Newspapers / Newbern Sentinel (New Bern, … / Aug. 17, 1831, edition 1 / Page 2
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i t. NORTH CAROLINA SENTINEL AND NEWBERN COMMERCIAL, AGRICULTURAL AND LITERARY INTELLIGENCER. i I: I.' ' lit- . - t If- ( Continued front Fourth Page.) ; i Ker suppose thatyou you wished to! put a mark of dis grace upon me, 6y desiring me to retire from the cabinet. You therefore offered me a position quite equal to my de sertsbut I thought. my interests and ambition would be letter promoted by a warfare on you, and sedulously ought some pretext on which to found it. As an evidence of my seeking such a pretext, I took exception to the form of an bddress in a note on business, in which you designated me Us " Acting Secretary of the Treasury." That, fading in this; I sought in another daer some ground of quarrel to rarrv with me to Pennsylvania, and as a justification of the hAtilitv I meant to waee, urate Mr. Barry an : nntrrn Uttrr. tellin? him that I had heard one of his as sistants had said thatthe Department possessed a certain bond, which would be held in terrorem to" keep me quiet. That, not being able to maany ining oui ot mis cor yesuondence, I dropped it, but remained at Washington and kept up sch an intercourse, with .the editor of the Telegraph, thai Major Eaton felf assured I was the prompt er of the scurrilous attacks on his wife, for which he felt it due to himself to make a demand of Mr. Berrien and my- self, to know whether we authorized the statement in tbat print, i That, when called upon I refused to disavow, and added insult, and when threatened with personal violence, instead of appealing to the civil authority, I called in aid I-certain persons, and became myself a threattner of the peace, ihat l had now accomplished my purpose, and made a pretext for something like a justification in my meditated opposition to the President on ray return to Pennsylvania. That I made an outcry about a conspiracy, and sought to involve the friends of.the President in it, as 'accessaries. The expose concludes with a declaration that it will be seen what proof I will be able to bring in support f,my charges, and it will piobablyturn out like Mr. Calhoun's plot, of which it may be considered an act 1 adding, tbat it will be susceptible of no proof, and that the people! must take denials for confession. It will be per ceived 'that these allegations pufport to give a concatina Vion of events, commencing itb my official', connexion with the administration, and terminating with the day of ny departure from tbe seat of government. I If cannot be doubted, that it was intended by you te c onnect me with all the transactions referred to in this document : any other conclusion must be fouuded on the jcxfravagant supposition that I was thus to beheld respon Ntible for the acls'of others, in which I had nofeven an im plied agenry. I, therefore, have a right to regard this expose as avowedly made for the purpose of presenting to, tnenuouc eye ine series ot oiiences wnicn i am auegeu to have committed, that have led to the embarrassments of your administration, and the final dissolution of your cabinet. It may be proper, hpwever, to observe, that Have framed in my ciwn mind a division of the matter o this. discussion into two parts, which may be designated by the terms official and unofficial. As to the former branch regarding my. duty to the country always poramount and Us interests as requiring'! hat a proper confidence in relation to matters within the pale of the executive coun cils should be inviolably maintained as long as it may be w even tacitly enjoined by the Chief Magistrate, I shall not aaveri to sucn matters except wnen tney nave Deen .in ; trod viced by you, and then found in the papers beforerne As Tespects unofficial transactions, I shall notice at t hi time only a small part of what lies at my disposal, and - a. ' 1 ' .. 1 - I ,L .L . ' t " none not iromeuiaieiy coniiecieo wiinfme suujf n , re ferred to in yuur expose. With these remarks, I pro ceed to the urfpldasaht task of defending my charactei . against the aspersions attempted to be cast upon it by the Chief Magistrate of the Unfted States. This has been ir- resistably forced upon me at the moment of my retire I : nient from public serviee,and when, satiated with its en t, ' joyments and fortified by yivid experience against its al J Virements, I had fondly cherjshed the hope of spending v ; the remainder of my days in the quiet of domestic life, out of the reach of the disturbing conflicts of political contrp vcrcy. ' ' ' ' ' f I perceive, in the fits of the alleped incidents of vour 'expose, the bane which has poisoned the cup of your hap ! piness'; and