[Letter] 1842, Washington, [D.C.] to President [John Tyler], Washington City / J[ohn] H[oward] P[ayne]

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(private.)
To the President (Washington City.)


Washington
My dear Sir,
I have to thank you most sincerely for the prompt attention with which you honored my communication the other day from Colonel Maunsel White. I took the liberty of enclosing it to the Colonel; as I conceived that course the best calculated to secure all the local advantages to your excellency deriveable [derivable] from a knowledge of your views upon the subject to which your remarks relate, without provoking either the disaffected or the dissenting. Besides, such an evidence of deference to my veteran friend from so high a source, appeared to me likely to do no harm.
I regard it as a high compliment, believe me, Sir, that you have suffered me to communicate thus unreservedly, and I strive to make the valued privelege [privilege] as little troublesome to you as possible. For this reason, I have resisted multitudes of those importunities which beset every one who is imagined to have access to your excellency either directly or indirectly. There is a case or two, however, of which I feel it a sort of duty to speak -- and there is another, -- my own, -- upon which I will venture, -- though with extreme reluctance, -- to enter also.


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To proceed, first, with the affairs of my friends.
The elder son of a New York family, [added text: not long ago ] of great wealth, and still widely and influentially connected, has been impoverished by the United States Bank, and by Commerce, and is eager for employ. His name is John Clendining. He has been largely in business at Saint Louis; and a kindness to him would be regarded gratefully by many persons of value both in his own state and in Missouri. His letter will explain his present situation and desires. It is accompanied by one to me from John McKeon, a New York member, who went through his law studies in my brother's office. If any thing can be done for Mr Clendining, (and, if it can, I shall most truly rejoice), - I would respectfully suggest the expediency of its being so arranged as to give Mr McKeon the credit of bringing it about. From the tenor of his note to me you will perceive that there is a sort of doubtfulness regarding the effect of his advocacy, which might thus be favorably removed.
Another matter upon which I would venture to speak is that of David Taylor, the Cherokee. He represents that for himself and others he has large claims under the Treaty, which have detained him here from his family a year and a half. Their adjudication was left incomplete, -- first, -- because the funds supplied to the commission under the 17th article gave out, -- and, second, -- because that commission was closed ere half the business under the 17th article was compleated [completed] . Taylor, and some of his connections, have


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liabilities coming on them presently, which will finish their ruin, if a previous move cannot be made to realize what is due to them. Both houses of congress, I learn, have recommended a revival of the commission under the 17th articles, without which no step can be taken. It has also been urged by individual members. It could not interfere with any new treaty, because, in any event, the United States must look into these claims. Indeed, a settlement with the Indians remaining east, and who have no faith in John Ross, and, hence, have hitherto kept aloof from him and his arrangements, might be more readily made without reference to negociations [negotiations] with him, than otherwise; and, upon such a settlement, I am assured there would be no difficulty in persuading these Cherokees to give up their eastern lands and remove west, -- not, perhaps, all to their western Cherokee country, but rather to that of the Choctaws into which some with whom I have talked seem disposed to purchase, and the Choctaws to adopt them. -- I believe, also, that effects very salutary to the administration might be wrought on the North Carolina border, by measures of relief just now, if exercised even with moderate skill in diplomacy.
I would, further, avail myself of the present chance to say a word in favor of a gentleman whom you already know, - Mr Moss, of Virginia, -- who seeks a clerkship either in the Navy or the Treasury Department. Mr Moss has some ideas upon


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improvements in steam boilers and fuel, which, if he can accomplish them, will work wonders and do honor to our nation; but his fortunes are so reduced that he has no power to show his theory by experiment, although he feels satisfied upon unerring principles that it cannot fail. He is a competent and a practised clerk, and highly recommended, and a strong friend of your excellency. A situation would enable him to complete his plans, and I have long ago promised to name him & them, as I now do.
And thus, at length having cleared off my pledges to others, if your excellency's patience is not quite exhausted, I will say a little about myself.
You know something of my early career, and, as for the rest of my life, it has been very public, and an outline of it has been some years in print, and some months in possession of your sons. It has been a very chequered [checkered] one, and often harassed with difficulty and debt; - from which last, however, for the last twelve years, or more, I have contrived, by great prudence, to keep nearly free. In
1832 I was invited back from England by my countrymen under a promise of pecuniary independence at home, for which I had laboured [labored] in vain elsewhere, and I was welcomed by public honours [honors], in New York, Boston, New Orleans, and other places. I then planned a very


