r S
irioc .Vo. 341..
TarhorouSh, (Edgecombe County, X. C.) Saturday, March 7, 1835
Jo J. AT JVu. 10.
7'" 7'' rn;fh Vrvv,"
KV C.l'OKt; K HilU' AUI,
l puhh-licd weekly, at Tir D iflurs nlid
Fijtu Cut's p.-r year, it pail in .hUmucc
or, Tunc Drflns, at Uu- expiration of r lie
f nlici iption r.ir. For any period less
(hail a year, T:rrntjf fire (' i;t per month.
Sulix i ti'i s .in: at liberty i di-continue at
any tone, on ivin iio'ice thereof ami
paving :nrt'u i!iot' n:-idi.ig at a ijjs.
tmice must iitv.wiuMv p.tv in Hdv:ni, i
give a res pun i b 1 e ictci ence in this vcmitv.
A'lvi l ! is. iil 'nls, lint exceeding lt;
will lie ii-i-ited at cents tin- ti ' in,er
tion, ami l'y cents each Ciiiiiin i;rnv. Lui.
ger ones .it tliat rate for rwiy hi iins.
Advertisements in u t beninked tiic num
ber o i i-ei lions required, ur thev wid be
continued until otherwise ordered, and
charged ai i:i ii;n! v.
Le'lers a ldre,,td to the Ed'.l r must Im
post p -ill. r thev id iy ni he ..fend. I to
.GOV. IiKAXCll'S Sl'KKCII,
On the licsolutions to instruct
Jlr. Jlangiun, dtlircrttt in the
Semite of Worth Carolina, De
cember, 1831.
Mk. M-kakkk. The Senator from War
ren, who has just resumed his seal, has as
serted that our s i- a government ot "pitu
lar Jr-Jing," and that this General Assem
bly possesses "inherent powers,"' under
which it may rightfully adopt the resolu
tions now under consideration.
In the morse of a long public life, I have
never before he.ud s. ntiments like these
advanced. Had they been deli vei ed to a
promiscuous as inblage of al! cists they
would have been, to s.iv ttie least ot them,
ery objectionable. How much more rep
rehensible are they, then, when earnestly
pressed m a grave deliberation on ihe rep
resentatives of an enlightened people?-
Do we hold our liberties on so frail a ten
ure as "popular feeling? ' If so. thru have
I been laboring under a delusion all my
life. I cannot, however, believe that te
people f a State, which u.is the first to
throw oil a foreign yoke, and among tin
fust lo guard the lights which were asser
ted on the -1th of July, 177f. by a written
Constitution, will subsci ihe to stub dan
gerous hei esics.
1 propose to examine these dogmas to
test them by those fundamental piinciples
to which our Bill of Eights e 'puns upon
US often to recur; lor if eveT there was u
time w in u a recuri euce to e-tablislied po
litical maxims was necessary, this is the
time. It cannot be disguised that ttie pres
ent is u crisis of awful import; and it be-I
boves us, therefore, to bring to our assis
tance all the aid which inny be derived1
from the w.-doui and patriotism of those
who have 'm eceded us.
In December. I77t, when the fervor of a
disin'erested love ot country was at its
height, did the pure patriots ot the Uevo
ltition in lh:s rotate, w hen th y assembled
(at my native village) to lorm our State
Constitution, deem it safe to rely on "pop
ular feeling" for the protection of the lib
erties tin y n i l recently asserted? .No, sir.
JNo lliey we'l knew that political free
dom, the cieatest boon ever bestowed bv
Heaven on man, could be presived only
by the erection of barriers cunstiluliuiiul
barritrs against (he assaults ot tumultuous
assemblages, or tde more insidious, but
not b's dangerous, inroads of arch in
trigiir. Ihe memorable epochs in the
history ti e moth r countiy were fresh
in tin ir ei oih-i iions, when the despots of
the oh ( rhl were compelled to acknowl
edge on parchment t ,c rights of man, and
to swear to the observance oilhe funda
ment. il 1'iiuciples of civil and religious
freedom.
Again: ;'f:rr the achievi inrnt of our lib
erti' S, and the formal lecognitiou of our
indepeu ieiu e by all nations, d you find
oar sHg;icious i rei a' hers rely ing on this
"popular teiiiug,' which you have heard
SO in'j';h eiilogr-ed' No, sir, you find
thoe very ri.en who had done, and suff r
ed So much tor the cuse of human liberty,
assembled in Convention to devise efficient,
checks against the inioah of powei.
