Lewisburg Alleghanian

Washington Feb 15, '34.

It is not true, as stated in the papers, that Mr. McLane has thrown up his office in disgust: but I have no doubt that it will be true. In December I wrote you, that Mr. McLane was in bad odor with the Kitchen Cabinet, and ever since that time this branch of the government has been plotting against him, so as to make his situation as uneasy as possible. This branch of the government, I say, for every body who knows any thing, knows there is such a branch of the government, and though unknown to our laws, is yet the most important branch in it. Mr. McLane speaks quite freely of this concern, and of their interference; and as this is certain death to a Jackson man, the touchstone of his allegiance to the party you may judge in what a position he stands. The truth is, Jackson would dismiss McLane if he dared to do it, but the times are hot enough for him now, without throwing at present any more fuel into the flame. I have said, allegiance to the Kitchen Cabinet is synonymous with allegiance to the party, to the administration, to what is here called democracy! It matters not what a man's principles are, whether he be for the Bank or against the Bank, for this thing and against that thing provided he is true to the Kitchen Cabinet. Thus Mr. Forsyth is for the Bank, and declared he was ready to vote for the re-charter of the monster, yet all this injured him in nothing, because he is true to the Kitchen Cabinet. So with your Mr. Ritchie. Occasionally he gives the administration a rap, yet he knows that this injures him in nothing, because he is true to the Kitchen Cabinet. But let him once attack that concern, and he dies--he becomes at once "a Federalist!" in the party presses of the north, and "a nullifier" in the party presses of the south. Mr. McLane has committed this unpardonable sin of speaking against the Kitchen Cabinet, and deplores the present suffering this concern has brought upon the country; & the consequence is, that if he don't resign before Congress adjourns, he will be dismissed after Congress adjourns. Kendall called Cass "a harmless man," and in one sense with great truth. Cass is a man of talents, a scholar, a gentleman, but wholly unfitted for the tyranny and corruption of this administration. The Kitchen Cabinet don't like him; but they bend him to their purposes. McLane will not stoop. Cass knows what is right, and sometimes follows it, but when the Kitchen Cabinet do what is wrong, he has not the political courage to tell them so. He is most unwise to sacrifice himself and his well earned reputation in such an establishment--but hope he will continue there, or the Kitchen in making an exchange will only bring in some miserable tool. Mr. Woodbury is for Mr. Woodbury, and no one else. If the Cabinet proper is in the best standing, he is for the Cabinet proper, but if the Kitchen Cabinet gets the upper hand, he is for the Kitchen Cabinet. As for Taney, God made him to act the very part he is acting--the most suppliant instrument of others' action--satisfied with no office long, but willing to do any thing, yes any thing for a change. He is one of these men who go by impulse, and whom you can impel any way. He is not a bad man, but an excellent instrument. He has the power of elocution, without the power of invention. If any man will find any arguments to prove that it ought to be done for him to do, he will search it in motion. Such is the picture of one. He has a mind of all rig get the Cabinet and office base strife,--stood all the storms because hitherto with the exception of Barry, who has he has been true to the Kitchen Cabinet--but who is good for nothing, but electioneering soon as he gets his instructions: he has intimated as much to a friend of mine. But it is added, he will go into the Cabinet. Nous Verrons. Yours, O. P. Q*