Constitutional Whig

From the National Journal.

We recently made reference to the circumstance which has leaked out at Boston, concerning the tax imposed on the tribe of office holders, for the purpose of sustaining the administration press. Reports have reached us of similar exactions from the office holders of New York and Philadelphia. It is the current opinion, that by a process of this kind, the expenses of the government official of this city were provided for, when it sprang from a semi-weekly to a daily paper. There is a possibility that, among the revolutions of opinion, and changes of parties, which we are now called on so frequently to witness, the details of this transaction may see the light. As to the Boston affair, the Boston Press of the 23d ult. says:

"We take this opportunity to repeat the statement made in this paper on the 19th, respecting the officers of the custom house being assessed to pay the debts of the Boston Statesman. The following additional statement has been handed us. A meeting was held in this city, at which the public storekeeper was chairman; and it was stated at the opening of the meeting that the object for which this meeting had been called was to ascertain what could be done by those present towards paying the arrearages of the Boston Statesman, which were stated to amount to the sum of $3,600. A committee was appointed who reported in favour of raising a sum of money by dooming certain persons who had crept into fat offices under the administration of the modern Don Miguel, who is at the head of the Custom House. The Naval Officer's Room was doomed $300, which was resisted: Surveyor's do $200, but not paid; Weighers and Gaugers room $35 per month—Most of the Inspectors were also doomed to $5 per month. The money thus paid in was deposited in the Commonwealth Bank in this city. After remaining in some time it was very suddenly refunded, but whether through fear that a statement of the transaction would be sent to Washington, or that it might hereafter produce a blow up among themselves, is best known to the treasurer, Mr. A. H. Ward. The statements contained in this article, are corroborated by the editor of the New York Evening Journal, who, having formerly enjoyed the full confidence of the Jackson party, and an entire knowledge of their movements everywhere, is well qualified to speak to this point. We quote, the remarks of the editor of the Evening Journal, from his paper of Thursday; after republishing the preceding account from the Press, the Journal proceeds,

"This statement is true in all its material parts, to our certain knowledge. It will be remembered by those at all acquainted with the secret history of transactions at the commencement of Gen. Jackson's administration, that most of the applicants for office from the quarter in question, procured their appointments on the ground of sacrifices made to sustain the Boston Statesman—a paper, which like its prototype in this city, the Courier and Enquirer, made tremendous pretensions to vast influences and wide circulation, and possessed far more weight in quarters where its conductors were unknown, than it could ever obtain in its own immediate vicinity. It was a sort of joint stock concern—its columns being filled by editorial matter spun out of all sorts of brains; and its expenditures being defrayed by those of the party who had wherewithal to discharge that service.

"Among the individuals whose private purses suffered mostly by this ingenious experiment upon the credulity of Jackson and his western coadjutors, was the gentleman since made Collector of Boston. To him the Statesman became indebted in the sum of sundry thousands of dollars—for the security whereof he held a lien upon the establishment. To others, the concern owed smaller sums. Immediately on the accession of Jackson, every one of these disinterested patriots pushed for the seat of government, and urged their claims for reward, on account of their losses in sustaining that powerful engine the Boston Statesman! The printer, alias the nominal editor, had suffered terribly forsooth—having lost "so much money—viz. the exact amount borrowed of Henshaw: wherefore he was provided with a post worth $5,000 per annum. The chief of the club of editors or scribblers, had sunk an immense sum—viz: the exact amount lent to the printer; whereupon he was assigned to the collectorship, another place of $5,000.—Another scribbler had also contributed calumny and cash in no small measure, and was a sufferer in the republican cause, of course: so he was chosen District Attorney. There were several others rewarded in the same way and upon the same plea—to enumerate whom, would occupy too much time and space. Thus was the official El Dorado of Massachusetts peopled with a host of unadulterated democrats who had made unmeasured sacrifices to secure the election of Jackson—as they said,

The circumstance related in the extract above quoted was communicated to us last winter by one of the very officers who had been doomed, but who also demurred. We were told of the meeting, its object, and its consequence; and the narration we then had, agrees with the foregoing in all essential particulars. with these few variations: the debts of the Statesman were estimated at about the sum mentioned; but the committee in examining the accounts, found sundry, credits not allowed, and divers debts contracted by gambling, all which contributed to reduce the aggregate nearly one half. The average of this debt, contracted for the support of the party, it was urged, ought to be paid by those who were in the enjoyment of the spoils of the party's victory: Whereupon an apportionment was forthwith resolved upon—the assessors proceeded to doom the respective place-holders according to income; whereat some kicked, while other demurred; each officer was directed to place the amount of his bonus in bank, to the credit of a principal actor in the affair—and the utmost secrecy was enjoined. A representation of these doings was privately transmitted to Mr. Ingham, who, as stated to us, immediately discountenanced them— and the depositors were told they could have their money back. Some of them, indignant at the extortion as they called it. swore they would not again receive it—others re-pocketed their own. goss -while those who had stubbornly protested against the exaction. threatened exposure on the first safe opportunity.