Deeply conscious of ti e insufficiency of
IhGM; guards, whicli had been hastily
thrown around their rights by the articles
of Confnlet ation. you find them, in a
spirit of mutual concession, after delib
erate discussmn, adopting ami presenting
to the '-thirteen plantations ' (as the bena
tor has thought proper to designate these
soereign States) a Constitution or form
of government, in which power is cautious
ly distributed anion;; the various depart
'ments, and guarded in in exercise by the
. most salutary checks and balances. So
distrustful then was North Carolina of
conferring power even under a written
grant, that she was the last State but on.
to come into the Union. Will she now
he. the fii sl to break down these safeguards
of public liberty, and to rest our nght3,
not on a written Constitution, but on "pop
ular feeling.'" With a sleepless vigilance
you find thos'i who well knew what our
liberties cost, jealous of power, although
In the hands ot the father of his country,
for even Washington erred undr a writ
fen Constitution, in the recognition of the
protective principle, and in assenting to
the ch;.iter of the old United states liank
in 171M. lint Mich was Ihe confidence
justly reposed in Washington, that bis
very errors fif such they wvtp) vere
treated wilh great forbearance.
Nut so, however, with the elder Adams.
It camiet be denied that, under the ad
oiihistt ation f Gen. Washington, two
parties wtrc formed, alike patriotic, but
essentially different in their political ten
ets. Their ditVeiences, under his admin
ilti ation. were not brought fully into pub
lie view. IJut no sooner had the federal
pHily unfurled their banners under his
iieeessor, than the F-taie Rights Paity,
tviib .K ilt rsi'it at their head, made a noble
ann "ticces.-ful stand against Federal us
llipaiion. The people were roused to a
ju-t M-nsi- the danger to which their Tib
et ties ere e.p;tcd, and the seal of con
demnation was afVivd to the odious iaeBf
ores of Federal misrule, tin Mr. Adams'
overthrow, was established those princi
ples which I then r cognised as orthodox,
and which I have eer delighted to cherish
as fundamental truths in mv political
cie-.l I mean, sir, the exposition of our
' mis' itm ion w hich is contained in the
""iiui.i and Keniiuky Resolutions ol
1 7'S li. ami in Madison's report. Unde.
the a lininisttalion ol .leffeison, these prin
cip'e, were exhibited in full relief. 'I'll,
same exposition of the Federal Constitu
tion w:is f.iiihfullv observed under tin
j Repobhtaii administration of Mr. Madi
son: ami, as pM t of the history of this pe
nod. 1 bg leave lo call the attention of
this House to a proceeding in Ibis very
.Weuiblv. (in which I had some .share J
v i v pertinent to the siibp-ct of the present
debate. 1 refer, sir, to certain resolutions
touching the votes of Mr. tone, our then
Senator in Congress, on the measures of
Mr. Madison's adinini-tratiou in support
ol the war, into which we had been driv
en by the unjust policy of (heat Hritain
1 invself. sir, moved the resolutions 1
ye.tis ago, disapprot ing of the conduct of I
'.r. Sioue. Permit me to present the!
whole proceedings to the Senate, as they
stand upon the Journal of that day.!
Mere the report and resolutions were!
lead. i'roin these it appears that Mr.;
S. was elected to the United States' Sen- ,
in IS 12. a few months alter the decl t-'
ration of war against (heat IJritain, with
a distinct understanding, on the part of
the Legislature and tiie people, that he I
w as in favor of u vigorous prosecution ofj
it. In the ses-ioti of Congress which en-j
sued he was found voting against the sup
plies t hat w ei e necessary to prosecute the j
war with effect. His atuise of our confi j
deuce was calculated to excile, and did,
excite imligi u'ioii in every patriotic bo-;
SvJin, and c'all-d in'o anion the energies of
every in in who believed that the war was
waged in delence of our ju-t rights. 1 ran
never forget the feeling which pervaded
this body when the votes of Mr. Stone
cuii'" to our knowledge. Our rotintrv
was in arms, with a fierce and powerful
en- my at our doors. Our at mv under the
command f (h-o. Hull had leeu surren
der' d lip, it not Vinn perfi ly, from gross
incapacity, and lb-- lew men we bad in
Ihe fi. Id w ei e des' itute of tood and cloth-I
ing- Our Irea-ii'v empty, and the coun
try without the ability to borrow money.;
"I hi desperate s'aie of our affairs w.is i- nj
n-at degree nin; to tee i lu-al ol Cou-j
gress either ro rai-e the n cessarv fund - !
or establish a basis I r national credit.!