which, beingthus- spread before'the public, k must tarnish the page ot'our history, while history con- I tinues to carry to future ages a true account of the acts of have been a conspiracy of your own friends to persuade vour head in opposition to your heart. Be this as it may, you have my denial of all knowledge of it ; and my de- rnand tor prooi on tnis point cannot De evaaea. Then Mr. Van Buren was denounced!1' When? In what manner? And by whom? Andibow am I respon sible for it? It is true I did not enter into the views of those who were generally supposed to constitute your confidential political council, by exerting myseit to pro mote him for the succession ; nor did I follow the sup posed changes in your mind, as to the propriety of using vout power to promote the election of your successor; but I rave to Mr. Van Buren a fair and just support ... rnm rrt r ft-f VP - all his official acts, which were presenieu ... u ration ; nor have his person to complain of my treatmen i ? i n,;n ri.r mc f susiticion and passion, 11 is uuucuii to prewu. to any ol the causey- - -- - sober trutb8 Wlth effect; and 1 may not sue tne pregnrtin P .n,:.ui nn nf thp miusiire of anv of vour suspi- ; ..k nns rror 111 me reasons riven iar ine re- i uvc sausu r- . v.. mere is ' o ... organization of a part ol the caoinet, mere may aisjo De far- : thacfl c-iven as to the retnaiuder. Amid so many UHC o . . . embarrassing and irreconcilable inconsistencies, I appre hend tbe public will be ready to conclude that the true reason has within it something deemed so revolting to the moral sense of the American people, that it cannot be approached ; and hence the labor and incongruous explanations which have been attempted. My great offence, as alledged at this crisis, it seems was, in having . " taken sides with your adversarses," which, I suppose, also embraces my associates who were nal friends the slightest ground inyited to resign ; but it is added, that being a representa 3entto them. I cannot, how- live of Pennsylvania, I was "entitled to respect," and hat others said of him; my re- was therefore "treated with kindness to tbe last," and, ctc, .riiiU.v - . . i , h . t ,. u : ar- toid tnat vou . i ; . nrii null i m. ... - - - r . "". t I 1! gave me latTontoyouorio. ""-n or was it your custom to hold credit for my capacity andfiedlity The kind treatment so unreasonable a bufn-no reipect werl no?, however, for these qualities, but him, or any which were so carefully laid because you were unwilling that Pennsylvania should denunciations a?a,nf day jf such a mle had been suppose y ou wished to put " a mark of disgrace upon a- yUir U aurht at llast, to have been made known, me." I am, indeed, gratified at finding that I owe to my !,h mth?understand whatvas! required, and have native state, rather than to lyour insincerity, the kind- nooornity of sharing its benefits. ness and respect" with which I was said to be treated.- i ThT t charge in order is thus announced : " Ar- But to what feeling am 1 to;attriiute your testimony to Xnecment were made in Congress to embarrass the mea- my " capacity and fidelity1'? If .that testimony was sm . r ja MzMMmtrrrfJiin n tnnr nnn n i cr 1 1 si v in r.prp. wmhi Dft.o iiica j i kiii . i If it by be not sincere, vou have promuigaieu io ...c...w. al- people, whose Chief Magistrate you are, under your own .nd, hand, that which you did not believe ! Which alterna- : act tive shall 1 choose in pursuing this discussion ? I cannot . jL. ncfr,rin'i to fhrtf hnriii 1 I K o ciirfJt Ol ItbC uu'iw' vm .vvmw. - A c o m o t tor rw iinvini c i tirii-r i n a l .t n r na riiriiiHr i iikii k iiii i rt ?r: u.r ai i j r require, uoau...v. :w .jv. i!"-t , - : i ,;j a nbectof these imputed arrangements be specified; by be not sincere, you nave prommgaicu mu, whom they were maoe; ana wnat . motive nau me eged actors to embarrass the administration? A Hb1 IV , a I Wllrtt UUIIll w a I. tuiiiicticu nun iiiiii y .v , 9 . i of this nature was done, or advice given by me, and what make a choice, and wm prop ne cunm . " - ..i.i I Koi- rr.r amhq i'i:cin,r ,h tnpnciires I historian ot tnis nan oi vou. i --o-- r k nA;n.at,inn hVK I nc nnnPftcd ? It to solve the naradox, or invoke a patriotic tear to UI lilt" ouiimmuaiiui. ...... . - - I - - - ' . . i . . i j :.i I rti it ir now anneals ceniim, nu.'n toes not oeions io ine Jiuraan minu io hci w.muut. mw- i w-. - - . .' UcpIi' nh Miovo nil thp evil it (hat 1 was retained in olhc most reluctantly nopnu , .u, .w r- - jtjw;,,. " mprelv because vou I a1 L ' . A I . .nrA.Ai iinlnO( lha OV1MPII ft 1(1 HIT III V I (iUlll IL I J aiiU IbiAIl - " ' J WClC UlltVllllll IV i"V i" J w suonose that vou wished to put " a mark of disgrace upon me. I now perfectly