Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-11-10

\ the world to be tampered with-one of the
last to be used against a friend or for foe
/ the very last to wish to see Mr. Calhoun Presi
| dent--and the very first in favor of MI. Var
/ Buren. To turn him against his nature and
his feelings in all these particulars was peri
lous enterprise; but it was sGattempted--and
accomplished 40 szs-,sl azs . .essas~seaas So asa
| It has already been shown that the letter Of
Mr.. Gilmer was skilfully composed for its pur
pose all the accessories of its publication and
transmission to- Gen. j aekson we're equally
skilfully eontrived!' 1t was addressed to a
friend in Maryland, which was in the opposite
direction from the tocus of its origin 1t was
drawn out on the call of friend that is the
technical way of getting private letter before
the public. 1t was published in Baltimore
city where its writer did not i've And thus
the accessories of the publication were com
plete, and left the mind without suspicion that
the letter had germinated in warm southern
latitude. 1t was then ready to start on its
mission to Gen. Jackson but how to get it
there, without exciting suspicion, was the ques-
tlonsY Certainly Mr.. Gilmer would have been
the natural agent for the transmission of his
own letter but he stood too close to Mr. Cal
houn-was too much his friend and intimate
to make that a safe adventure A medium
was wanted, which would be conductor of
the letter and a non conductor of suspicion !;
and it was found in the person of Mr. Aaron
V. Brown But he was the friend Of Mr.
Van Buren, and it was necessary to approach
him through medium also, and one was found
in one of Mr. Gilmer's colleagues-beliered
to be Mr.. Hopkins, of the House, who came
from near the Tennessee line :. and through
him tho 1affap cbnd Mr. Prourp-a '5# Il "r'
And thus, conceived by one, written bv
another, published 10y third, aud transmitted
through two successive mediums, the missive
went upon its destination, and arrived safely
in the hands of General Jackson. 1t had a
complete success. He answered it promptly,
warmly, decidedly, aflirmatively. So fully did
it put him up to the point of immediate an
nexation that his impatience outstrpped ex-
pcctation. He counSelled haste-considered
the present the accepted time-and urged tile
seizure of the ''golden opportunity" which, if
lost now, might never return. The answer was
dated at the Hermitage, March II, l843, and
was received at Washington as soon as the
mailcou fetch it. OF course it came to Mr..
Brown to whom it belonged. and to whom it
was addressed !; but did not hear of it in his
hands. My first information Of it was in the
hands of Mr.. Gilmcr, in the hall of the House,
Immediately after its arrival-hc crossing the
hall with the letter in his hand, greatly elated
and showing it to confidential friend, with
many expressions of now confident triumph
over Mr.. Van Buren. The friend was permit
ted to read the letter, but with the understand
ing that nothing was to be said about it at
that time. .sit DfflES j, 9<"a 'i e''.fr f 4.et
M. Game,s then .erpiqjned to his f1-iienh the
purpose for rhich this letter Ind been uriHea
and sent la General J:ctson, and the use that
tcas iateadcd 10 be mode Of lis Gnsper, Gf
fdrora5h' 10 Tie designs of The. nnhcrs, '1rhicA
acas this Il ,cas to be prDduccd IN The nomina-
ting coaUention to orerthyoir Mr.. Van Buen
and gire IL. Calhoun the R0miaeti0sl, BOTH of
achom refe to be. intefrGgated beforehand; =; and
as II ,ras treH Enc trn 1rhat the aRSlref ar0ud be
-Caihoun far and Yam Buren against immc-
diate daRe10tion- and JQckson's anstcer coii.-
eadiag Wah, CaRhoamS, pouM turn The scnte ia
his taror, "alA bL0lr Ian BUfem sky high." -
This was the plan, and this the state Of the
game, at the end of February, 1913 but a
great deal remained to be done to perfect the
scheme 4 TlIe sentiment of the democratic par
ty was nearly unanimous for Mr. Van Buren,,
and time was wanted to undermine that senti-
ment,f Public opinion was not yet ripe for i'm
mediate annexation, and time was wanted to
cultivate that opinion There was no evidence
of any British domination or abolition plot in
Texas, and time was wanted to import one
from London All these operations required
time-more of it than. intcryencd before the
customary period for the meeting of the con
yention That period had been the month of
December preceding the year of the election,
nl pnJ+ +ho III,
since Congress presidential caucuses had been
broken down-that near position to Washing
ton being chosen for the convenient attendance
of that part the members of Congress who
charged themselves with these elections If
December remained the period for the meeting,
there would be no time for the large operations
which required to be performed for, to get
the delegates there in time, they must be elec-
ted beforehand, during the summer-so that
the working season OF the intriguers would be
reduced to a few months, when upwards of Il
year was required. To gain that time was the
first object, and squad of members, some in
the interest of Mr.. Calhoun, some protesting
friendship to Mr. Van Burcn, but secretly hos
tile to him, sat privately in the Capitol, almost
nightly, corresponding with all parts Of the
country to get the convention postponed. All
sorts of patriotic motives were assigned for this
desired postponemcnt, as that it would be more
convenient for the delegates to attend-nearer
to the time of electon-more time for public
opinion to mature and most favorable to de-
libcrate decision. But another device was fall
en- upon to obtain delay, the secret of which
was not put into the letters nor fconfded to
the body of the nightly committee 1t had so
happened that the opposite party--the Wings
Since the rout of the Congress Presidential
hcaucuses had also taken the same time and
place for their onventions--December and
| Baltimore-and doubtless for the same reason
THAT of the more convenient attending of the
Presidentniaking members of Congress and
this led to an intrigue with the wings, the
] knnwLsflr of which WIS confined to a very