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important literary work, to be established in London, and to be sustained by the joint talent of Europe & America; and I meant to include in my enterprize an extensive universal agency between the two sides of the Atlantick. I sought 5000 subscribers, at $10 each, and travelled through the United States for the blended purpose of securing patronage and obtaining material for my work. I meant, among other things, to form a series of articles upon American Antiquities and Indian History and Manners. I had about 1500 names upon my list, when, in pursuit of material for the Indian part of my work, I went among the Cherokees. It chanced to be at the juncture when Schermerhorn was trying to impose his false treaty on that tribe. Ross was delighted to find some one present, competent to bear witness of the truth, and to help him in sustaining it. My popularity among the Indians provoked the jealousy of the white barbarians of the border. I was seized with Ross, -- and I was for sometime, apparently, intended to be hanged. But the Georgia legislature hearing what has occurred, instituted an inquiry, upon the ex parte evidence of my captors only, became startled, caused me to be set free, made a legislative apology, which is recorded in their laws, and broke the licensed banditti called the Georgia Guard, by whom I had been thus maltreated. But no indemnity was offered. To me, the mischief did not end here. As an excuse for my ill treatment, I [added text: was ] (by an after thought), impudently accused of visiting Georgia


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for other purposes than I pretended, -- and my paper, purely literary and scientific as it was meant to be, - was said to be covertly destined for party and abolition influences. This was enough to destroy me, even if our nation's unprosperity had not already begun. Between the two, after an expenditure of two or three thousand dollars, I found it hopeless to pursue my enterprize, and could not, of course, call for any of the sums which has already been subscribed. -- I may here remark, en passant, that parts of my plan have been feebly imitated at various points, since, and invariably with success.
John Ross, meanwhile, felt that I could promote his views, and I myself determine that the world should understand the frauds which were in progress against the Cherokees. I stood by Ross through the storm, and I can safely take to myself the belief that he would have been overcome but for me. I made no covenant for payment for the years of my exertions for and with him, because I did not believe, in the first place, that he could succeed; nor, in the second, that if he did, he could be ungrateful. I therefore listened to his entreaties to come hither to him, on the understanding that I was to be at no expence [expense] for living; but that, if ever he prospered, my time should receive proper compensation. The moment it appeared to him that he, was on the eve of securing all he had sought, he permitted me even to be rudely dunned for the expences [expenses] of the tavern home whereto he had lured me as his guest, and, though still keeping


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up the cajolery of fair words, left me destitute. I could have no more to say to a man who could behave thus to me.
I was returning from a tour, at the desire of Ross, with him to Arkansas, -- where I had managed all his business with his people, -- so far as relates to framing resolutions for them and messages and letters for him, under very troublesome circumstances, -- at the time I first had the pleasure of seeing your excellency, as you came with General Harrison [added text (appears to be in different hand): a point ] from Richmond for the Inauguration. The General had known me in early life, and, during my Western Tour, when I was much puffed in the papers, had treated me with marked attention at Cincinnati. To my surprise, when I addressed him at a stopping place, he had no recollection of me. I, of course, studiously avoided, from that moment, any manifestation of a wish to court his notice. Several persons in the cars, seeing that I felt chagrined, came up and introduced themselves and observed, "Sir, if the General does not know you, we do, though we never saw you before." -- After his inauguration, friends of mine represented to him many circumstances regarding me, and suggested to him, that, having suffered so much from political persecution, and laboured [labored] so hard to prevent the infraction of national integrity. I ought to have some support from government; especially as literary persons much younger, and of inferior standing, and better


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circumstances, had been thus provided for, and splendidly. My disturbance at being left unrecognised [unrecognized] [added text: after so much explanation ] was also stated to him. The General seemed surprized [surprised] and deeply mortified. He said he had a perfect recollection of me and a [deleted text: [illegible text] ] strong desire to serve me. The very last call he made was the morning prior to his last illness, when he walked over to desire Mr Ogle Taylor to bring me to him. Mr Taylor did so, and I saw him about an hour previous to his retiring to his death bed. He made a most feeling & handsome apology, in the presence of Major Conover and Mr Taylor, and when I said, -- seeing persons pressing for admittance, -- "General, I am preventing others from coming to you, so I will leave you now," -- he observed, -- "But you'll come and see me again, though?" -- and in a week I saw him again, -- but it was in his coffin.
My acquaintance with your excellency and with your sons followed some time after. I was nearly disheartened about public employ, when your son Robert kindly undertook to urge my interests. Temporary occupation was given to me, from which Mr Spencer ejected me, as soon, to use his own words, "as the business upon which I had been employed had been so far arranged by me, that it could thereafter be managed by the permanent clerks of the Indian Bureau," -- and because "the Department did