1 he-e lids yon ti id nibodied in the r' - !
poll which I h.iv,. !!; trad. We th n !
b'lieved, what I stiU b. Iiec, that they'
were sufficient i istilv us, be!oi- an '
enlightened commuiotv, lortiie it solu' ions ;
wlin h were tin ii idopte.. Mil', sir, i-cni-1
pHt e our com se ih n. mi h t i n Ceding
now under con-nb ration. l i io find'
US doing moie than was in lip'oi-ahl y ne
cessary to sustain out cunti ? Onti eoin i
er baud, what aie o'i imw .iliout to do
Pio-irate iiml lhl imm ihe rt.ii', and li-- ,
grace your cooiitrv, iiy orihiiug ohi '
Senator to dow l.ai no b oiorabi.- in ill i .iii '
lo. For what ptrpos.' i , ;dl this l:ue?
I'o prove to rie p-np!.- tl.at yen are nun
good .l,tClon ui' ii. a' d t;u it bv to cuabir
some of y on to r nb- ml o office on t '' si i ong
current of "ponnlai f: li g." wn-ch ihe'
gentleman from Hairen eiv MMsmi-ilth i
invoUes. lias be practi-ed a, a rcpi i:cu.
talive of Ihe p'-opie U7 ; h- so eain-slv1
preaches? We s oill s'. bv ; id by. In the
retro-pect 1 at;i pteseiiiing to the enate, j
we find lit 'le to alt i act our .mention from
the conclusion of the warm tiie end of,
Mr. Madison's a1 tniiiisiia'i u, cave the j
charlering of the United States' Rank in j
1 Id. I his r new ed u-ui'p.ttioii of Feder-j
a! power was .submitted to from a c nvic
tU'ii that so'iiethiitg of the ki d w is im-.
perioiJsly culled for. to correct the deraug-!
ed condition of ihe currency, resulting!
fmni the abuse of the piper system by tlte
Mate authorities. W h -n I fust took m
seat in the Senate of the United States in'
I's-l, I met with tiie gentleman from War
re-i, then and lor some years previou a
im mber of tiie House of Repieseniatives
of the United Stairs. Did thi in-tituiioii j
find favor with tiie gentleman at that timer
Or was he then, as he is now, its iniplaca- ;
ble opponent? We were then in the halm j
of interchanging opinions, and I bad ,t full i
kuwledge ol, and vell remember the
course which he and his party then purstf tl;
and. in order that it may In: seen who has
been false to principle, I must be permitted
to make a brief uai ration of tacts.
At that time I was desirous that snuif
statesman should be found, who, ;)s the
successor ol Mr. Monroe, shnull carry out
in his administration Ihe republican prin
ciples I held and bring the Covei i,meut
back to the good old doctrines of 'IM ami
'DU. In casting about for such a one, I
found it was necessary to pass in review
the pretensions of vai ions rival candidates.
Mr. Clay was objectionable, among other
reasons, because liis wild enthusiasm in the
cause of liberty made him, in my opinion,
unsafe 1 J is project f connecting our
destinies with tho-e of the semi-barbarians
of South America made me afraid ot bun.
Mr. Calhoun was a laditudinai iau in his
construction of the Federal Constitution,
ii manifested by his reports while exercis
ing a contioling inlluence over Mr. Mon
roe' administration. Mr. Adams had for
saken his old fi tends under circuinnUoices
well calculated to excite distrust. Mr.
Crawford was not merely in favor of the
United States' Rank, but, in his adminis
nation of the Treasury Department, he
had aided the State Ranks in a way that I
decidedly disapproved of at the time, and
bv which the government lost upwards of
! ...I .1 . , .
a million ot uoiiars. iu wuum men snouitl
we look? Ihe Tennessee Legislature bail
but recently presented the name of Ccu.
Jackson as a candidate. On my first ac
quaintance with him, early in December,
1623, I was pleased with the man. Before
a general acquaintance, ( had most enthu
siastically admired his military achieve
ments. His political opinions were or
thodox so far as I could learn them. In
my daily interviews with the gentlemai
from Warren and his colleagues, who
now, forsooth, claim to be the exclusive
friends of Oeneial Jackson, as his nvowetl
and warm supporters, 1 was compelled In
hear the most unmeasured vituperation ol
Oen. Jackson. then stood alone in his
support; and, sir, I can never forget the
malignant hostility of the Senator from
Warren, and tho.se who thought with him,
to their present idol. He was then a cru
el, vindictive, blood thirsty tyrant, not
gilled with a single qualification that fitted
him to Iih the President of Ihe United
States. Unable to construe the plainest
.aw in the Statute Hook; and, in fine, his
election, it was asserted, would prove a
"curse to tne country ." As to the victory
ol Ae.v Orleans, it had been better, they
said, thai Ihe city should have been in
flames, ami the beauty and booty of tne
place offVre i up lo a licentious soldiery,
than the Coiistituiion sln-uld have been
violated by the suspension of (he writ of
habeas corou. (me ol the s'enllernaii's
colleague. - I im-.i.. !: i..rK , k 1
piesent Attorney Ceneral in his public
addresses to the people ol liis district, w nt
so lar, as I inn informed and believe, as to !
supeiadd to his other charges against the j
(i ueral Ih it of moral turpitude, mantles-j
le t in the abduction i f his neighbor's wife.