comprehend this annunciation be corroborated by the appearan.ee of some rational mo- were unwilling to mortify tive to control their actions. In this case, I can imagine none. It remains, therefore, for you to show how this charge can be made to reach me. Here I leave it with my unqualified denial, whatever form or shape it may assume. " The Calhoun Telegraph and Ingham Sentinel evin ced their disaffection.'' Again I demand the evidence. Let the columns of these papers he examined lor ine iaci of their disaffection. The former wa3 deemed the paper of the Administration, and the only article which, up to that period, I have heard of having been ascribed to such feeling, the editor says was "dictated; in substance, from your own lips, and approved in form by you before pub lication. . As to the latter, I have! had no political Corres pondence with its editors from the time of my appoint ment to that of my removal. Those gentlemen (and none who know them will doubt their word) will bear rue out in this declaration. I admit that I regard them as my in a no tber noint of view. It identifies the declarations which, from time to time, emanated from those who were .alleged to be in your special confidence, and to have constituted your most influential council. It was declared by those persons that I had no share in your confidence," that you would be glad of a pretext to remove ine, end that you had endeavoured in vain, by "courtly hints," to let me know that you wished me to resign, and relieve you from the responsibility of the act ; to all of which, it was added, I was utterly insensible. It is also evident from this admission, that, although I was, during all this period, laboring with the most intense assiduity for the country, and for. the benefit of your fame, that you were seeking, with scarcely less diligence, for some nrptext which wou'd enable vou to encounter, with safe . . . . r rt l- litical hazaid ut mortiiying rennsy ivaui uy tv. tne no personal friends, They have long conducted, in the capi- putting "a mark of disgrace" on me. It riher a ppear. ioif P.nnLlvnniA ihP loading naner of the oolitical that, while these things were doing, the peisons, above party-with which I have always been connected. They referred to. were carrying their warfare against me in ari men of tried moral and political integrity. Had I to the papers of Pennsylvania. One of them, at least, been engaged in: any shape of the purposes thus attribu- was conducting the influence of your name into the elec ted to me, it b scarcely possible that I should not have tions in that State, to the d.sadvantage and injury of one corresponded with them, and some others ot meir eui- oi your own puuuim ...cu, . : r torial brethrenin Pennsylvania" or elsewhere, on these than-because he was my personal as well as political subjects. All are now at liberty to publish whatever I friend ; and to be an enemy of mine, and ol theadminis have written in respect to this or any other matter con- tration of my native State, was known to be the direct tained in your charges. passport to the favor of this council. I say, while these . Next.' " The appointment of Mr j Baldwin was denoun- and many other such things, which I might disclose with czd." This-Vrom you is most unexpected, to whom it out violating the rule I have prescribed, were daily at must be well known that, in all your conversations on work, you "treated me with fondness to the last !! ' I that subject, whatever my preference might have been, I reposed on your imputed frankness and sincerity treat refused to say any thing to depress Mr. Baldwin ; and ing the " malign influence" which surrounded you with it is with great surprise, notwithstanding ali i have before silent indifference, determining that it was not less due seen, that I am made responsible for the denunciation, to y our character than to mine that I should not seem What may not be proved when such evidence is relied on ? to give credit to the assumed authenticity of acts so dis- public men. Having been, for the last two'years, a Close, and for the most part, anient observer of the actors in the various scenes of the great drama of Statev in which you Were the chief character, I have carefully studied, not only your own, but the characters of those around you; and cannot easily be mistaken in the consideration which .characterized yoifr leading imoflicial acts, and their bear ing'on the public.interests. iVluch less could 1 be mistaken . iir the- facts which are now nii'de the ground work of your imputations against me, and the evidence ofdiscord which induced the determination to reorganize your cabinet. I liesitate not to say, in the face of all who are implicated; in- the face of. the' world, nay, in the face of Heaven, that .every allegation made, intended, or tending to connect me in any one of your long list of incidents, with a design to insult you, or embarrass your administration, or with a-ny 'other tf the imputed designs, is destisute of the sha llow or shade of truth. I might close this part of this communication here, by insisting, as I have a right to do, upon the production of the proofs of these imputed plo'ts and conspiracies, and of my agency in them, or that, as as an act of .sheer justice,the charges should be withdrawn , as openly as ihey have been made. But I cannot permit ! mys.elf to rest on this ground alone, however solid and immoveable it must be.