ciency (or excess of expenditure) for the last year. The sum is only $100,000; yet, my word for it! this honest gentleman (who had kept him up half a night to win back a few dollars) will vote it without the least scruple, at the nod of an executive officer. In short, the greater part of us view with equal eye

'The public million and the private groat.'

"The arguments' yesterday, when the question was pending, were Having the fullest confidence in the head of the war department; can any gentleman believe or suppose that the Secretary of War could ask an improper appropriation,' &c., &c., all to the same tune; and although Tracey, of New-York, and Trimble, of Kentucky, distinctly opposed the imposition, that old sinner, of Marland, by sheer force of lungs, induced some right well-meaning people to think the objections (which they did not understand, nor the answer neither) satisfactorily repelled. Even Ls, with whom I dined, agreed that the thing was wrong; said he had told S. S. it ought to be in a separate grant, expressive of its true character; but that S. said he did not like to trust it,' and so thrust it in the partial appropriation bill for 1822, where he hoped, no doubt, it would pass unobserved.

"By the way, I believe I wrote that Cn had 'accepted.' He and L. are, I think, shot dead by their want of retenue. More French, and I am not sure that it is good French.

"On the day of your debauch,' I dined with Van Buren and the whole New-York delegation in both Houses, with the V. P. at their head. Although it no doubt had a meaning like the shake of the head' in the Critic,' I did not exactly find it out, but I believe I was not far off the true construction. Many here think that neither C-n, nor C—s, nor C- -y will be 'run'-that this is but a ruse de guerre to weaken C- -d and of course strengthen the Eastern and Northern interest.

"Since I came to the House, Baldwin, speaking of the present candidate, said to me "The people ought to put down (I trust they will) every man who has put himself forward at this premature time.' I left my letter open for what I might hear, and I have heard nothing

else."

.6

Washington, Jan. 13, 1822.-My good friend-I had taken it for granted that you were gone, Orpheus like, to fetch your wife from the infernal regions, or at least through infernal ways, when I received, this morning, your welcome letter of Friday (the 11th). The truth is, I am disappointed by the Enquirer, and so you may tell him. Although it is not very desirable to be studiously misrepresented and caricatured to the rest of the States, yet I was fain to content myself with standing (substantially at least, if not in form) on my own title,

with the good people of poor old Virginia (God help her!) through the medium of the Enquirer. When any of the courtiers are to speak, Gs takes his seat in his box, and makes the best report he can e. g. McD's speech, which is greatly softened in point of arrogance, and which is much improved by the total omission of the suicidal declaration towards its close, that the money was wanting to pay vouched accounts then lying on the Secretary of War's table.' When one of the country party speak, the duty is devolved upon an incapable deputy; but mere incapacity will not account for such manifest and repeated perversions. Take the following as some among the most glaring in the last report of a speech which satisfied many others much more than it did its author. (Here follow numerous corrections of the report alluded to.)

6

"The words for which I was called to order by S., are not those stated in the report. Those words were subsequently used-I said not one syllable about the soldiers dealing in perfumery.' What the creature means I can't even divine. In short, it may be considered as the greatest outrage of the sort ever committed."

"Tuesday, Jan. 15, 1822.-I wrote you a letter the day before yesterday, in a character that might have passed for Sir Anthony Scrabblestone's. You no doubt remember that old acquaintance of our reverend friend the holy Clerk of Copmanhurst, and are full as well acquainted with his handwriting as that pious anchorite was with his person. However, I have (in addition to the apology that my implements are furnished by contract) the further justification of my Lord Arlington's high authority

"Did you preserve the Baltimore paper that contained No. 18, of a Native Virginian?' Nos. 19 and 20 have since been sent me. They are well written, and unanswered, if not unanswerable. Had they appeared in a paper of general circulation, and one that possessed any share of public confidence, they would, I think, have produced some effect, if indeed the public be not dead to all sensation.

"There is a young man here by the name of Chiles, making reports of our proceedings for the Boston Daily Advertiser.' Mr. Mills of the Senate (from Massachusetts) gave me his report of the doings of Friday, the 4th instant-with the help of such a report as that. I could have given Mr. Ritchie what I said almost verbatim. But the truth is, that after the occasion passes away, I can seldom recall what I said until I am put in mind, by what I did not say, or by some catch-word; at the same time, I have given Mr. Ritchie the substance, and, where any particular word or incident occurred, the very language that I used. I am determined, hereafter, to wait for Chiles's report from Boston, and with a slight alteration, when neces sary, I will send it to the Enquirer. The N. I. does not condense as be pretends. Of all the speeches made on the subject, it was the

longest and the most audible. In the report it is one of the shortest, and yet stuffed with expletives not used by me, as well as perversions of meaning. There is no mistaking this, when continually occurring.

"The discussion of the M. A. bill has done me no service."

"Jan. 18, 1822.-I'm afraid you think me such a tiresome egotist that you are fain to drop my correspondence. To say the truth, I am vexed at being made to talk such nonsense, and bad English into the bargain proven' cum multis aliis ejusdem farinae, familiar enough, indeed, to congressional ears, but which never escaped from my lips.

