The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1858-04-02
APOLITICAL PICTURE.
John W. Forney's Account Of the Ad-
niaiStration al Washington.

John W. F0TneyS Account ~ INC h"-
miniStration ot Washington.
| left Philadelphia on Wednesday on a
hurried visit to some friends here and Will
return, God willing, by this evenings
train, carrying with me this hurried letter,
which must take the place of my usual
word in the Press of tomorrow. What
difference between March, 1857, and 1888
dwell upon it with surprise and grief
One year ago the country was full OF con-
tent, and at peace with itself. The hearts
of all our people beat responsively to no
bic inaugural, and the hands of men OF all
parties were uplifted to support and to
strengthen our venerable President. The
Democrats were united and joyous, and
gazed hopefully into a tranquil and VIC
torious future The Republicans were
dismaycd, and new political combinations
were abandoned before the prospect of a
wise and patriotic policy. Mr.. Stewart
in the Senate; Mr.. Stanton, i'll the House,
Mr.. Greely, in the Tribune, instead Of
preparing new weapons of attack upon the
Administration, were turning their thO'ts
to those substantial questions upon which
all men agree in this happy country
Even the Americans, few in number,
could see no profit in faction, and were
quietly considering their plans. The cx-
treme South SO apt to chate into a passion
was a. calm "a summers morning. Con-
servatism, i'll Its very best sense, had taken
| NOS pf "a N
fenced President, sure and sagacious
Cabinet, a ready Senate i'll session, and a
still more willing House preparing for its
new terin-these constituted the sterling
supcrstructurc Of an enduring condition OF
national prosperity.
And what change has one year pro-
duced ? | can hardly believe my senses
that am writing from the Capital of my
country, and that my old friend-he to
whom have borne almost filial relations
from my boyhood-he to whom have
contidcd my few hopes and fears-hc for
whom | dared the frowns of foes, and for
whom, during four long years in the lower
House OF Congress the patronage in Inv
! gift was fearlessly bestowed, and he knows
how gladly and how spontaneously Y, too
| can hardly believe my senses that this is
the city of Washington, and that James
buchanan is President.
What is the aspect now? One wide
Reign of Terror. A tent is erected here
like some horrid instrument of torture,
upon which Democrats sre tried and exc
cuted for their opinions. The work Of
decapitation has ceased against lifetime
foes, and is now waged upon old and cher
shcd friends. Men are removed and cal
minated, not for being opposed to Demo
cratic principles, but for being too much
in favor of them. The humblcst clerk, with
his little family who struggles along on
his thousand dollars year, must hide his
sentiments or leave his place. For the
bold and upright Democrat who dares %
think aloud, there is "a short smift. If he
has an Office he must be ready for the
ominous cartel of dismissal on the instant
If he is an independent citizen, he is ex-
cluded from the departments and from
the White House like a common lepcr.
An army Of spies are on the alert, hunting
for victims. Wo to the unguarded gen
tlemcn who, in the presence of one of these
eager eavcs-droppers, may let fall a free
opinion. 1t is at once caught up and car
RED, with no lack of exaggeration, to the
ear of power. If there is on this round
globe race more despised in civilized So
cicty than any other it is the race of in
formers. The noblest invcctiye of the
noblest of Irish orators has made them inn
mortally infamous. These mercenarics
now hold high service in Washington. |
could name several of them from our own
State, but forbear for the honor of Penn
sylvania They glory in their shameless
trade. Broken i'll fortune, reckless Of their
own fame, laughing at conscience in others
and rejecting it for themselves, they swarm
here, anxious to earn their guilty wages.
The most of these creatures, happily, arc
the men who have pursued and prosecuted
the President with the same venom which
they now display towards those who differ
from his Kansas policy.
1t is their vocation to make public OPP
Inion here against the intrepid senti-
ment of the people to bully in the hotels,
to infest the rooms of members, to pump
the new arrivals, to coax the doubtful, to
intimidate the weak, to supply false mo-
tives for honest differences, TO fill the town
with rumors of detection among friends
of the right, to flatter power, and to ap-
plaud to the echo everything that falls
from the lips of greatness. " SIR said
wise and good man to me on one occa-
sion, several years ago the President rarely
hears the truth. He is surrounded with
sycophants, who only say what plcascs
him" How often this profound truth is
illustrated 1t is stated that Frederick the
Great think Lord Brougham's short
sketch of him contains the statement
would sometimes icmand of his Min
listers to talk to him boldly; and
when they did he would lose his
temper, and beat them for their can
dor There are many good, brave men il
i 1 sl.tt