The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-19
From the Union Of the l7th inst.
The Presidential Scape.goat.

The Presidential Scape-g0at
The following most remarkable paragraph APP
pears in late letter of the New York
of the London Daily Necs, the writer of which, it
is said, is person well informed in American poll
tics: E
with regard to our diplomacy, have recently
learned, from most unquestionable source, that
most of the apparent mistakes of Mr.. Clayton are
not his own, but have been made by General Tay-
lor himself The Poussin affair would not have
taken the turn it did but for his interference. The
conduct Of Mr.. Squier at Nicaragua is also said to
be far in advance of the instructions of MIR. Clay
ton, and General Taylor will have to take the re-
sponsibility Of this also Nay, more; about month
since Mr.. Clayton was SO vexed at the equivocal
position he occupied in consequence Of being held
responsible for acts of his department which are
against his wishes, that he actually threw up his
commission, and departed for his home in Della
ware, and he would not return until Major Bliss,
the Presidents son-in law, had been sent twice TO
call him back. He returned, but only on certain
concessions being made him-certain responsible
ties being assumed by the President, which will be
made public hereafter, to vindicate the policy of
the Secretary. This is state secret; il is entirely
unknown here, and, if known, would make SEN
sation. You may be assured, not more than three
or four persons in the United States in possess
sion Of the information which is now communi-
Gated to the readers of the Nescs. i must confess
/ feel some conjunction for having handled Mr.
Clayton 80 roughly in my correspondence. But ha
should have made known at an earlier period the
load of unpopuarity."
The Union accompanies the republica-
ton of the above extract with just such a
commentary as might have been expected
OF that adept in the casuistry of scandal.
'sThs is a most remarkable development" says
the Union, Sand shows either that General Taylor
is himself responsible for the gross and hexcusabe
bunders Of his Administration, resulting from his
ncapacity and his utter want of experience or that
his cabinet and particularly the Secretary of State,
is endeavoring TO produce the impression in Eu-
rope that the General has been the moving cause
of all those blunders which have brought ridicule
and contempt upon the Administration, both at
home and abroad"
II affects to believe that there is some
foundation for ssthe statements of the cor
respondent of the London paper" but elf
the correspondent of the London .Ne,os is
not correct in his explanation of the causes
of the stupid and dangerous blunders COM
mitted by the cabinet in relation TO the
matters TO which he alludes, il is evident
that Mr.. Clayton is now attempting to
produce the impression on the British
mind that General Taylor, not himself, is
responsible for those blunders which
brought so much disreputc and ridicule
upon the Administration.
1t takes il for granted that a scheme of
''trickery" is unfolded, but wants TO know
''if General Taylor is the hero' or "the
scape goat"
This is all the mere chicanery of pro-
fessional thimble-rigger in politics. II is
below the artifcc of an itinerant mounte-
bank, who exercises his craft with more
dignity, because his receptions, though
proclaimed as such, are less transparent
than the Unions solemnest bufoonery.
II is a fabrication, wool and filling. No
one knew this better than the Union did.
The extract from the "London paperv
was made Of "whole cloth," and for that
very reason the Union embroidered it with
offs" and "buts," with the industry and
zest Of a malignant crone. II was buck
ram fit for the Union's needle-work; and
the finished sampler would bother an ex-
pert in fancy-work to pronounce which
deserved most praise, the manufacturer or
the seamstress.
The whole extract bears such undoubt-
ed evidence Of IFS being the production of
some one whose revelations are marketa-
ble-as they are estate secrets" so exclu-
sively within the possession Of the writer
that they are known only to his invention
that it is only TO be wondered that the
London Ne'cs got the start of the Union
in its publication.