Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1858-03-23

1t is their vocation to make public
opinion here against the intrepid senti.
ments of the people; to bully in the hotels,
to infest the rooms of members, TO
"pump" the new arrivals, to eoax the
doubtful, TO intimidate the week, TO supply
false motives for honest difference, TO
IfiIl the town with rumors of detection
among the friends of the Right, to fatter
power, and to applaud to the echo of
evrything that falls from the lips of great
ness. Sir" said a wise and good man
to me on one occasion, several years ago,
"INe President rarely hears tile truth.
He is surrounded with sycophants, who
saws only what pleases him." How often
this profound truth is illustrated 1t is
said that Frederick. the Great--I think
LORD Brougham's short sketch of him
contains the sentiment-would sometimes
demand of his ministers to talk TO him
boldly; and when they did he would lose
his temper, and beat tbem for their van-
dor. There are many good, brave men in
Washington to-day who would give their
worst Of thoughts the worst of words,
if they had the chance. But the eye
of greatness has no welcome-the ear
of greatness no harrington such
men. If they attempt to speak out,
they are turned away or left standing
"alone in their glory" Let me give you
the last instance Of the way things are done
here. One Of the best men ever sent from
Western Pennsylvania to our State Leg
islaLure was Maxw ell Nc Caslin. His very
name is houshold word in Washington,
Fayette, and Greene. Everybody liked
him during his long residence in the lat
ter country. Honest, faithful, intelligent,
and brave, he was a fine specimen of
that Scottish Irish element which has in.
fused so many sterling traits into our
Pennsylvania character.
Well, Maxwell is not over rich; and 30,
after having served his constituents with
honor, for many years, he asked for and
obtained an Indian Agency in Kansas,
about two years ago, from President
Pierce. He had been Buchanan stand
rd-bearer in Green county Cor, l think,
some fifteen years, fighting our excel
lent friend John l.. Dawson, in many a
hard contest, when the latter led the anti
Buchanan column in the West. 1t was
natuI al that a man should feel free to
speak the truth " ithout fear, especially to
save his old chief, Mr.. Buchanan, from
harm.
Maxwell McCaslin saw the wicked and
merciless tyranny in Kanzas His honest
nature revolted at it. He saw the man he
had labored for about to be damaged by the
authors of this bad vilainy What did
he do? Did he wait to think of himself?
No! Like a man who sees his brother in
peril-for Maxwell Nc Caslin is about Mr..
Buchanan's age-he rushed in to save
him. He wrote imploring letters from
the Territory, telling the powers here,
that they were deceived. He begged
them to halt in their career. He told
them that the people of Kansas never
would submit 10 Lecompton, and that it
was cruelty to ask them TO submit to it.
He appealed to the friends Of the Presi
dent to drive off the vermin from that Ter
ritory, who wereshere besieg;ng power,
and deluding and deceiving the Execu-
tive.
These letters, written in all the ardor
of old friendship, and in the credulous be-
lief that no one would question their SIN
cerity-alas! vain hope--cost him his
head. One of them got into the "Press''
through Mr.. Kincaid, of Greene, now a
member Of our Legislature. 1t doomed
the writer. On Tuesday last he was re-
moved from his little place, and his sue
cessor appointed. I can realize how this
act of grace will be received in Greene
county, and all along that rebellious from
tier.
How he did write, let the following ex
tract from one Of his last letters, (Which
cannot injure him mow,) speak to the
reader: ''If the Lecompton Constitution
is adopted, and the election Of the 4th of
January is given to the fire-eaters under
Calhoun, it will not only make dark day
in Kansas, but all over the Union" elf
the President had stood his ground with
Governor Walker, amidst the million of
conservative men aoho sCould haze rallied
around him, 6otA North and South all
would have been aoeU THE GREAT
AND GLORIOUS DEMOCRACY
WOULD HAVE MAINTAINED ITS |
CONSISTENCY, AND OOD
UPON THE PILLARS OF E T E R.
NAL TRUTH AND JUSTICE" This !
fatal letter is dated on the 18th of Febru
ary.