He piofessed to kilo bun well, having'
lived iM I,;,; immediate neighborhood. !
Soon alter (he ine ting of Congress in i
where do you find t'us present leader .
ot the Jackson party? Coing info caucus ,
tor the purpose of controling that "popu- !
Iir feeling," he now ostensibly so much j
reverences. Do you find him and his par- j
tv influenced by principle any more then .
than now? tN.t. sir. Mr. Crawford re-;
ccivetl th. caucus rioinin itioii the open '
ami arotced fritnd of tlte Unite A St alts'
Hank that monster which the gentleman j
and hi party now pritend to bate with
sue i holy fervor.
l.aily in lhj.1, I'ennsy 1 vanii r spoused
toe cause of Cen. Jackson, ami his most
foi midable rival in that State. Mr. Calhoun,
was dropped: his friends joined our stan
dard Inspired with renewed hopes bv
such an acquisition of strength, we enter,
ed the lists with .hese exrlusires. ami, in
spite of their (. ofliu (land Rills and Benton
pamphlets, circulated by thousands at a
heavy expense to the party, we overcame
tbcni in .North Carolina by a majority of
inoie than five thousand votes. Do you .
find Ihe gentleman fimn Warren y ieldiug j
a ready ohed;ei,C" i, the will of the peo-I
pie. -s thus tiu quivocally expressed, itndj
.. k. nw lenging t.ie rtht of instruction
. -ii: but. i;i the contiitry , In- openly re- J
I ii se 1 t obey their wish. 1 1 is k now n I iiat
Cem i-,. Jackson itceived a plurality of j
eeitoinl voies, but ii"t a majority of the
whole ii ii in If i . H i.ce lie election de- j
solved on in." Hons - of" R, pi est ntai iv es.
Ih.ic you li .1 the gem b man and his t
Van bin n j,.n piiiuno iou-l y resisting;
I o- 1 1 Ji, ol tie pt opje to ch'i .e I heir own '
Chi, I Migi-ti .'e. itn I viiiuilly o-opern-
iing wi !i Mr i !.lv- who was charged with
an iniptoper coalition with Mr. Adams.
The i esiiir w as, the deiea'ed t,e well ass
eeit, lined v islies ol I ne pe-.le ti lite elec
tion of Mi. A .ot havii it leen able lo
tliect ilteui liv tl,-ii caucus in niina I ion.
thf-v contcnipiiiou-ly disregardetl the di- (
reel iii.sli in titois of tne pe ple, through the ,
ballot box. Uy ti e election of Mr. Ad-
atns, a w,,.in l wris io!l: ted on ihe elective
franchise, t i,e person oftieu. Jackson,?
whieo ios a i.ly elic'.ted a I ihe paliiotic;
feivor w.'iicli auiinated his early friends,
ii:!. I prompted them, with one accord, to
exeit every nerve to vindicate th vio ated
r ghts of Iheii country. When Mr Clay!
("ho. like the gent leiirm from Warren, j
had disieganh d the will of the people, in j
voting for Mr. Adams) was nominated to
the Sen ite, I felt it mv duty to oppose flu;
nomination and lo denounce the coahfion. 1
1 1 was not, sir, until t ie gentleman ami
bis parly discovered that they could no
whet e fin. 1 safc'i; sav e under thr banners of
our naiiourtl sinp, which again held her
glorious coinse upon the deep, with the
broid pendant of ihe Hero of New Or
leans flying at her peak it was then, and j
nor till then, tha! this party were wiping
to enlist under her commander. They
were g- neroa-ly taken c if the wreck of the
Craw for.i boat; we pitied their distresses; ;
and what is ihe return thev b-ive made ns?
Tney have risen upon us, their liene.'actors. .
and, seizing on Ihe ship, have turned us
adrift as no longer woilhv of the service, j
I rue, sir, we had but litlle confidence in
the disinterestedness of some of their lead- '
er; but as the mass of" all partie aie lion ;
est, wn lid not scruple to receive them in
to full communion. I'o the original sin ot t
Mr. Adams, in eoing into office in opposi- ;
lion fo the wishes of a majority of the ieo-,
file, be very soon superadded others, which j
we attacked in their first inception. He ;
asserted the right to act independently of
the Senate, in the appointment of Ministers
to Panama- As the humble organ of the
patriotic band with which I had the honor
of acting in the Senate of the United
States, I forthwith submitted resolutions
disapproving, in strong terms, the unlaw
ful claims of power made by Mr. Adams.
