Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-05-05
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP

Still Under that Load Of Hay-F P Blair
has published o very long letter addressed to
the late Republican abolition meeting in New
York, designed evidently to cheat ignorant
persons at the North into the foolish fancy
that the Republican party of the day is the
legitimate descendant Of the Democratic party
Of Jackson's times, because jackson himself
always adhered to the Virginia custom (kept
up in the Old Dominion to this hour of styling
it (tbe Democratic) the Republican party"
Another very evident purpose of this singu-
lar epistle is to generate sympathy for him
self on account of the very shabby way (ac-
cording to his story in which the Democratic
party treated him in Folks time. "Our suf.
ferIngs IS intolerable" even to this hour, runs
through every passage of his remarkable let.
ter. He sets out to prove that Mr. Calhoun
and his party have nullifcationized the De-
mocrscy from stem to stern. He fights Mr..
Calhoun's ghost with energy and zeal borrow
ed evidently from his great political brother,
Col. Benton, who to this hour broods over his
assumed wrongs at the hands of the great
South Carolinian, and lives, so far as public
affairs are concerned, only for the delight he
takes in as'ailing that distinguished mans
memory with vituperative abuse and misrep-
reservations, which only 60 to make the i'm
preston more general, that he has entirely
lost his senses in tho intensity of his hatred
Of Mr.. G.
Blair again publishes, for the ninth or tenth
time, fragments of letters from General Jack
son, to him, Disappearing of the policy of Mr..
Polk in removing him (Blair) from the tripod
Of the organ of tho Democratic party, wrung
from the old hero by Blair's misrepresenta-
ticn Of the truth concerning that point in the
history of the Polk Administration The
reader who knows aught of the political his
tory Of those times, will perceive that Blair,
in the matter of misstating facts, has lost mono
OF the cunning of the pen with which he sue
eeeded ia making General jackson, then Just
lingering between life and death, believe his
multitude of SANDERS upon the honorable
and honest men whom be found it necessary
TO backbite to extract from him (Jsckson) a
disspproval of the very best thing done by Mr..
Polk, as Blairs subsequent malignant hatred
to the Democracy proves-the severance of
his (B.'s) connection with the United States
Treasury, so far as it was in his power so to
do.
Blair's allegation is, that Folks act in dis
missing him. was the result of an intrigue in
which Messrs. Calhoun, r. J Walker, Pick
ems, Ritchie, Armstrong, Nicholson, and many
ether gentlemen participated, and he pretends
to detail circumstances to make good his story.
We happen to know we'll the hitherto un-
published history fthe event, which is, in few
words as follows, viz: Blair, though nomi-
nally advocating the election of Mr.. Polk,
was well known by every Democrat in Con.
gress at the time, to be deadly hostile to that
gentleman and those by whom his nomina.
ton was effected, in whose triumph in the
Democratic National Convention he read tb.
sure declension of the power of the set who IN
common with Blair himself had ruled the
roost under Van Buren,. His expressions Of
bitter and unrelenting hostility to the annex
alton Of Texas, Mr.. Polk, the anti-Van Buren,
wing OF the party, &c, DC were so frequent
and public as TO induce individual Democrats
from nearly every State in the Union to urge
on the incoming President the necessity for
displacing him. The latter consented with
great reluctance, knowing that jackson owed
Blair go, 900 for money loaned before he left
washington; and that, independent of his
remarkable attachment TO all those who had
been hanging around him as his personal ad
herents, las Blair did, when filling his pock-
cts by 50 doing,) the old hero would stand by
any man who had helped him cut of his ne
cuniary troubles, as Blair did by that loan
TO the bitter end There was heroism in ack-
sons sentiment Of gratitude for the favor
but naught but selfish calculation on BIair,s
part In making the loan. He knew thu in
'es'ment was as safe as though that portion
CT the proceeds of the ill-requited favor Of tn.
DemocEatic party remained in his pocket
while 1t was drawing for him as high a rata
CT interest as any regular banker would dream
OF obtaining for so large an investment.
On reaching Washington, Mr. Polk became
satisfied, from the tone of the Democratic
members Of Congress on the subject, that the
retention Of Blair would surely bring his Ad.
ministration into minority in both Houses on
the instant they again assembled and he was
tnus confirmed in the disposition to make q
caange with which he set out for the Federal
city On consultation with Democrats msm.
Deis from all quarters Of the country bs
pitched upon Mr.. Richie to succsea R,.;.
and, at his request, Gen Thos n Rel -
Virginia, and one or two other distin,n;sh. \
Democrats of both Houses vrs,. .. =,
urging him to consent to remove to Washing
ton Mr.. Richie positively refused to tats
the subject into consideration, and his pc rcm.
tory repulse Of the proposition caused thoss
who were urging 1t to give over the idea in
despair At that time we were connected with
the Richmond Enquirer, as its Washington
correspondent, and correspondent also freely
with Mr. Kitchie on public affairs in letter;
Intended only for his own eye. We iudoed