Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1851-11-06
OUR NEW YORK CORRESPONDENTS.
New York, Oct. IS, 1851.

NEW YORK, Oct. %, 1891.
EDlroRs OF THE HAwK-EYE:
The big guns OF the Locotoco party are ilitting
round the country ut great rate, oStens, bly, for
recreative purposes, but really for the purpose of
pushing upon the party their eva claims, or
those of their friends for the Baltimore nominal
ton ! see that Sam. Houston has been making
d great Unioa speech somewhere in Texas. Why
didn't Sam come out fat-footed and rcpudiate the
sentiments attributed TO him in the Donaldson and
Greer correspondence? He knows that every
letter published in the New York Herald was
genuine.
| ca1 unravel the mystery TO You, 10 a certain
extent. will tell honestly what do know H.
boat this correspondence, and what don't know.
4 Young man connected with 4 widely ci7cU-
lated viii. paper OF this city called on me-, one
dav. and. in Il roundabout mysterious manner,
told tne that he had in his possession letters from
the most prominent democrats in thc United
States--he may have said copies OF the letters,
and that he bad copied them from the original;
but think he said that he had the letters them
selves. thought at first from the whole tenor
of his conversation that he had some private end
in view. apart from the political purposes he
might wish TO accomplish, 80 continued writing
bain- very busy. However, he ken talking, for
some hours, daring which he told m that Na-
thanel Ii. Greer Of Iowa. had been in this city
for some time and had been writing TO promi
nent democrats all over the Union. requesting
their views on the time and place Of ho!djnr the
next National Democratic Convention, and on
such other topics connected with the next Presi-
dental campaign as hey might think fit 10 write
upon. Ny informant then told me that friend
of his who is a Land Reform Locofoco leader,
was in the confidence of Greer. and that. through
this friend, he, (my informant,l had got TO see
the correspondence. The yong man is himself
a Land Reformer, though whig; hence his init
macy with Locofoco Of the same views, and
hence the doable motive of each in causing the
correspondence TO be published--frst, 20 kill off
sam, and secondly, to make Walkers chance bet
ter. Nv informant preferred, as a wing, 10 fight
against Walker, rather than against Houston, ant
he also preferred it, as a Land Reformer, for OBJ
v.ous reasons; while his Locofoco Land Reform
friend wished, of course, TO kill Off Sam.
We'll, after some time, it was minated 10 me
that might have the correspondence. and make
what use Of it | chose, but as | was COO! on the
subject, the youug man to whom refer sat down
and wrote out for me the points of several Of the
letters that have since made SO much talk, and
promised me that if used them he wonld far
nish me with more. 4 few days after, read the
notes he had left me- and was at once convinced
of The Importance Of the correspondence. I had
got over my hurry and had time TO reflect
therefore endeavored 10 procure it, bat could not
find my man, that day; and the next morning. out
ii all came in the Herald. | should here remark
that all The information that was given 70 me- at
the interview referred to above, was used b. ma
IN three o. four papers for which | correspond.
This correspondence of mine was referred 10
in the leading editorial paragraph of the Herald
Introducing THE correspondence.
Shortly after the appearance in the Herald Of
the correspondence" friend informed me that
the Young man who had previously offered it to
me was very mach afraid of getting into an awl-
ward scrape--'hat he had been psrsona!ing Greer
of Iowa, and obtaining replies from influential
democrats to letters that he had signed chatham
lei II. Greer" and that he had obtained legal ad-
vice as to what punishment the conviction Of hay-
ing peesonated Mr. Greer would subject him. l
have since seen the young wing and his locofoco
Land Reform friend, several times; but have
never spoken to them directly ON the subject. It
has been indirectly referred TO, however. with
laugh, on both sides. Now that have told
you what do know on the subject. will con-
clude by telling You what do not know. do
not know positively whether the young man to
whom have referred. and his friend, personatei
Mr. Greer; whether they exchanged packages"
or whether Greer actually gave them the letters
However, | can find out. One Of these three
things is certain.
in Tammany Hall, measures are being taken
to fost Stephen \. Douglas upon the Demo-
cratic party. as the candidate for the Presidency
in 80. on Elijah Purdy, Alexander NJ. Alling,
anc others we'll known as manufacturers OF pub
lie opinion in regard to Democratic measures,
have been brought over, body and soul, to his