New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-03-04
TO LANDON-H4IL, AND FAREWELL!


Mr.. NJ. ID. Landon permits us this morning
to enrich our columns with a letter from him.
Merit like his ought not to blush unseen, and
We therefore give him the privilege of assum-
ing i'm print that graceful and unmpcachable
moral attitude which doubtless belongs to him.
Some years since Mr.. LandOn did us the honor
of claiming to represent THE TRIBUNE. We
did not feel quite worthy of the distinction
which he sought to confer upon us, and with
appropriate humility we minated as much to
our readers. If we have been correctly in
formed, the Legation of the United States at
ST. Petersburg with which he likewise claimed
an association, was compelled to disayow that
advantageous and ornamental relation. what
other embassies, journals, or banking lnstltu-
tions Mr. LandOn, in the overflow of his gen
crosby, may have sought to exalt, by lending
to them, without being solicited to do so, the
prestige of his name, we know not,
and do not care to inquire. The attitude in
which he now presents himself to the public,
being real one, is more interesting than the
ideal ones in which he has erewhlle masquer-
AIDED. He claims to be an attorney for the ne
gotiaton of cadetshipS but that transparent
subterfuge of modesty is easily seen through.
He doubtless feels himself to be general BEN
efactor 1t is likely that he sought to elevate
the tone of THE TRIBUNE by joining it without
invitation, and to confer a similar favor upon
Mr.. Camerons Legation by appointing himself
to it.
If his generous and exalted intentions
were frustrated by the rejection of his associ-
alton. it of course was not his fault. The sud
den suppression of the milk of his gcner-
osty might have been attended by some inter
nal curdling if he had not found a new direc-
ton for il to flow in. There were youths, in
genuous and interesting, who wanted to be
cadets There were parents with means"
There were Congressman with empty pockets
and appointments to sell. Here was the arena
in which the benevolent impulses of Mr.
Iandon might operate without rebuff or rebuke
He could bribe the Congressman, bleed the
parent, appoint the youth, and swlnde all
parties and in so doing use each rs Walton
instructs the angler to use the frog-as ii he
loved him. His letter shows how eagerly he
bowlcd into this cOngenial occupation. and re-
hearses the success which attended his efforts
at corruption. He seems to have shown cOnsid-
cradle talent; to nave left the penalty of crime
with his tools and cOnfedcrates and pOckcted
it's price himself. We don't Gre to comment
particularly upon his letter. II probably tells
as much or as little truth as Mr.. Landon
thought it prudent to let ont; but in our opinion
it tells quite enough to define the place which
he ought to hold IN public estimation. His
letters to Col. Asper, which we published
few days ago, were, he says, ordinary
letters" Col. Asper evidently interpreted the
latter one as very clumsy attempt to corrupt
him with bribe, apd we think he interpreted
it correctly. But perhaps Mr. LandOn only
meant to hold up the shadow of bride before
the Congressman, while he conveyed the sub
stance of it to his own pocket. Except for its
corrupt proposal the letter, as its writer says,
it is ordinary enough. The one we print this
morning is not quite so much so. 1t reveals the
breadth in splendor of Mr.. Landon's mighty
mind, and exhibits his superiority to the mar
row restraints of syntax and spelling. 81 use
every bodies name," he says, "but maligne
"no one" 1t is very good of Mr.. Landon to
"malignen no one but, if we take his word
for it, he was himself the only transgresSor in
the entire business. Everybod else is spotless.
"Porter's personal purpose was pure as the
SUM- "Judge Hoge got no money and ex-
"pected none" Whittcmorc's constituent
mendcants got the $500 which he Uandon), IN
q frantic outburst of charity, contributed. 90,
even if he had been disposed to maligne
anybody, ho would have had, in default OF
another target, to turn the hose OF obloqny
upon himself. He not only gave $500 to Whit
tomore's poor, but a similar amount to the
parent of a young candidate for the Naval
School, who3Emade way for the son of Com
mander Upshur. In fact, he seems to have
gone loosely about distributing $500 with one
hand and pocketing $1,000 with the other.
And, lest his gratutous zeal should DO misin-
terpreted, he says he engaged in these obscure
fiscal ceremonies for the purpose OF keeping
Rebels sons out of tho Navy. lie forebodes
that people will maligne' him and rake up
a" old les about him, but no folds the