A most a' le and elaborate discussion en
sued. The rights of the Senate were as
serted and maintained in a most triumph
ant manner. But, sir, we were in a minor
ity then, as we are now. The argument,
however, went firth to the? Am-'iiiau peo
ple, and Mr. Adams stood rebuked befoie
them. About this lime, some of our re
cruits, anxious to signalize themselves in
ll.eir new service, and willing to remove
Ihe suspicions which properly attnehed to
them, made an assault upon Mr. Clay,
then Secretary of State. Genera! Saun
ders, of hnni I have before made honora
ble mention, led Ihe attack. Mr. Clay,
he said, had removed some printers, who
had been appointed bv his predecessors to
publish the laws of Congress. This he
censured as an insidious attempt lo control
the freedom of Ihe press. The tocsin of
alarm was sounded; the palladium of liber
ty was proclaimed to be in danger, ami
the patriots of the laud were summoned
to the lescue.
Retrenchment and reform were the or
der of that day. The prodigality of Mr
Adams's administration was loudly con,
demned. A committee of retrenchment
was Appointed; ami an elaborate report,
reii'-cting on ttie lavish expenditure of Mr
Aib.n.c'. : - . ... .
" " ""oi'.Tii mion, spread on
the journals of Cougres. 1 en or twelve
millions of dollars were required by him to
meet ihe annual expenditures of the (jov-
ernment, and tins was stigmatised a an
extravagant demand on the Treasury. H
was further accused of retaining officers to
1' iiwiiii nominal mines, at a Heavy ex
pense to the nation; ami. on this head.
specifications were made among others,
the 3d Auditor.
The freedom of our elections was pro
nounced in imminent peril from the pat
ronage ol the (jeueral Oov eminent' be
ing brought m conflict" with them. To
this charge great plausibility was given hy
. .1 . , , . . ,,
mi. Miriins s Having piaceu iVtr. '.lay in
the line of saft precedents: and the impru
dent m inner in which Mr. Clay had ex
cused himself for voting for Mr. Adams,
in opposition to the instructions of his Le
gislature, was stir.ed upon, and produced a
powerful effect on the public mind. The
bare idea of Mr Adams's employing the
patronage of the Covernment to control,
in any way, the right of ihe people to
choose a successor, was made the basis of
a most violent assault, both upon him and
Mi. Cl.iy. Ami here I must pause to ren
der an act of sheer justice to those dislin
guished statesman. If ever the patronage
of the Government w as con tiptly employed
to carry out the coalition with which they
were charged, no instance has ever come
to my knowledge. In fine, we pledged
ourselves, in c-veiy possible manner, to
hiing bark the Government In its piisliue
purity. All these pledge were, from time
to lime, assumed by General Jackson, but
more especially in his Inaugural Address,
on the Jib of Maich, Jb2'.; to which 1 beg
permission to call the attention of Ihe
Senate.
'The management ( the public
revenue that searching operation in
all governments is among the most
delicate and important mints in ours;
and it will, cf course, demand no in
considerable share of my official soli
citude. Under every aspect in which
it can be conside' etl, it would appear
th;it advantage must result from the
observance of a strict and faithful
economy."
' The recent demonstration of pub
lic sentiment inscribes on the list of
executive duties, in characters too
legible to be overlooked, the task oi
rtform which will require, particu
larly, the correction ot those abuses,
that have brought the patronage of
the Federal Government into con
flict with the freedom of elections,
and : counteraction of thoic causes
which have disturbed the rightful
course of appointment, and have pla
ced, or continued power in, unfaith
ful or incompetent hands."
Sufficient In say, the people triumphed
in Ihe election of General Jackson, in
Ijs'2.; and no person, Mr. Speaker partici
pated in this triumph more sincerely than
1 did, under a firm belief that the princi
ples I had been advocating all my life
would form the basis of General Jacuson's
administration. In addition to w hid), I en
tertained towards I Ln a most ardent per
sonal bliachuK nt; ami in the fullness of
my heart, I believed him to be one of the
greule-t and best of men, and in a festive
hour, said so. For this idolatry, I have
been often taunted, ami. perhaps, justly.
Diil any one, however, doubt my sincerity
Iheii? No. sn: mv acts sm-ke louder than
my words. Hot's any person doubt my
sincerity now? No, sir. Can t lie parasites
and sycophants, who surroun Jhim, say
as much? When powerless, they opposed
him w ilh the most in..!ignant hate; wheji
he is ilothed wi:h power and patronage,
and able lo reward them, they fawn and
flatter, and, for their fawning and flatter-'
ing. expect their pay with sis much cer
tainty iis the laborer does his hire. A j
that time 1 had a strong bold on the affec
tions and loufidence of my fellow citizens1
ot Morth Carolina. As an ev idence of it,
I had during the pn-vious winter, been i e
elected to the Senate of the I'nited tates
for six years from the dth of March, lSiI'J,
without opposition.
