The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-10-25
srcREr POLITICAL HISTORY,

SECRET POLITICAL HISTORY,
No. rsAanx the Intrigues and Tergiversa-
aae.s Or the spoils Cabinet ON the French
lGassssa.
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE NEW YORK HERALD.
WASHINGTON Oct. q 1885,
me history Of the French mission shows the admins
rston to be destitute of veracity and honor the
general character Of its foreign appointments it to-
be of wisdsm and ssgacity.
Altar the accession Of General Pierce to the Presidency
ble difficulty experienced filing satsfac
tarv the place of Assistant Treasurer in New York
Finally il was thought that the appointment OF General
Jshn A. Dix would tend than that of any else to
harnonixs the feuds existing there and the place vas
rendered TO him At the time he informed by
letter from the President that the acceptance of the
Place of Assistant Treasurer would constitute obstacle
to his being named to another place to which II was in
couteu platoon TO appoint him General Dix wrote, in
reUv. that he had great, if not insuperable cbjec
items to accepting the Office of Assistant Treasurer
INIT promising a definite answer to the tender which
lad been made to him within few days bat
bsfors the time within which his final to
have trapsnittes General Dix received teleyraphc
dispatch from this city, signed probably by John Smith
or William Brown, inviting him to visit this capital
Hs came had an nterve with the President, and
assured by him that il had been determined with the
unanimous appreciation of the Cabinet, to appoint him
Minister France and that it desired that he should
70 at an early day G, neral DIX considering the action
of the whole Cabinet and the plghted word OF the Pre-
sdent Of the United States sufficient guaranty though
not secured by bond and SEAL for what they promised
accepted the appointment Of Assistant Treasurer before
leaving Washington, and returned TO NeS York 10
sumo It's duties. RELYING implicitly on the agreement
that he should be relieved from those duties, and
Transferred to the French mission, he made and COM
petsd all his arrangements for the removal OF his family
10 France
But days and weeks passed and brought no further
intelligcace about the French mission After while,
there began to be mysterious svngs out OF the existence
Of some difficulty at Washington about making the ap
pointuaent. Then a letter from Gov. Marcy, re-
ausstpg Of Gen. Dix fresh committa and pledge
certain points of poll cal fah but regarding this un-
Aoubtedly as piece Of Sheer impertinence and pre-
sumption the part OF the cretary of State, Gen. DIX
treated the demand OF the great bear with silent cor
IL next event worth narratiag, in this interesting
history was q delectablr note from the White House
The fasasus ssrose scented lettr-of which account
given probably by the aid of the fairies who nhab
tsA By one of our special washington orr
But the General had been to Washington once on that
subject and he exhibited ." very ardent haste 70 come
liens Of dollars of the puolis money IN MS keeping ne
could leave home however great the pleasure which
visit TO the President might afford him. and added that
no one knew better than the President reluctantly
he accepted his present or and how DESTROYS he to
be released from it, This unlocked for answer
termpaton of correspondence which had not been
anticipated. 1t equivalent on the part OF General
Dix 20 anapping his 6ne in the face of the powers at
Wsshington and telling than if they wanted to break
their promise to break it openly and that they might
we'll themselves the trouble Oh
ABOUT this time the c harlsston Mercury and other
Southern and Southwestern papers came out decidedly IN
favor Of General Nxs appointment But there was an
old colleague of Marcy in the Cabinet OF President Polk
"A man from the Old Dominion,'a member of ono
If the frst families of that venerable commonwealth
who wanted the place which had been promised
T. General Dix. He was respectable gentleman
Of the slow coach order whom eminent statesman
ence remarked that his bsa of human hap
pness consisted in having his belly full OF oysters and
his hanls full of cards" He knew little French
fls dinlo but
Of ~ Cabinet a whose glory and his shame
coaised in the auth rshp and the exposition
himself in the Presidential chair was the ruling passion
Of that mans mind and that it was for future support
paat that he willing 10 This for the
French mission had organ patriarchal democratic
sheet the Richmond z, quirr. The Enquirer came out
pointnsnt full of calumneus assertions the proof Of
which Gen. Dix promptly demanded but 1t has never been
what course was now left open the spoii Cabinet
Gen Dix be got rid Of tbs fairies were SO com
% ~ longer no .n be ssev employed Accordingly
ecal nsssage der patched from Washington, with
as lsn the President stating substantially that the
earer would explain General Dix the Presidents views
q result was tina, General Dix immediately wrote to
~ PrsaAsat-wth however, much Of contemptsous feel
-. yst h napastvinpY5 WIN such authorized
nenoa Of the Presidents wishes, and to release him
Thsn the appointment Of the Hon. John Y. Mason as
Minister to Fran long before determined on, autho
xitAtvsly announced 1t made in the face of the
malignant attack of the Richmond Enquirer which still
that account must haze been peculiarly offensive to
General Dix and his friends.
Whatever may be said Of the propriey Of the original
promise TO General Dix certainly objections to
him discovered after it made TO justify psh
ate its nonfulflment; the contrary minute
and thorough investigation Of General Dx antecedents
showed him to be far les Objectionable TO the South than
had generally been Supposed and he had planted himself
firmly the Baltimore platform and avcwe himself in
favor q enforcing the Fugitive Slave law The point to
which speak is the iahlessness, the falsehood, which
has characterized the whole proceeding. The shame Of
such administration has but to be proclaimed TO be-
universally tit and acknowledged. And yet this ndivd
ual instance of personal treachery and deceit bat the
Legitimate fruit of that progate and abandoned system
upon which Marcy and his associates administering
the national government. Under their Infamous spoils
doctrine faith Is kept honor is sacred promise
binding when higher price BE- had for breaking it
than Is obtained by its fulhlment.
1t is further due to Dix to state that he has been
thrust before the country unsuccessful candidate
for foreign embassy tirey without any Instrumental
ty Of his and that when at earlier date til IN
have referred to above member Of Congress wrote to
Gen. Dix that he should propose his in that
ton 10 the President, the General immediately answered
that he should object to any such proceeding.
The price of Mr.. Masons appointment mas been paid
the Richmond E'4rarv has become Jealous supporter Of
the spois cabinet.
refer to the what numerous persons with whom
the President and his Cabinet have converssd the
subject for their confirmation Of this statement il any it
needs. TRUTH.