The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1896-03-14
A SPICY LETTER

The following is an excerpt from q
personal letter written by Major G. W.
Johns. formerly Of this city and now OF
Leav-nworth. to q friend in Lincoln.
Majors Johns rs rs years old. He held
40 important position under President
Pierce. and spent many years in Wash
ington as clerk OF the committee on
claims He knew personally many OF
the leading men OF the nation since the
days OF Pierce. He was. years ago. an
important factor in the politics OF Ohio.
He was at one time a newspaper man.
He is known as an independent thinker
and man Of positive ideas. His letter
gives characteristic view OF the Mon
roe doctrine and some OF the nation'e
great men:
when Mandersnn gets regularly
settled at his desk up stairs in the White
house / hope and trust that his own
sense. and the providence OF God will
impel him to overthrow some OF Cleve
lands past folly, particularly that OF
the so-called Monroe doctrine" which
Webster and Buchanan kicked out OF
politics fifty years ago 1s26) as wanting
cause. conditions and application in any
national relation that We sustained. or
were liable to sustain towards other gov
ernments.
R.,< tha ,,,<,d.rr a..., klIsJ - xh;.<lo.
must bray. do not think Cleveland
was drunk when he sent in his war mes
sage to congress. or he would not have
made such q id fool of himself He
probably saw clearly that neither he,
nor Olney, was any composition writer
to contend With the Englishmen. Hence
he Knocked anger. indignation and haste.
IL it true that this country has never
had more than eight expert writer's who
could be left to a contention with Eng
lish diplomatists and keep even on their
syntax? 1t has been so stated. and /
doubt me not that it is so. II old Van
Buren, be admitted, il would be nine,
but he was cut OF by selection and
given no char ce; il PInkney. Of Balti-
more, be added, it would be ten, but he
got honesick, then got drunk and re-
signed. before Canning had chance to
get his metaphysical pen at work on
him. 1t vas the opinion OF Story that
Pinkrey had some greater intellectual
gifts than even Webster; but while Story
and Webster both drank like the d.,
they didn't drink together. They diff
fered in opinion and judgment, and
Story having given solemn judgment
against Webster's argument in case Of
q $4,000 fee. when Webster was broke.
they were less friendly and unpreju-
diced on account OF it, II Woodbury.
and Grundy, who were reckoned as the
two legal draughtsnen above others, be
added, there would be one dozen as ex-
amples. but neither was employed in the
state department, and though no one
could dispute with them standing on
their legs. nor criticise their diction, or
their bills. they might not have made
the same perfect show as letter writer's
and liars for the state. 1t is one thing
to talk. another thing TO write it out
Blaine and Bsyard are thought to he
modern miracles in diplomacy. Both
oveTpraiseo. and both spurious. Blaine
walked in a vain ahadov. in the mystic
ism Of his bureau OF South American
republics. lie invoked tie ghost Of the
Monroe doctrine and fell over into its
grave exhausted. He diequiefed him.
self instead OF the ghost. and was ridi-
culed Tor his pains Even Ben Harri
con went back on him. glad to get rid OF