- I must, therefore, call jour at tention to some of the most prominent points, and demand the proots more specifically. Ou What ground ami charged with having no sooner than I got the commis sion safe in my pocket, joined Mr. Calhoun's friends in , the effort to drive Major Eaton out of the cabinet?" I ;. Hsk where is the evidence that Mr. Calhoun had any class ti' friejjoVi who were n6t as devotedly your friends, or that inv o.biect : was entertained, which could be beneficial to him and injurious to you ? Or that any persons under that designationjoined to drive Major Eaton out of the .cabinet? And, lastly, where is the evidence, if such a plot existed, that I ivas privy tooran actor in it ? If the " isolated circumstance of tlie refusal of my family, with my approbation, to associate with that of Major Eaton, . be evidence of this charge, I freely admit that , fact ; but you perfectly well know, whatever appearance circum , "stances nowr compel you to give it, that the sole cause for :- tjits refusal was based in Hie belief of the society in which .she had always lived, as to the character of his wife, aiid not in any feeling of hostility or even unkindness to him. It was, however, known to me, that two or three genfle ' ' ' men whom I had never heard designated by their per sonal attachment toany political man other than vour- self, and Who were known lobe among your best friends' 4lid"remonsirate to you against the appointment ofAlajor. jhioii iu n scjai vui vnunici , ctuu i aiso neard that they contemporaneously, or at least two of them, made known to him all they had said to you Their names are knownlo you, andthey e8n bear testimony to this fact. Two of these gentlemen, the only ones of whose purpose I had any knowledge at the time, will, if their memories .serve, for I know them to be incapable of misrepresenta tion, testify, that ao far from encouraging their views, I endeavored to reconcile tnem to tne appointment of Maj. Eaton. . I wiI not nbw bring their names before the pub lic, but will, if desired, furnish them to you, that you may satisfy lyOursejlf of Ihe (flagrant injustice you have done me hi this respect. But in addition to this, whHt motive had I to desiiie to drive Major Eaton out of the cabinet? We had been for several years, personally inti-mate-and friendlyi I had formed a favorable opinion of bis disposition and general character, and notwithstan ding all that has occurred, my opinion, as to these quali ties at that time, is unchanged. In the absence of motive, in the absence of facts and circumstances, .nay, in the fae of facts now tendered to you, what is there in the re lation between tire highest officer of the government and w the humblest citizen, which can justly preclude the latter from the right of demanding that a charge so injurious to himshaU.be either proved or retracted ? It should now tte'ynderstood that this chartrc. thus shown to be a mere paaniom, is made the bpari ,i rt r r-,t;rt- . I1UIII UI MIT VUIIU1II, The expose proceeds: ' Remote editors ivere sounded to bring them out against your re-election."- The only evidence which I have seen or heard of in suppoit of this charge, is in a statement of Gideon Welles, of Hartford, Ct., who, though he was "shocked and astounded" at the;alleged suggestions, it incej'appears, had some lime after, written a letter to the same 4gentleman whom he charged with making it, sending , his best respects to Mr. Calhoun, and expressing his owh private opiniou that you ought- not, on principle, to stand another poll. It is a remarkable fact, that this same witnesst now so much relied upon to sustain a fair fetched assault upon me, had written, another letter to the same person, soon after this shocking overture was said to have been made, in which he said, among other things of the same kind, that Major Eaton was a disgrace to your Administration. So much for this charee. and the witness : but if all he says, in the face of his lette testifies to a convers creditable to vour fame, and that 