Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-02-27
NUMBER 2O6.
Correspondence Of the Boston Transcript y
! The Rewards OF a Political
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\ itHaI MDFuO9Gs fIINl
Habitues of Washington, any time dur
| ing the last twenty years, will readily call
to mind one Of the "fixturesp of the old
National Hotel---for so many years the
headquarters of the politicians of the coun-
| try, during the sessions Of Congress-
obese form every afternoon, year after
year, occupied the well-Worn arm
chair 10 the dingy reading-room of the es-
adjustment, looking out on Pennsylvania
avenue: and who was the mentor Of Knot
of rusty octOgenarians, who still held In
ballOWed remembrance the good old times
OF President JacksOn's administration. i-,,
Those who knew his history might wen
ponder on the emptiness OF political ambi-
-ttonand contemn the struggle for Its vain
rewards. 10. I.r IA - Lrslpgt. .ir.li
Born In Essex county, Massachusetts
about sixty years ago, the first notable use
a political newspaper (The Iris In the town
of Haverhlll, In the year 1882, supporting
! Mr.. Caleb Cushing as Representative, to
Congress. Nowise daunted by successive
failures of his candidates for six years dhe
continued to advocate the claims of his first
political love, varying his editorial labors
by occasional services in packing a caucus,
and other Incidental emp1oyments OF con-
tested local elections, until, finally, In spite
OF bitter opposition, Mr.. Cushing was electt
ed, and the editors toll was brought to
successful end. One might naturally sup
pose that some adequate reward would now
have followed such faithful adherence; but,
In the political world especially, there ex.
lists certain class who make 1t q principle
of action to use friend as convenient coin
wherewith to purchase the fealty of an
enemy. To this principle Mr.. Cushing was
conscientious adherent, and manifested
his faith so truly In works, that the Door
editor, after having been slowly bled in
pocket, brain, and conscience, was at last,
toward the final stages of depletion, offered
up as sacrifice on the altar of political ex-
pediency. .... .......... ......,t
One might have supposed that this lesson
would have been salutary, but having once
''eaten of the insane root" of editorship its
love never thereafter left him, aud for an
entire lifetime he dabbled in similar pur-
suits. editing political newspaper-al-
ways that-now in Nashville, where, by
the way, he formed years ago the acquaint-
ance of the existing President; then in
Mobile, and finally conducting the CLAY
organ in Washington during the memora-
BILE Presidential contest between Polk and
Clay. His articles were always marked by
ability, and when, on the defeat of his
candidate, Mr.. Clay, he wrote the valedc-
tory of his 'organ," tenderly closing its
eyes in its last slumber, the IRteIIigencer,
stilted and impressively dignitied though it
was,copied the article entire, as "a com
mendable specimen of mortuary decorum."
1t may be interesting to future aspirants
to similar honOrs, and cOnsolng to those
who have won and worn them, to know
the value of the reward reaped by the edi-
tor of the now defunct organ. Along in
hos nf linz III
suit of thin clothes, he was at last sup
piled with an "order" for the same by the
Chairman of the "National Whig Central
Committee" and, like many others of Mr..
Clay's friends, was obliged 30 postpone the
final settlement of his accounts to another,
and it is hoped better world.
Settled at last in Washington, the vortex
of the politicians of the country, he, for
many years, over the signature of "Po-
tomac," sent forth, twenty-five to thirty
years age, letter after letter. which then,a in
| later years, were widely copied by the pub
lie press from the Baltimore Patriot, of
which he was the able correspondent;
gathering, meanwhile, by daily contact
with politicians and Others who throng the
Capital in the winter season, an inexhaust-
ible fund of anecdote and personal remin-
iscences, which to his dying day gave him
a superiority over younger men, who often
gathered around him in the reading-rOOm
of the. National, listening to incidents in
the life of some defunct Southern politi-
cal leader to whom the fortunes Of war
would now and then give temporary prom-
| inence. TO his retentive memory, Mr..
Chancellor Bibb, of Kentucky, Secretary of
the Treasury in President Tyler's time,
owed his rejection for that position from
President Polk's Cabinet. 1#f
| 10 lol
ate report to Congress, which was after
ward scathingly exposed by Potomac, :" as
| a dilutlOn of one of Alexander Hamilton's
reports on the same subject; aud the
plagiarism was so apparent that President
Polk never could tolerate him afterwards
in any official capacity, and at once reiect-I
ed him as member Of his incoming Cabinet.
In this connection it may be interesting to
observe that this same Secretary afterward
died in straitened circumstances, having
been reduced to the prosecution of petty,
claims upon the very Department of which
he had been former chief.
ITO what base uses we may returnr .g
The readiness of this old newspaper hack
furnished more than one indolent or ignor-
ant Congressman with material for the
tame which his well-prepared speeches
ELECTED in his own district though perhaps
not here, where the business Of Speech
preparing" was then well organized and
understood. Indeed, his articles were, up
to the time of his death, placed in the edf-
torial columns of able New York papers
without mutilation or amendment. But
with age and obesity grew Incidence and
inactivity, and although faithful and
conscientious clerk under Mr.. Lincoln,s
administration, yet having been suddenly
turned out In the cold, through the petty
| spite of superior officer, he forgot the old
maxim, that Providence helps those who
help themselves, and made up his mind to
die-and die he did, of sheer melancholy
and modification at being slain In the house
of his triends-the party for which, during
SO many long years, he had battled, through
good and evil repute, when to favor It's
principles was badge of cOntumely and
disgrace In this district, l.e.g ...,r +.rto,,
Possessed of no vices, but of many virtues
of heart, most entertaining taIler and
writer, and man of cultivated mind, OF
vast experience in the politics and lpoliH-t
clans of this country, he finally dropped into,
the quiet retirement of charity hospital,
and there died of broken heart and disap-
pointed hopes. Vanity of vanities, WolseY,
of his king, said not more truly than ho
might have said of his political idols;
Had Ibut served my God with the zeal
| served my king, he would not in mine age q y
Have left me naked 20 mine enemies, n YiiTsesfy
| -ssA little earth was given for charity,Yl
and the old news-writer. rests In peace In a
t,.t,f ,ffsN has y os1