Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-10-15
A Strange DEVELOPMENT.

4 A Strange Development.
Singular Conduct Of Thomas E,eing. Secretary
9fthe Interior.
We have noticed the following paraoraub i.
several OF our northern and western exchanges;
heard good story this morning of Secretarv
tsv,,, ahd from The source, cannot question lis
truth. MIR. Ewing wanted house Mr.. Douolas
mad house Mr. Ewing went to Mr. Douglas and
proposed certain alterations, improvements. re
and by way Of an inducement, told Mr.. Douglas
that II ne would let him have the house at low rent.
make the improvements, &C., he should have an ,n
polntment Mr.. Douglas asked what appointment.
MI Ewing told him he should have Jenny Mn.
hers place as gardener and superintendent of the
public grounds The bargain was made, the i'm
pro'ement was as made and Secretary Ewing moved
IN Jenny Maher heard that Douglas was to suc-
coed him. Jenny wrote to M. Clay, and Mr.
Clay wrote to Gen. Taylor. Jenny was apponf
ed by Mr. Adams, and had a sort Of fee. simple in
| the soil; ne could not be removed. Secretary Ew-
irg moved out OF the house, and Douglas took pos
| session
| As discreditabe as the transaction is to Mr.
Ewing, we believe the facts related in the extract
above are substantially true, with the exceptions
that Mr. Ewing did not make in person the prop
ostion to Mr.. Douglas to appoint him public gar
dener in place of Mr.. Maher, in consideration that
he would let him have his house at low rent.
We believe the circumstances are as follows, as
we have them from the best authority. Mr.. Doug.
las, very skiliul and we'll known gardener and
| florist in this city, has large, fine, commodious
dwelling house in the neghborhood Of the public
departments. He has heretofore rented it at 500
per annum Shortly after Mr. Ewing was an
pointed Secretary of the Interior. he (kr Ewnpl
and another person came to Mr.. Douglas, examin-
ed the house, and proposed to rent it, No agree.
ment, as we understand. was then made. After
wards, the same person who accompanied Mr.,
Ewing when he first examined the house. came
to MIR. Douglas ard proposed that he should 90
with him to see Mr. Ewing in relation to the house.
| They both went, and on the way, or before thew
| started, this individual remarked to Mr.. Douglas
that he should put the rent low, because if he did
he tuould get the appointment Of public gardener.
MIR. Douglas acting upon the hint thus thrown out
by M. Ewlng's friend, put the rent of the house
at S4OO and agreed to convert room used for seed
room and storage into two commodious parlors,
thus making the house worth in fact $500 per
annum Mr.. E,cing bargained ,cith him for ths
house at the rent Of $500, aeeL knoacing that il
not than halt the amount the house acould
| rent TOR, amt Of course krc,cing that son,thing
else acas expected Of him to make up the balance.
Fie then superintendent the repairs and additions
which when completed cost Mr.. Douglas nearly
$500, and finally entered and occupied the house.
In the mean time he constantly assured Mr.. d.,
4
the office Of public gardener but kept putting him
off with one excuse after another for not making
the appointment. He advised Mr.. Douglas to
get the recommendations of members of Congress.
In order TO oEuy the appointment, and to strength
en- his hands in making it. He wanted also the
recommendation Of MIR Abbot Lawrence; and the
latter assured friend Of Mr.. Douglas that he did
call on Mr.. Ewing and recommend his appoint
ment. Mr.. Ewing also gave to others the inn
preston that Mr.. Douglas would be appointed
and one member Of Congress in letter to Mr..
Douglas, which we have before US, although he
admits he was in favor Of another Individual adds.
you will get the sltaation.' Mr. Ewing con-
tnued to impress upon the mind of Mr. Douglas
that he should receive the appointment, but yet
delayed, OF was anable, TO persuade Gen. Taylor
to consent to it. The affair continued in this state
until Mr.. Douglas, suspecting that he had been
trlf1ed with and cheated, would 40 longer submit
to this neglect Oh the part of Mr.. Ewing to ful6l
his part of the bargain, and he addressed him an
indignant letter, intInatlng to him at the close that
he would never have lease for the house. MIR.
Ewing had, in the mean time, moved into it, got
his furniture matched and his carpets put down.
And finally considering the bargain broken on the
part of Mr.. Ewing, by his falling to give him the
apreiatment OF pablic gardener, Mr.. Duaglas re-.
CURED Mr. Ewng to qait the premises. At this
stage of the business, MIR. Ewing employed an at
torney Of this city to procure lease from Mr..
! Douglas and accordingly, with that view he had
an interview with Mr.. Douglas, then at work in
his field, in which he desired Mr.. Douglas to sign
a lease that he had with him. Mr.. ID. refused on
the gronad Of the failure by Ewing 70 perform his
part OF the contract. The attorney Threatened u
compel him by bill in equity for specific perform
4 ance. Mr. ID. treated his threats with contemps.
he then wished to arrange it some other way
but Mr.. ID. told him that Ewing should leave his
house, and that he shoald not allow him to remain
for any amonnt of rent. The agent seeing there
was no other alternative, made an arrangement by
which Mr.. Ewing was to vacae the house in q
certain number Of days 1--WE believe fve) from that
time; and he did pack up 'bag and baggage"
being virtually turned out Of the house by MIR.
! Douglas
Afterwards attempts were made to hush up the
matter, and keep it from the public ear and. with
that view, Mr. Douglas was approached by ndi-
viduals, and among others by respectable female
acquaintance of Mr. Ewing's family, who
had an interview with Mr.. d., and advised him
not tosay any thing about the affair, but to hush
it up, saying to him that Mr.. Ewing was high in
public; office, had great deal Of influence, and
would injure him his business. Mr. d. replied,
bidding defiance to all the threats as to the power
of MIR. Ewing. And thus the matter stands.
Thecase ssmply this Ewing wanted Douglass
house, s. went to him with friend in order 10 rent
it. Afterwards that friend came to Douglas, took
him to Ewing, and on the way suggested 10 him
that he put the rent loeo, he ,could get the tDcs
Of public gardener, scorth 81 200 per annum-
Douglas, desiring the office, agreed to take $500
after making all required alterations, and Mr..
Ewing agreed to give il kno,cing that it ras not
more than half ,vhat such house acoald rent for.
He subsequently,, by numerous acts, which have
been detailed to US, but for which we have not
room, constantly held out the idea to Douglas that
: he should have the office. On the 9TH Of June,
in personal interview with Douglas he promised
to turn Maher out, and urged Douglas to get the
names Of members of Congress in order to for,ify
his appointment. And even on the 18th day Of
July, his son, Thomas Ewing, 1r., wrote to Mr.
e Douglas as follows:
| nDear Sir. EnLher sn,s that he thinks L. .r;A