American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-07-31
[Communicated.l
"Michigan," etc.

Michigan" otc.
There need be no controversy between me
and " Michigan" relative to what Messrs. Cass
and Buel did, or did not, in the matter Of ask
ing the retention Of Mr.. Indian Agent Sprague,
the Abolitionist, in Office
Michigan" should recollect that, in the
first place, / used the statement that those gem
tlemen had interested themselves to keep Mr..
Sprague in Office, as coming from Mr.. Secre-
tary Stuarts defenders, and ridiculed the poor
excuse thus cited for Mr.. Secretary Stuarts
conduct in retaining such an Abolitionist in
office. If Michigan" can knock out the trotters
from under this flimsy excuse for Mr.. Stuarts
dereliction of duty to the platform he laid down
in his Richmond speech, by showing that neither
Gov. Cass nor Mr. Buel has done any thing to
keep Mr.. Sprague in an Office which the Wing
party of Michigan do not wish him to hold,
yield my hearty consent that he shall do 80.
My structures upon Mr. Buels letter con-
ceived to be legitimate. He might have quoted
the whole statement and then corrected it, so
far as he had been connected with it. The
public would have asked nothing more Of him
in the matter. Candor could scarcely have
asked any thing less.
still think "Michigan'' mistaken in his de-
claration that Gov Cass has not written, or
made, request that Mr.. Sprague should not
be removed. But if he will get Gov. Cass to
say so, the thing will then be made clear, Mr..
Buel having already spoken for himself in the
matter. | think / know Gov. Cass's way Of
doing political things little better than
/" Michigan" does, and therefore " Michigan"
must excuse me for believing the statement
made by Mr.. Secretary Stuart's defenders in
relation to him until the Michigan Senator has
been heard from.
1t strikes me that Gov. Cass, in the Senate,
specially supported the nominations Of Mr..
Commissioner Ewbank, Mr.. Commissioner But
terfeld, Mr.. Collector Lewis, and Mr.. Collector
Greeley, because he had good evidence that they
were all very Objectionable to the great body Of
the Wing party, and that their combinations
by the Senate would be well calculated to help
divide and distract the Wing party. may err
in my judgment, but that is my candid opinion
Of Gov. Cass as politician. Indeed Demo-
cratic gentleman informed me at the time it
happened, that he went to GOV. Cass to urge
him to 90 for the confirmation of Collector
Greeley, Of Boston, upon the ground that Gree
ley retained many Democrats in Office, and that,
if rejected, he would be succeeded by Gov. Levi
Lincoln, who would turn all the Democratic
incumbents out of Office the moment he found
himself at the head of the custom house.
"Well," said Gov. Cass, with rich, knowing
political look, sit will be best then to confirm
Greeley's nomination 20
The declaration Of Michigan" that Gov
Cass could have no motive for wishing to divide
and distract the Wing party Of his State, be-
cause the Wing party there is in a small minor
ity, will not take as political gospel with every
body, when it is recollected that Michigan, at
her last election of Congressman, sent two
Union Wings to one Democrat to the National
House of Representatives. Gov. Cass knows
what he is about always.
In abiding to my former communications
!" Michigan" says:
"By belaboring Democrats, he throws no
discredit upon them, but charges his own party
with servility to the influence of the Democ-
racy!"
Very well; it is just what mean to charge
upon the leaders of the Wing party now in
power-that they are guilty Of servility to the
influence of the Democracy. Else why have
they kept, and why do they still keep, Major
Glass; the son of the Senator, at Rome as the
resident minister of the United States Else
why does Mr.. Postmaster General Hall retain
large majority of Democrats in the principal
Offices in his Department? Else why does Mr..
Secretary Webster do the same thing? Else
why do Messrs. Secretaries Corwin, Conrad,
Stuart, and Graham do the same thingf Else
why did Mr.. Crittenden, the Attorney General,
use his influence with Congress, to get that body,
which has increased his own salary believe to
So, 500, to create in his bureaus new office with
a salary of $4,000, that he might confer the same
upon Judge Bib, the Democratic Secretary Of
the Treasury, who had helped John Tyler with
all his might to break down the Wing party
What if Mr.. Crittenden had studied law in the
office Of Judge Bibb? Was that any reason
why he should get the Government to repay
the obligation for him2 Not contented with
getting his sons and other relatives in good fat
Offices, all about the country and abroad, Mr..
Attorney General Crittenden must needs get
Congress to create new Office for him to be-
stow upon that Democrat who had done his best
to defeat and crush Henry Clay.
But enough for this communication. shall
have much more to offer about Mr.. Attorney
General Crittenden, and his shamefully ridicu-
lous letter withdrawing the conduct of Mar
shall Devans of Boston, on some future occasion
ARIsTIDEs.