On the ai rival of Gen. Jackson in Wash
ington in February, Ib'jy, 1 met him with
an affection almost filial, and as much alive
to the success of his administration as any
man living. I was perfectly satisfied that
the solicitude of his friends should be di
rected lo the preservation of his well-earned
laurel-, ami that this could be effected
only by a strict and faithful adherence to
the principles which had borne him into
office. I often told him he would have
less excuse in disregarding these principles
than any President since the days of Gen.
Washington: that he was sustained by an
overwhelming majority of ihe American
people, and had it in his power always to
do t ight, without regard to expediency.
V ithout solicitation on my part, be de'
sired me to become a member of his Cab
inet, and take charge of ihe Navy Depart
ment. 1 returned bun my wannest
acknowledgment for so distinguished an
evidence of his confidence; but remarked,
that I doubled my ability to discharge the
duties of thai Department, either lo my
own satisfaction or that of my country,
and that I must ask lime to consult with
my friend?. To this he consented, and I
promised to call and give him an answer
next evening. The fust person I asked
counsel of was my friend and colleague,
Gov. Iredell, now perhaps within the bear
ingof my voice, a gentleman whose high
claims to confidence are universally
acknowledged, ami (to borrow a figure
of the gentleman from Warren,) whose in
herent v. riues ami talents rendered him
peculiarly lit to peifortu so delicate an of
lice. He unhesitatingly said, that, inas
much as it was the first appointment of tha'
grade ever tendered to a cfizen of North
Carolina, ami as it was an honor intended
to be conferred on the Stale inrougb rn
1 was not at dberty to decline. The next
friend with whom I consulted, was the Sen
ator from Burke, then a member ol the
House of Representatives of the United
States ;i fiiend indeed 1 may call him a
friend while in favor, but still more a
It lend when in adversity. His merits ami
just claims on the Stafe l will speak ofelse
where. His counsels were substantial! v
the same as those of Gov. Iredell. 1 then
sought interviews with manv others, ami
finding there was but one opinion unions
my friends as to the course proper for me
to pursue, I, indue time, signified mv ac
ceptance of the trust. ThU was some ten
or fifteen days befoie the inauguration of
Gen. Jackson. In the mean lime, the Ca
binel arrangements were announced, bv
authority, in the Telegraph. Among 'th"
memoers was Major F.aton, my petsona
friend, a gentleman for whom 1 entertain
ed Ihe kindest feelings, ami whom 1 would
have gone fuither lo serve than any oilier
member of the proposed Cabinet. We
were brought up in the same neighbor
hood But as 9oon as his name was an
nounced, many of the best friends of Gen.
Jackson expressed their decided disappro
baiion of bis appointment, fust one, and
then another remonstrating against it. A-
mong the objections urged, were the
circumstances connected with Lis recent
marriage. Finally, or. the urgent repres
entation of one of the President's friends,
he consented that Major Eaton should nol
go into the Cabinet, as originally design,
ed; but should be transpired to the Post
Office Department, which was not at that
lime considered a Cabinet appointment.
I liis was communicated to tne in a few
minutes, afterwiiids, and, in order to ena
hle the President to accomplish his object
without wounding the feelings of Major
Eaton, I immediately waited on Gen. Jack
son, and proposed lo him, in Ihe presence
ol Major Ea.tou, that inasmuch as Jude
Ml jrtin's friends bad uiauiicsted some
anxiety for his promotion, Major E. ami
myself might be permitted to tender him
the choice of the three Depntmenls in bis
(Gen. Jackson's) name, remarking at Ihe
same time, that it would give strength to
the Admimsfi ation; adding also, that if he
prefened ihe Navy Department, which had
been assigned to me, I would go into the
Post Office Department; and if, uu the con
trary, be preferred the War Department,
ihe Major should go into the Post Office
Department. Gen. Jackson not only con
sented to my proposition, but t xpi ?ssed a
high sense of what he was pleased to con
sider my magnanimity. Some of tin se
facts are now for the first time, made
known, and they will doubtless surprise
both Ceii. Jackson ami Major Eaton. If
necessary, however, they can be establish
ed in a court of justice, and, w hen taken j
hi connexion with a movement made a few
days afterwards, which 1 will not weary
the Senate by narrating, If.ey will convince,
if nut convict Gen. Jackou or Major l.aton,
or both, of their ingratitude.
