The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-03-22
WASHINGTON CITY, d. c., March 10, ls4s
To the Editor of the Union:

10 me EdHOf 81 me Union:
SIR: To a sensitive mind, there can be no situation
conceived in life dsagreeable less enyiabe, than
that OF the incumbent OF public office under our gov
eminent His situation under all circumstances, to say
the least of them, al the very best is embarrassing No
matter what his quahcation-no matter with what
fidelity he discharges the onerous duties pertaining
to his Office he is liable to be assaed at every step, his
best intentions perverted, his integrity doubted and,
finally, it may be, his very honesty questioned. | was
led 10 this train OF reasoning, and arrived at the above
conclusions, looking the debate of the 10th inst
in the House OF Representatives, (as published in the
lntegenc6r,) growing out OF an amendment made by
Mr. Hail. of New York, to "bill requiring all the pub
lie to be paid into the treasury without abate
ment, and Tor other purposes" The gentleman from
New York, after enlghtening the House with the dis
covery of and discrepancies OF the reports of
the public officers generally, and the report of the Secre
tary of the Treasury in particular uses the following
emphatic and significant language:
He hoped there nothing wrong for the sake of the
Secretary and he hoped for the sake of the county
if fame did not do the Secretary injustice, there
condition that in of wrong, would give the country
slightest promise OF indemnity for the past or secu
rty for the future"
To me, sir, an observer and locker at present of
passing events, these remarks of the gentleman from
New York to me to be unjust, injurious and, to
say the least of them, wholly gratuous. have read
that the private affairs of the Secretary OF the Treasury
were before the House, or even alluded to- No other
conclusion, them be arrived at after reading the
text of the remarks of the gentleman from Now York,
together with the extract above quoted than m nnu
endo that the Secretary of the Treasury has wituy by
false statements and discrepancies perverted the funds Of
The treasury and appropriated them to his own use and
purposes
The writer of this article has had long acquaintance
with the Secretary of the Treasuyt may be of fifteen.
may be OF twenty years standing He has known him
in prosperity and he known him in adversely He
knows that Mr., Walker has many bitter, uncompromis
ing, and "unprincpled" political enemies In using
the term unprincipled political enemy, desire to be
understood to mean those who speak against him from
common fame" having the opportunity OF knowing
learning the total tasehood of such statements derogato
y his private character but fail to do so and prefer
eiterate The vile Islander in whispers, insinuatons and
nnuendoes, with additions and variations; and that too,
under circumstances when he has not the pitifu prvi
lege of replying to or refuting them.
In the circle OF acquaintance rather extensive than
otherwise, the character quail fcatons and business
habits of Mr. Walker have been freely and fully canvass
ed upon in Mississippi early 1880, by both his per-
fore heard whisper against his private character for
honesty. | remember WE'LL that during his canvass
OF that State for senatorial honors against the Hon. Geo
81 ns wksr En- ne p
him Heaven, earth the very depths of the boltomess
pitt ransacked TO fix upon him, or upon his escutch
con- some one fact or act Of his whole life to show the
good citizens of Mississippi that he unworthy
their confidence Yet in all that hard-fought battle for
political ascendency the word dishonesty soiled not the
breath OF opposition to him.
the harsh language Of charging upon the Secretary
of the Treasury the crime OF embezzlement of the public
funds, he will avail himself OF a suitable opportun
ty, at early day, to dIsavow such mpuation against
him. sheer &C, of justice Because, if the facts are
true stated in his rgument upon the occasion referred
to, there is manly and strag way of bring
ing him for IT, without resortng to the subter
uge ef stabong his victim in the hack in the dark with
his hands tied.
Differing. as the writer does, from Mr. Walker in
many OF the leading political questions of the day, pres.
en and past, yet he cheerfu accods to him honesty of
purpose public and private and in writing down the
Impressions on his own mind, made by reading the
avoid discussion scrutiny in the acts of the Secretary
Secretary of the Treasury by the House OF Represent
atves its MEMBERS but he does think that such discus
sion and scrutiny should be confined his public and
not the fame" of his private life; Of neither of
which would he his friends fear the result from nves
tigation if conducted upon the commonest rules of pro-
priety or decency A MlSSISSTPPIAN