate aim, the punishment of
those who havs SO audacously defied Its laws.
VINO STOLE TIE GOVERNMENT JEWELS !-Under
this heading, the Herald, of yesterday, published
our hypothesis that the government jewels had
been stolen for the purpose Of forcing compro-
mise in favor of Charley Webb now In the State
prison. The calculation, whether 1t be worth any
thing or not, was ours, and reached the Herald by
having been dropped IN the hearing Of one of Its
reporters We are willing TO see the Herald far IN
advance, as it unquestonably is of all the rest of
the press, IN the ordinary departments of intell-
gence but in criminal intelligence, we shall in
sist upon claiming our own thunder. wherever we
see or hear it. The Herald can afford to say
word in this business.