As a statesman, Mr. Van Buren. in mv
opinton, stoo l pre-eminent; and hence, as I
you may imagine, I heartily concurred j tue President lo harmonize the-c r-lations .
with Gen. Jackson in his selection of this He added, that the President had come to
individual for the State Department. It is j the conclusion that Mr. Eaton must be
known to many of my fi iends that I did j invited to our targe parties, and that our
not hesitate, on all proper occasions, to i seats in the Cabinet would tie vacated, un
express the opinion that he would be the j -ess these terms were submitted lo. Ha
most fit person we could select as the sue-j then proceeded lo reason the matter with,
cessor of Gen. iacksou. Mr. Calhoun ami j us, iu a persuasive manner, ivmai king, as I
his friends were not ignorant of these facts, well recollect, that "the terms could not
ami hence I was by no means a favorite in j
their estimation
As soon as Gen. Jackson was inaugura
ted, and our nominations were confirmed,
by the Senate, each member took charge
of the Department assigned to him, par
ticularity anxious, 1 doubt not, to ej.e
eclat to the Administration, by a diligent
and faithful discharge of tiie Irust commit
ted to him. 1 can speak for in) self, at all
events: never did I labor more assiduously.
About the last of May, mv family came
on, to mingle with a society to which :luy t
were stiancers. 1 ney tonne! Ihe lady of and eutere'i upon the .subject with the en
the Secretary of W ar, a native of the City, ' ergy a conscious lettiiuile of purpose m
excluded from this society, and did not 'spued 1 told bun, among oiiit things
deem it their duty or right to endeavor to i tint all the poweis (ui earth should not
control or counteract the decisions ff the ( coerce me to submit lo tuch terms; he
ladies of Washington; nor did they consid- ini-ht s;nke as suun as he p. eased; 1 had
er themselves al liberty to enquire whether not supported him from servile tear, or
the-e decisions were correct or otherwise i tiie hope of reward; that, falling in the
Engaged, as I was continually, with the niaintaiuauce ot my honor and that of my
all engrossing affairs of the Ntvy Depart-j State, 1 should only rue the stronger tor
ment, I did not know at niih w horn my j tne knocking- dowu. ihe results of this
family hail visited in the day. nor whom 1 session ot tne General Assembly have
I hey had not; and thus the time passed ; convinced me that I was in t rior, and
without; I can confidently assert the least ' dttply do I lament that I did err. tht
interference, on my part, with mailers that i estimate I then mrdt of ihe inti ll.gence and
belonged exclusively to them. At length, ciivulry of tnu naiict Slate. General
however, a fi iend of ours, with his family, j Jackson, with s,Jme contusion in his man
came on from Nashville a gentleman of ner, ohseived thai he had nol authorised
high character, and a particular friend ol ! Col. Johnson to make such a coinmunica
the President. Alter having taken one of; turn to us, and proposed lo semi for him.
my daughters on an excursion to PhiladeU j I remarked that 1 surely aid not require
phia and New York and returned, my fam- him to prove what he had smd, that Ins
ily, for the first time during their residence j word was suflicmu!, and here closed il,,a
in the City, determined, on Ihe eve of his j unpleasant interview.
departure for home, to invite a few ac-! A lew days afterwards Col. Johuson cal
quamtances to spend the evening with our j led at the Department on busint-ss, and, as
guest and his family. U hom they had in-, he entered the room, offered me i. con
viled, I knew not, and accordingly met gratnlations on the pacific aspect oi affairs.
wiin many iaa.es ami gem.ernen; and of,
Ihis meeting, unimportant in itself, I should
not have thought gain, but for a singular
communication, a few days afterwards,
from Gen. Jackson, touching it; bv which
I was informed that IVlaJ. Eaton was dis
pleased, because Mr. Campbell and Doc
tor Ely were at my house, on such an oc
casion. 1 hail heaidof many things con
nected with this delicate subject before:
but this was the first time any thing in a
tangible form had presented itself. As
you will readily imagine, my feelings were
excited, and I instantly demanded of Gen.
Jackson, by what authority Maj Eaton
or any one else, q iestioned'niy iioht lo in!
vite whom I pleased to my house. "By
no authority (he replied.) but Maj. Eaton
considers it very unkind in you to give an
invitation to these gentlemen, inasmuch as
they have been talking about Mr. Eaton "
Mr. Campbell was the pa-tor of a church,
in the city, in which Gen. Jackson had a
pew, and winch he had regularly attended
up to this time. Three of U'n Cabir.et
ministers, myself included, likewise hid
pews in the same church, and were gener
ally iu attendance on Sundays. This gen
tletnan was, so far as I knew or believe. t,
one of the most exemplary persons in the
place, and, withal, a most eloquent di-
vine. Doctor Ely was a mini-ter of the
Gospel, a resident of Phil nit Iphia, then on
a visit io the City of Washington, and was
invited by Mr. Campbell o accompany
him to my lions. 1 in-se things, you may
be assured, created some emotion;
they weie of so contemptible a character, '
that I persuaded myself ihe President (,f
ihe Foiled States would soon become
ashamed of them. I therefore endeavored
to repress my teeins. Not so, however,
with the President, lie became more and
more petulant, and soon af-er .quitted Mr.
