5960. NEWSPAPERS, Political bulldogs.—
The malignity with which political
enemies torture every sentence from me into
meanings imagined by their own wickedness
only, justify my expressing a solicitude, that
this * * * communication may in nowise
be permitted to find its way into the public
papers. Not fearing these political bulldogs,
I yet avoid putting myself in the way of
being baited by them, and do not wish to
volunteer away that portion of tranquillity,
which a firm execution of my duties will
permit me to enjoy.—
To John Norvell. Washington ed. v, 93.
Ford ed., ix, 75.
(W.
1807)
