The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-01-31
The Presidents Gardener.


In the recent report of the Potter nvestigat.
ing Committee, the following case appears
JOHN WATT, LIEUTENANT u. S. ARMY.
Mr. Watt formerly occupied the position OF
public gardener at the President house, under
Mr.. Buchanan, but u few months since WIS ap
pointed FIRST Lcutena IN the United States
army.
Lewis Clephane, Postmaster of tie City Of
| ashipgton, tes,liies that .unn W att, gardener
at tho Presidents house, had the reputation OF
being in league with the secessionlsls; his asso.
Citations are such rs 70 lead any one to SO regard
him.
John Plant, an employee at the Capitol, ties.
titles that the associations Of John W att, gar
dener At the Presidents house, are with known
secessonls.s and very Intimately SO.
Il. ". Gray OF Philadelphia, testlies that on
the Sunday week following the battle of Ball
Run be met John Watt, gardener at the Presi-
dent 8 house, at the ST Lawrence Hotel in Phil.
adel phia. Heard Watt say, that the Southern
Con!ederacy musG be acknowledged that the
United States never could conquer the South. ;
He also said, that the officers OF the Union army
were OF no account; anu spoke highly Of the
Southern officers, ard saiu that JEFF. Davis was
the best and bravest man in Auerlca.' In the
course OF .urther conversation, Watt said, that
| the Union army was composed Of rubbish, and
that the soldiers were towards.
Franklin Smith of Philadelphia, testiies to
being present at the St. Lawrence Hotel, Phila-
delpnia, when the conversation took place allu-
ded TO by the former witness. lie corroborales
, the above statement, and adds, that Watt, on
that occasion, abused the Federal army say Ing
that it wAs composed Of Rubbish and that they
were towards. The witness further states that
Watt and his companions On the occssion aliu.
ded to, were mlc; elatcd ut tho result OF the
/ bastlo of Bul! Eun, and were very lGea in ex~
pressing; their feelings.
! 1t is proper to state in this connection, that
more than TWO weeks before the appointment Of
MIR. att as {. lieutenant in the army. the
Chairman informed the President tnat testlmo'
ny had been taken before the Committee gravely
lmpeachng tho loyalty OF that person, VITO Was
then acting gardener at the White House /;
and furthermore, that on the 12lh day Of Sep,
TENDER, u copy of the evidence was inclosed, ac-
conpanied by the following note
WASHINGTON CITY. Sept. II, 1861.
Mr.. PRESIDENT herewith transmit min
ntes Ut the evidence taken before the lnyest;oa.
ting Committee of the House of Representa-
tlves, against Mr.. Watt, the gardener at the
White House, and other persons occupying no.
stions at the White House. | do this from a
sense OF public duty.
As this evidence will be laid before the
House of Representatives, tho Comm t,ee.,t en-
Improper and respectful to submit tho same 70
you, III order that you may take such action in
the premises, as i'll your judgment you may
deeU proper Very respectfully,
JoAN z. POTTER.
49," Chairman investigating Committee.'
Inc Committee can oniy aud an expression of
surprise that in the lace Of -uci. testimony. -.
man clearly disloyal, instead of being instantly
removed, should nave been elevated to p bigber
'.nd more responsible position.
Our readers viii remember tia, this nou,ina-
ton of JOAN Watt, as n Licutcpan., Was reject
cd almost with cheer, when it Was acted upon
by tic Senate. What position Watt ROW holds
in tho Presidents household. CT in the Gnv.r,
mcnt. does n 7 lupror