Campbell's church, pressing me to do so
likewise. As for Maj Eaton, he scaicely
returned the ordinary sanitations whilst wj
wer? in tiie discharge of our official duties.
There was. however, an alteration in his
manner jusl about the meeting of Congress,
in 1829; and, on one occasion, I was ap
proached bv him with apparent kindness.
The caue whicli led to this, 1 may or may
not, at some future peiiod, lay before t ho
public When this is done, if ever, ther
will see that I have acted w ith great foi -bearauce,
both towards Gen. Jackson and
Mai. Eaton.
Mr. Van Btircn, it must be borne in
mind, was a w idovver, without daughters;
and he adroitly availed himself ot all his
privileges as such, liis attentions to ,V!r.
Eaton were of the most ma iked character.
Polite and assiduous on alt occasions, he
was particularly so ;n the presence of Geu.
Jackson or Maj- Eaion His influence,
iu eveiy variety of form, both official and
unofficial, was exerted to make it apparent
to those gentlemen thht he entered deeply
into their feelings; not, in fact, that he
Cared any thing about them; but he fore
saw the power to be acquired by pursuing
such a course, and had no scruples to re
strain him. Knowing me to be his fiiend,
he made an effort to detach me from the
line of conduct I considered it my duty lo
purue.
At length Gen. Jackson, after the meet
ing of Congress in Dec. S2(J, fouling the
ladies of N Hshington to tie impracticable
determined that the families ol his Cabinet
should submit to terms or be dismissed.
Accordingly, Col. Johnson, of Kentucky,
duly authorised, as he said, by the Presi
dent, notified the Secretary of the Treasu
ry, the Attorney General and myself, that
he had a communication to make to us.
We, theiefoie, assembled at Judge Ber
rien's House, and, in a few minutes, the
Hon. IC M Johnson v as announced Ihe
ordinary courtesi passed; we awaittd
with profound attention, ttie anticipated
terms of submission. Judge Berrien and
niVsttl bavini: oreviousiy received
intimation of the ciiai acler of the
fioiu Mr Ingham, who had had an inter
view with Col. Johnson in lhe course of
the da v, w-re not taken by surpiise Col.
Johnson coiiMiiemed by descanting at
large on the dehcate relttioi-s subsi-ting
between the families d'tm? Heads of De-
oin tments, and the great anxir tv fdtbv
be considered bard, as every bodv was in
vited to the large parties in Washington. '
We answered, in suusiatue, that such
terms Could not he submitted lo by us, ami
that lie was authorized to to iulorm the
President. Here, sir, without pursuing
the detail, our interview closed. In the
morning, alter breakfast, 1 waited on the
President, confidently expecting to di solve
our official tela, ions forthwith. As it was
highly probable this wouid pi ov e the List
; oppoi iniiity afforded me of speaking freely
to Geu. Jackson, 1 Cnew oil an lesttaint,
observed to him that tine President lf.nit..K
having given him authority to make the
communication tie had done to Mi. Ing
ham, Mr. beriieu and mvstU. ' Lt I tiint
pass, ' said he "l represented ii to you iu
the most fa vol able light '
Other indications very soon convinced
me that the ni.dignai.it influences which at
mis lime were strong, were d len ei tioin
consummating tiie.r fell purposes. Con
gress was in session; Ike. l,idus ot the
members from Tennessee, even, i.eni no
intercooice w ith Mrs. l.aton: nor, infect,
the Frttidtnt's oict famil. The ft lends
ot the Aomiuisiraiioii ix.came alarmed,
lest the txeici-e of such despotic powr
should overwhelm litem all. and, doubt
lesily interposing warded ffthe impend
ing blow. The situation of Mrs. Cxtou,
however, eurossetl the President's whole
soul, and he continued be ,,ticl
ot copied it collecting c tttfu ates, princip
ally from offio-seekers, u, i,sii,iii u r.
These wre piled one up.-n another, ajul
ids friends pressed to read them, ofin. I
aia pursuaded, to Iheir annovai.ee. This
hook ol ceitiuVates. tor a folio' did it soo(t
Income, was that on which office-seekers
frst qualified fur ojlict
lu the mean tiii,, .vlr. Vn Buren, who
(had art luliy, coutiibuied iw luflttuie live