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... may be as great a rascal as he is represented.
If so I begin to see the utility of rascals in the general economy of things. ...
With much more of the same sort, this correspondence continues on to the end-now complaining of the management, then praising it; now pleading for economy, then cursing it; now thanking
Dana for a “glorious issue with supplement,” then remonstrating with him for too much space for “unsigned editorials” ; now praising him for his considerate treatment of himself and other correspondents, then begging consideration for some worthless politician; now expressing his willingness to give up
Washington whenever
Dana might think it best, then desiring to stay longer; now asking for Pike to relieve him, then declaring, “I mean to be extra good this year, and rather doubtful as to the next.”
Finally, on April 11, 1856, in almost his last letter from
Washington, he explains most of his troubles as follows:
... My heart does not break easily, but these mail features are hard to bear.
On Tuesday, Henry Waldron, of Michigan, made a glorious speech.
He is one of our best men; never spoke before, and probably will not again.
I sat down and wrote a telegraphic despatch about it, then a letter.
Wednesday's paper came and no despatch.
I wrote one of inquiry to you, and took it down to the office, when lo!
they owned up that they had mislaid and failed to send the despatch till next morning!
So the milk in that cocoanut was accounted for. “Well,” says I, “the next paper will bring along my letter, anyhow” ; but that paper came last night, and no letter, but instead of that a despatch from you, sent after, saying that the letter only reached you yesterday.
Now, I have myself carried every letter to the post-office this week-usually a little before midnight, and the letters are taken till five in the morning. So the fault can
