The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1870-08-02
PlRKER'S PRIVATE SECRETARY
AN HISTORICAL INCIDENT.

an incident in the history of England
which is hut little known, land which you
will not fiud i'll books, but one whicl
nevertheless had great effect on he
destinies.
About the beginning of this century
while the revolutionary wars were rag
ing, communication in cipher was natu
rally very prevalent; and ingenuity was
taxed to the utmost on one hand to in
vent, and on the other to detect, the me
dium used in secret correspondence. A!
rule tae deeipherer had beaten the ci
pherer, and no known method was Sc
cure of detection. 1t conventional
signs were used. the recurrence OF th,
different symbols gave key easily fol
lowed out. Some ingenious spirits cor
responded by reference to the pages ant
lines of particular editions of books
methods, although they might preserv,
the secret, disclosed what was often quit,
az dangerous: there was asecret. an
about to tell you of plan which for :
long time was not only nndetected, bin,
unsuspected. as
1t was at that time when tile first Ma
poleon had assembled his fleet and trans
Iports at Brest, with the ostensible, ant
as is generally believed the real view, 0
|making' a descent on England Th,
greatest precautions were observed by
the English Government in regard tx
correspondence from aFrance, and al
amount of espionage was praetieed "a
the postoflice, which left SirJames Gra
HAMS subsequent performances in tha
line far behind ,Fhe national excitemen
was intense. and the political depart
fments of the government we're admins
tered with an iron sway. ltli', ~
My uncle, Sir George Trevor, was, a.
all the world then knew, high III the Ad
miralty- -and as it was from him that
heard this anecdote, its yer'acity may be
depended on ~ z : - ssssas
! The dispatches to and from the Admi
lralty were the subject of the graves
vigilance, and the most stringent regula
Itions The clerks were notpermitted te
[send or receive letters which were moi
| first submitted to the chief clerk and il
was believed that letters addressed even
to private residences were frequently
Iopened at the postofice.
| AT the timeI speak Of, the chief.clerh
was an elderly man of the name of Par
ker-a wizzened, ,wiry, dapper individual
I so imbued with the official tincture OF
Whitehall that it had become second ma
ture to him. He lived and breathed and
thought and slept for the Admiralty,and
knew no other pleasure orcare. He was
withal a genial and kindly soul, keen and
energetic in the affairs Of his office, and
| in all others mere child.
He mad assumed as his private secre-
tarya young fellow of the name of Beau
mont, who was oneo of the most promis
| ing subordinates in the establishment
He was modest and unassuming, very
good-looking, with a countenaDce and
an air suggestive of depression and mel
ancholy He was evidently of good ed
ucation, and probably well born also, fol
manners were easy and indicated good
breeding. He was a native of Jersey
and had been introduced to the notice oi
the Admiralty authorities by some influ
ential member of Parliament. He was
much liked in the Office, and discharged
his duties to perfection.
One morning Parker presented him
self before my uncle with visage pale
with woe and trembling with excitement
"Why, what is the matter, Parker
has Bonaparte come ?"
sHe may have, for aught 1 know
said Parker. "Things are all ,Sir
George!'' ~
"What is wrong?'
"The letters are wrong. There is a
| spy among u.s. 1ahave known it for a
long time, now l am quite sure; but ]
cannot find him OUT. asta q
Parker went on to explain that he had
for some time suspected + that some one
| in the office communicated their private
information and dispatches outside. He
had redoubled his precautions ;sbut,more
than ever confirmed in. his suspicious,
was entirely baflled in his endeayors to
detect the cu,prit. a. ii 4sse s.lgeK 5
"Dut, Parker" said my uncle, 'show
do you come, to be so sure that your Sc
crets have transpired p gess 10
ssByy the funds, SIR George. They
answer to the news as surely AS the bell
ldown stairs answers to the ell7repe. 81
find them going up orldowRl as if they
were sitting in the office" said Parker.
personifying the stock. exchange for q
moment Ms.ssz
| sHave oil the letters 10 the clerks been
texamined strietlyy' fas.aH 49, < 81 /.
Eyes !; l read them all myself -,
| sFind nothing in them I"
ssMighty little. Some are from home,
and some are from friends; but most Of
them from sweethearts," said Parker
twisting his face into q grim smile, sand
rum things they say in them
| ssAnd the, young mems letters, are
| they rum, too p m m s,
'"They are more careful like, as they
know am to see them; but, Lord save
lyou, sirthey are all stuff notsaha'pertf
lof harm in them. ...
/ .sThis matter must be seen to" sale
Imy uncle Il have had my own misgiv
lings on the same subject, Bring lue all
fthe letters which come to and are SEN
Iby the clerks for the next week. There
is no reason why you should have all the
rum things to yourself"
So my uncle had the letters for, .
week, and found them very much sucf
as Parker had described them. The sus
lpicious symptoms increased; the stocl
exchange responded more sensitivel,
than ever; but not the slightest grounc
for suspecting any one transpired. My
uncle was bewildered, and Parker was
rapidly verging to insanity
"It is certainly not the clerks" said
my uncle There is no treason there,
said he, pushing back the letters Of Tho
day. "By the way, how. does young
Beaumont get on? She seems a niet
creature, that sister Of his, to judge BY
4 her letters"
s'He is the best hand in the Offices
-