Edward William Johnston (as "Il Secretario"), January 2, 1845

[Edward William Johnston writing under the nom de plume "Il Secretario." Richmond Whig and Advertiser, Volume XXII, Issue 1 (January 7, 1845), page 1. Extra paragraph breaks added for easier reading.]

WASHINGTON, Jan’y 2, 1845

A press of occupations has for some days denied me the opportunity of writing either to you or to my venerable and cherished friend near you. I am sure that the perfect identity of his style and mine, and our plentiful lack in common of wit must have often led you to suspect that I wrote many of the Enquirer’s “leaders.” Why, then should I deny the “soft impeachment?” But, then, Mr. Ritchie and I systematize and subdivide our joint loving labors. He does the quotations, supplying all those gems of original learning and taste that glisten adown the columns, like orient pearls at random strung. He has mines of that sort of erudition, the astonishing man – no less than six quotations from Dr. Dodd’s “Beauties of Shakespeare,” three from a book that Mr. Jefferson sent him called “the Bible,” and two from a rare author called Cowper. One of them runs thus: “Oh for a lodge in some vast wilderness,” and refers, I believe, to certain farms of Texas. The other is something about “I am monarch of all I survey,” and is supposed to allude to some floating Land Grants in the same Promised Land. 

He furnished all the French, too; which, you know, is of a quality that has long kept all Gaul in astonishment. He likewise does the History; for I assure you that the splendid discovery that Colbert was Minister of France to Louis the XVI is his, not mine. The “fine writing” is also his, undoubtedly – though, occasionally, the imaginative powers of the elder junior and the fervid genius of Tommy erect themselves into a sublime that almost rivals the paternal. They, in short, do the fancy (which you know is the richest) the erudition (which is perfectly ponderous) the Abstractions (which are of the very thinnest) and the fictions generally, which for boldness of invention soar a little higher into the empyrian than ever Pegasus winged before except that immortal Subverter of all fact, the great Ferdinand Vendez Pinto, the acknowledged prince of prevaricators. 

But if you ever see such humbler things in the Enquirer as a little sound argument, an atom of common sense, a touch of manliness, a ray of charity, a bit of sincerity, a momentary gleam of honesty, or a joke that is not fitter to make one cry than laugh – lay your hand upon your heart or crook your arm and swear that I did it! So, now, having made my confessions, let us pass to matters here.

They have not yet taken a very decisive form. The Democracy is a little be-fogged on the great questions, Texas and the Tariff. On which side it will emerge, no eye can yet discover. They have a great longing, in both cases, to keep their promises; for they are religiously observant of their engagements to do ill. Here, however, they pause, apprehensive that they may hurt – not others (for that were a small matter) but themselves. 

Meanwhile, by way of solacing their love of mischief, they threaten a little from time to time, to break up the Oregon negotiation, or amuse themselves with efforts to worry brave little Rhode Island and pull down her government about her ears. They have been at the latter pastime to-day.

As to Texas, they have held, on Saturday, one caucus, and are probably at brawls in another, to-night. In the former, there are said to have been many violent Southern propositions and speeches, met by as many cool Northern moves to make them all abortive. 

Finally, a postponement and a committee of compromise was resorted to – it is said, with no sincerity on the part of the North. The Report and final decision were to be to-night. You will perceive that they already have before them, openly , near a score of plans: probably as many more are yet to be divulged; for, it being taken for granted that rapine is a thing easily make acceptable to “the greatest land-stealers upon earth,” and that national robbery is a thing at which any knave is expert enough, every blockhead seems to have his Joint Resolution of Annexation. 

That single word, inasmuch as it avoids saying “Plunder,” dispenses with all other colorings of right or policy or sense or decency. 

Henceforth, if a man wants his neighbor’s house or wife's purse, let him ‘annex’ the same. If you have sold a thing, put the cash or other consideration into your pocket, button it up tight, and then “re-annex” it. 

Thus you see that the only difference lies in the Re: when you impudently say that you will have a thing without a title, that’s Annexation: and when you choose to say that you once had a claim, that’s Re-Annexation.

I have reason to believe, however, that the skilful doubler whom you celebrated the other day, Mr. Dromgoole, thinks that it is he who will bring matters about; and his crafty guesses at what can succeed may be much relied on. He thinks that all the positive measures will be defeated, and that a Resolution (to be moved by him) that it is expedient that Texas be annexed, will be the utmost that can be done. 

That, you see, will involve no action, and only be a declaration of opinion: and as the opinion of such a House is (as he knows) of no sort of weight with any body, the step will not be of the slightest consequence. The Globe, on the other hand, is positive that the thing will pass; but divested of all detail, in the simple and concise form that Texas be and is annexed.

The dynasty that is to be display an unexpected caution, amounting to timidity, as to committing itself to men or measures. Mr. Calhoun’s incredible follies have probably made them afraid of him and forfeited all the vantage he at first held. Never did any one of reputation exhibit such astonishing fatuity. What a rapid havoc he has made of such respect as was left him -- that of ability.

As I do not write to the Enquirer to-night, please let my loving friends know that when they can either write or fight or speak the truth, “the hero of the Liberty school” may conceive some little apprehension at the wrath or vauntings of “the Heroes of Hobbes’s Hole.” Dogs as they are, they may whine when I lash then: but let them bark at me, if they dare!

IL SECRETARIO

[Mr. Ritchie = Thomas Ritchie (1778-1854), editor of the Richmond Enquirer, supporter of Democratic President-Elect James Knox Polk (1795-1849) and the annexation of Texas. Thomas Ritchie, Jr. (1819-1854) took over the newspaper when his father was invited to Washington City by Polk to start another one. The younger Ritchie fought a pistol, swords and knives duel with Richmond Whig editor (and friend of Edward William Johnston) John Hampden Pleasants (1797-March 1, 1846) on February 22, 1846, mortally wounding him. 

Mr. Dromgoole = George Coke Dromgoole (1797-1847), US Congressman (Jacksonian Democrat).

Mr. Calhoun = John Caldwell Calhoun (1782-1850), pro-annexation Secretary of State under outgoing President John Tyler (1790-1862) and Senator from South Carolina until his death in 1850. 

Edward William Johnston (1799-1867), as Il Secretario and a Whig, opposed annexation and the Democrats (aka "The Democracy") in general.] 

[Many thanks to William Myers, Mary Davy, Sally Young and Sue Davis for their ongoing research collaboration.]