"There is a very impudent letter in Walsh, which I half suspect he wrote to himself-hungry mouths to stop, and dogs not above eating dirty pudding'-must sound peculiarly offensive in his ears, since he could not even get the run of the kitchen when he was here in 1816-17. At that time he had the effrontery to tell me to my face, that he had no doubt I was far more eloquent than Patrick Henry. The Intelligencer puts words into my mouth that I never uttered, and these furnish the basis of Mr. W.'s comments, with those great critics and annotators-for 'debate,' read 'detail' (which I said neither health nor inclination allowed me to enter into), and what becomes of the comment? Of one thing I am sure, that the House is not yet becoming tired of me; and I shall take especial care that it do not."

"Jan. 19-My avocations are such, that my time, like my money, runs away in driblets, without producing an 'effeck.' I have more than once thought of using my pen in some other way besides scribbling to you; but, some how or other, I can find none so pleasant, and time is always wanting. I have read nothing, but have been very much in company. Like the long waists of our mothers, I really believe I am growing, if not generally, at least somewhat, in fashion. But I hope I am not so old a fool as to presume upon this; for of all fools, an old one is the least tolerable.

"Like most parvenus, the man you mention is a sorry blackguard, in dress, manners, figure (a complete paddy), countenance, and principle. I could have given him such a sackfull of sair bones,' that he could have borne the marks to his grave. But I purposely abstained from the slightest notice of him. It is not the least of our success against temptation, to suppress the overwhelming retort, and, just as it rises to the tongue, to give a good gulp and swallow it."

"Feb. 1.-You will see a correction of Gales's in yesterday's Intelligencer. He has restored the words that I used, almost verbatim. They were these: Transubstantiation, I was going to say; but I would not, from respect to a numerous and most respectable class of

persons; but would say, as any in priesteraft, kingcraft, or another craft which (as great as is the Diana of the Ephesians!) I would not name.' Yet I have received an indignant remonstrance from a Roman Catholic of Washington City, on my invective against that sect,' of which you may see some notice in to-morrow's Moniteur.

Administration is sunk into much contempt with our House, and the other too. They hail from four corners.' Instead of Dana's 'triangular war,' we have a quadrangular one. They must dissolve in their own imbecility. By the way, I want my native Virginian,' when you are done with him.

"I trust the Virginian Government will not be weak enough to dismiss the "claim" of Kentucky. I suspect it was got up to defray Cs' electioneering campaign for the winter."

"Feb. 7.-I am at last gratified by a letter from you. To say the truth, I had rather, much rather, that the thing had not appeared; but as to being affronted' at it, that was out of the question. Indeed, if I do not egregiously deceive myself, a great change has been wrought in my character. I am become quiet and sedate— torpid, if you will-but much less disposed to take or give offence than I once was. This remark is made, not in reference to the little incident above alluded to, but in that vein of egotism to which I am too prone.

"You do right in endeavoring to reconcile L. and T.; but in the course of my observation, I cannot recall a single instance of cordiality between reconciled friends. Poor human nature! The view which I am compelled to take of it every day, augments my pity for it. We dare not trust ourselves with the truth. It is too terrible. Hence the whole world is in masquerade. 'Words were invented,' said Talleyrand, to conceal our thoughts.' Hence, a conventional language, in which it is understood that things are never to be called by their right names, and which at last ceases to answer its original design, except with the vulgar great and small.

"I must be a very uncommon personage to astonish all the world' with what I do not do. Since I am not able to astonish them with my exploits, it is very good in them to be negatively charged on my account. I heartily wish that I had never given them any other

cause of wonder.

"Poor T. T- -r! I know his disease. It has been killing me inch-meal, a long, long while. Give him my best regards. It is a dreadful thing to find out, as he has done, too late, what stuff the world is made of; to have an illusion dispelled that made life agreeable to us. Did you ever read Cobbett's Sermons,' or his 'Cottage Economy? If not, pray do. They are written with great originality and power, and I heartily wish they were in the hands of all who

can read.

"There has been a great deal of stuff uttered in our House for the last two or three days. It has degenerated into a mere bear garden; and, really, when I see strangers on the platform, I feel ashamed of belonging to the body. I have been a good deal pressed to join the squabble; for it don't deserve the name of debate; but I have refrained, if the expression can be applied, where, instead of desire, one feels only disgust. I have not yet seen the Chief Justice, although we have exchanged visits. I am glad to hear that you intend to write again soon.' If you knew the feeling I have when a letter from you is brought in, you would shower them down like snow. My health and spirits are incurably bad. If I can raise the money, I mean to dissipate my chagrin and ennui in some foreign land. Incessant change of place, and absence of all occupation, seem indispensable to my tolerable existence. I am become almost reconciled to pain; but there is a sensation of another sort that is worse than death. Familiar as I am to it, it serves but to increase its misery. At this moment, I am obliged to relinquish my pen from the combined effects of bodily disease and mental distress. Adieu.

"J. R. OF R."

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE APPORTIONMENT BILL.

"GOVERNMENT, to be safe and to be free, must consist of Representatives having a common interest and a common feeling with the represented.”—JOHN RAN

DOLPH.

THE great business of the session was the apportionment of representatives among the States, according to the new census. It seems to have been the policy of Congress, as the population increased, to increase the ratio of representation from decade to decade, so as to keep down the numbers of the House of Representatives. This subject was one of exciting interest to all parties. None felt more deeply than Mr. Randolph, not only the importance of the principles involved but the serious influence the new apportionment was likely to have on the relative weight and standing of the old Commonwealth which he had been so proud to represent for so many years, as the Empire State. "Yesterday I rose, (says he, the 7th of February, the day the question was taken) at 3, and to-day at 2, A. M. I cannot sleep.