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not feel authorized to continue the extra expence [expense] which would compensate a gentleman of my talent and experience in such service."
Your enthusiastic and warm hearted son, my earnest friend through all this matter, pledged himself that I should not long remain unoccupied. Secretaryships of Legation, at various posts, were successively suggested, and as often given elsewhere. At last, a choice was offered between two Consulships, one at Cowes, and one at Bristol. Fearing that neither was likely to pay my expences [expenses] of living, I shrunk, somewhat, from the idea of entering upon an appointment which I could not undertake without getting the advance from [deleted text: my ] friends of an outfit, -- besides a security as large as if the place were really a good one; -- but I did not feel entitled to be difficult, and was, in fact, disheartened; so I accepted Bristol. Mr Webster then opposed the appointment on the grounds I had named myself, viz: that it was not only worth very little, but infinitely less than I myself had apprehended; and so, here the matter hangs; -- I am discharged from one place because I have done my duty so well that the country cannot afford to pay so much talent and experience, -- and am denied another because it is not good enough for me, -- while, in the meantime, I am nearly four months out of all employ, -- and am, -- and have been for some time, in actual pinching, and unheeded destitution.


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I have taken the freedom of being thus full and frank with your excellency, because I view you as a friend, and disposed, like a friend, to listen I will now be equally and confidentially frank. You may possibly, as President, feel difficulties of expediency, or other difficulties, in my case, - and if so pray do not suffer me to press upon you. You will never find me less your friend from any inability to aid me in your high station of President; but my situation requires that, if this is the case, I should know it. I have once or twice before, years ago, and in a foreign land, been brought into a strait of this kind, through smaller causes, -- whence knaves and ruffians have been emboldened to twit me afterwards with a charge of having ere then endured want and a state of beggary; -- as if either were a crime! I may therefore be pardoned if I am sensitive upon this point. I only wish to be told in season no longer to expect support, should it be impossible to grant it.
If, on the other hand, it should prove practicable to carry out the purposes heretofore in progress with reference to me, perhaps it might not be more difficult to give me something which would be in truth a provision, than what it would require money and credit to reach and expedients to sustain. Probably, a charge-ship, even were any open, would be looked upon as too important for me, -- (although I really think I could manage one, in fact, quite as well as some whom I have seen in power); -- and as for


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the Consulships, I understand, they are generally so bad, that few, on inquiry, like to venture on them. But, among them, as I have been much in France, and am familiar with the language, that of Stavre seems the most desirable, should it be thought worth while to throw it open; -- Beasley having been some five and twenty years or more, in public pay, and being otherwise wealthy. Or, if Hodgson is rejected, Tunis, having a salary, might leave leisure and provide a field for some additional gains through literary labour [labor] ; -- or, even Canton in China, if, as I hear, the exclusion from the world is compensated by great chances of a speedy fortune. After these, Glasgow, -- Marseilles, -- Hamburg, -- Malaga, -- Cadiz, -- might, at any rate, be worth inquiry, -- of Bristol is given elsewhere, or costs more than it comes to. -- I wish to visit England and France on some private matters, and any appointment to any one of these posts, would cover such a visit.
After all, however, it is mere presumption in me to talk thus. I must learn many things from others, ere I can go into such matters myself. First, I must ascertain whether I am to expect a place; -- then, what class of place, and where; -- and then, what specific place. I have no further ambition in the matter than that I may not either leave the country, or remain in it, with an appointment from its Chief Magistrate entirely out of keeping with the character of my reception from my


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countrymen when I returned hither after so long an absence; and that the provision it may involve, do, at least, equal, what, if cast adrift from these aspirations, I can reasonably expect eventually to create for myself.
And now, my dear Sir, I have only to hope your excellency will pardon my having spoken with so much freedom; and, without any regard to the selfish part of my letter, or its result, permit me to ask, should the tempest which is threatened come upon you presently, -- as a greater favor than all the rest, that you will command me entirely, and in any way in which, by tongue or pen or vigilance I may be useful. As for this "Impeachment," (which your true friends consider as likely to do you great service, -- and to prove the overcharged gun that will kick those who have aimed it into the dust), -- should it proceed, -- and should there be any attempt to impugn your excellency with regard to the allowance of the late Cherokee Emigration claim, I think I can point out where valuable evidence on that head can be drawn from the War Department.
I hope, also, that you will not permit the pamphlet and the Biography to be forgotten.
With every apology for this immense letter, I beg to renew assurances of how faithfully & respectfully

I have the honor to remain
Dear Sir
Your excellency's friend & servant
[Signed] J.H.P. [John Howard Payne] /