The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-08-25
Partisan Comedy of Errors.


THURLow WEED is about to offer to the
public an autobiography which will, we are
sure, be quite entertaining, especially If he
gives us the queer incidents of the anti
Masonic crusade Of the earlier days Of his
political career. From an advanced sheet
the New York Times gives place to the fol-
lowing amusing story of New York parti-
sanry:
"In 1917 there was o disastrous split in
the Republican party of this State, Gov
ernor Clinton heading one faction and MIR.
Van Buren, the other. a political and per-
sonal warfare of unusual virulcnce charac-
terized the campaign of that year. MIR.
Clinton, an able and vituperative writer,
assailed the leaders of The opposite side
through the columns OF the New York Co.
lunbiun and Albany Register. William L.
Marcy, then young man, and others, re-
piled through the columns of the Albany
Argus. One morning vehement ar
ticie, highly dcnunciatory Of Governor
Clinton, provoked q note from the gentle
man assailcd to the editor of the ArguS de-
manding the name of the writer. MIR.
Buel, the editor, handed the note to Mr..
Van Buren, who invited Mr.. Charles L.
Dudley, Mr.. William L. Marcy, Mr.. Benja-
min Knower, and Judge Roger Skinner, to
his house that evening. While they were
discussing the embarrassing question which
Governor Clinton's note had raised, the
servant brought Peter II. Livingstone to
the library. Mr.. Clinton was at the time
Governor of the State, while Messrs. Van
Buren, and Livingstone were members of
the Senate. The conversation, rs Mr.. Liv-
ingstone discovered, was interrupted by his
appearance. He said, in his usual bruSque
manner, You are talking secrets here,
and | have interrupted you Mr..
Van Buren, replied: Governor Clin-
ton has demanded the name of the
writer of the article in this morn
ing's Argus, and we were talking of the
peculiar awkwardness of exposing the
writer There is nothing peculiar about
it, responded Mr.. Livingstone, nor need
there be any embarrassment. Send my
name to Mr.. Clinton Mr.. Van Buren, re-
marked, This is no occasion for tritiing,
Mr.. Livingstone. You know what Mr.
Clinton means by his demand Yes, SIR
replied Mr.. Livingstone, | do know, and it
is Just what mean. have long wanted a
shot Mt the - rascal Persisting in the
ayowal that he was the writer, and III the
request that his name should be given up,
they finally yielded and Mr.. Buel was in
structed accordingly. At a late hour the
parties separated. Just as the day dawned
the following morning Mr.. Van Buren, was
awakened by a violent application of his
l., Nd Of hnI
window, voice, which he recognized as
Mr.. Livingstone's, inquired, Is that
you, Van Buren? p On receiving a
response in the affirmative, Mr.. Living
stone said, Let me in Mr.. Van Burcn
threw-on wrapper, opened the door, and
showed his visitor into the cold parlor. MIR.
Livingstone said, what the devil were
you talking Gbout last night when I came
in?' Mr.. Van Buren, replied, I'VE were
talking about your attack on Governor Clin-
ton in the Argus.' Mr.. Livingstone, using
strong expletive, rejoined, l won; stand
that. You can't father your bantlings on
me. l had been dining, and was drunk
when you took advantage of me- This
rendered it necessary to rcasscmble the
council of the previous evening. The real
embarrassment was this: The article had
been written by James King, a young
lawyer from Orange county, who had just
obtained the consent of William James, q
warm personal and political friend of
Governor Clinton's, to marry his daugh-
ter, under pledge to abstain from poll
tics and devote himself exclusively to
his profession. And now, before the mar
riage was celebrated, Mr.. King had written
most abusive attack on his intended father
in-law's intimate friend. After much and
anxious consideration it was decided that
Mr.. Knower should call on Mr.. Isaiah
Townsend, mutual friend of Mr.. James
and Governor Clinton, and cndeavor, by
stating some extenuating circumstances, to
appease Mr.. James. This, however, was no
easy task, for Mr.. James was of stern and
implacable disposition. But Mr.. Townsend
knew his man, drove him up to Waterford,
drank two or three glasses of gin and water,
and succeeded in smoothing over the diff
Guilty. Mr.. Townsend then proceeded to
lay the whole matter frankly before Co
vernon Clinton, whose sense of the humor-
Gus was touched by the awkward position
in which Mr.. Livingstone's sudden beige
rency had placed his friends, and by the
extreme delicacy of Mr.. Kings domestic
relations. He good-naturedly withdrew his
note, and took no further notice Of the sub
ject."
S,1ID-Tt 10 said that heads of salad