Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-03-26
The CHICAGO Republican and the President.

Our readers will remember how Mr.. DANA,
editor of the Chicago Republican, insinuated or
asserted that the President tried to buy him up
with government cOllectorships and failed
Nor will they be likely to forget how promptly
and terribly that INSCRIPTIONS partisan was re-
buked and exposed by the publication of let
ter he wrote to the President in January last,
soliciting the New York collectorship-abso-
lutely begging for it, and setting forth his
claims and qualifications, as an auctioner would
puff his small wares. After experiencing all
the tOrtures of hope deferred, for some months,
DANA found that the much coveted New York
collectOrship was not for him, and as diSap-
pointed beggars not unirequently do, he be-
came enraged aud fell to curSing and reviling.
He became the bitterest opponent that the
President has, and from that day to this, the
Chicago Republican has teemed with vitupera-
ton and SANDER of the President. In an evil
hour he preferred the charge against the Presi
dent to which we have alluded, thinking per-
haps that in the multiplicity Of his engagements
Mr.. JOHNSON had forgotten his letter, or that it
was forever buried under the mass Of letters
that are received at the White House. But the
President is too old politician tOlose sight ofthe
letters of public characters. He has long since
learned the Importance of carefully filing them
away. The time often comes when they may
be referred to with advantage. This signal in
stance illustrates the value of such letters
No sooner was DANAs charge preferred than
it was disproved by his own begging letter.
He was stunned and staggered when he saw
this letter in print. For some days he said
nothing, for he did not know what to say. lie
has at length spoken, but it would have been
wiser to have held his peace altogether than to
have given the lame and ridiculous explapation
which we find in his paper of the 2lst instant.
That explanation is as follows;
a. The Chicago Tribune, probably as a joke, in
cluded the name OF the publisher of the Republican
in the list of applicants for the cOectorshp in this
city. To this we replied that the scheme TO BUY OH
the present managers Of the RePN6hcaH with Gov
eminent cOllectOrships and get Deacon BT0SS and
10 AediH to risH the PGPcr is very smart, but 1t
won't win Deacon Bross and 10 Medill, all tie
world including Utah, knows editors OF the Tn
buHe, and the only point IN our reply was SIMPLY
Ocular lnSnudtOn tlat the plOpIlelOIs VI tLe NHl-
cagO Tribune were trying to buy OF the managers OF
the Republican that the Deacon and his tonetc
companion could have paper IN which their editorial
writings would be published without being submitted
to the censorship of Horace White, who, as he has
been endowed by nature with less brains, has also
been blessed by fortune with the control Of more
stock in the Tribune than the illustrous Lieutenant
Governor or the erudite 10 Medil."
Old JACK FALSTAFF, whose wit never for
sock him, was once surprised into a grievous
dilemma by Prince Hal, to escape from which
severely taxed his ingenuity. The only resort
left him was to a downright falsehOOd. All
will remember his exclamation
" By the Lord, Hal, knew We as well as he that
made ye.'
The ialsehood was glaring, but the wit was so
quick and amusing that the old reprobate'S dis
grace was, by the consent of his boon cOmpan-
ions, soon drowned in a cup of sack.
DANA is not a FALSTAFF. He has all of his
uuscrupulousneSs without any of his wit. We
have never seen a lamer defense more dis
ton. He confeSSes to enough to convict him,
and the discreditable attempt he makes TO con-
ceal the remaining part deprives him of all
claim to mercy. An honest and full confession
would have had the merit that attaches to can
dor; a witty and good humored eqciUoque
would have passed as merry escapade a full
and fiat denial would have argued an audacity
that yould have challenged that sort of cOnsid-
GRAFTON that attaches to the hardy rufiian who
braves what he cannot escape from; but such
an ignOble subterfuge as be resorts to is sim
Dlv cOntemptible,