1 should expect from yourself alone the only information upon which I could act in such a case, not indeed in '' courtly hints," but in the honorable ingenuousness of republican frankness and simplicity. It is noiv proved, by the documents so often referred to. that the character which I had thus formed, and thus reiied upon, was but an object of my imagina tion, and that, instead of the " respect" iih which I was '"treated to.the last" comicg from the heart, it was but a covering far deep roofed hostility, whicrTwas only sup pressed through fear ot " mortifying Pennsylvania,'' and that I have been, during the whole period of my politi cal connexion with you, an object of your unqualified, and, now, undisguised enmity, as well as a subject for the suspicious and scrutinizing espionage of those who, it now appears by the verification of their say ings, acted under vour special authority. I cannot but deplore that I :rs to the Contrary, be true, he only you have made it necessary for me,, in my own defence, ation with another person, of which thus to speak of these things ;'but since it is so, I rejoice to find, in the Inhered assault upon me, sucn clear inter nal evidence of the tiuth as it is. But you allege that you " offered (me) a position of dignity and trust, quite equal to (my). deserts." It is true you offered me the mission to Russia; but, after what has been now seen, j can afiy doubt in what light I must have understood that, offer, at the time it was made ? and although you have been una ble to find any motive for my refusal but " ambition and interest," there are not a few, I trust, w ho. looking into their own hearts, can realize that when office is tendered to beguile integrity, it cannot be honorably accepted; still less could I have accepted it as a sop to reconcile Pennsylvania to the agency of an inmate of your house hold in forming a new party there for the benfit of your designated successor- " Ambition and interest !" the former seeks high station, and the latter emoluments: both were offered, but " the circumstances" in which 1 found myself placed, forbade the acceptance and I sought only retirement to domestic life, not imagining that this was to be further disturbed. I ii ow pfiss to the sequel of this extraordinary docu ment, in which I find a labored attempt to adduce facts in i ".i .vi i ; 2 . ii s r none pretends tnat l nan any Knowfeoge. ui us sup posed object I never heard till it was brought out by Mr. Welles perilous statejnent. Bat if there be ground for offence to you in such-ah act,; it must be found in the supposition that, contrary to the; general expectation, you were then anxious for a re-election, and had seized upon and laid up the mere expression of a doubt of its expe diency as evidence of base designs against yourself and your Administration. It is surely an act of supereroga tion further to deny and ask for proofs at such a matter. The last and most prominent allegation at this period, is, that Mr. Calhoun came out with a " horrible plot," and " when this issue was made with the President, he found his Cabinet divided, andan entire re-organization was determined on " I shall not inquire by whom, or for what purposes, this plot was begun, but I may em phatically demand in what point it can, by the remotest possibility, be brought in contact with any act of mine, official or otherwise. I have reason to know that it was not the preface to the correspondence, nor the letters in it, which made 'he issue so personally offensive to vou. The first was revised by your particular friend, and eve . . i t nnln a A A that nnthinr WAS oinnc I rail LIICICIUIC vht "wv4. .. V,iV..o . . . ther from my intention than to have had any ainerence ith vou, or any memoer ot me Aammisiranou, m. u.; retirement from the government, i hih not .u however, that e ther arguments or evidence will now pro duce a change in your opinions, or dispel the error which-'has so unhappily envelopes yonr snort career m civil station, and so eneciuai.y Diigmrn uir.au j..- pects which attended your induction into otnee. You will observe tnat I nave cuuuucu iUJ .c.a.c . . . I.. I Uwrn kill lnnharl IhP most exclusively to tne ejeus; - v corrupting cause of all the diseases of your adromistra- (ration. .Nourished by a aepiorame ...in.v..,, -rations have been most extensive and injurious. Had I consented to bring my faAily within the sphere of its influence, I should have been among tne cmeir. u. favorites; but I would not thus consent to expose th-m, and therefore have, as it appears, experienced the efforts of your secret and abiding hostility. I now take leave of you- expose, ana proceeu w kij . .. : 'I' . i J., .,IVirrat fn I iMfl- to vour letter ov lvjr. irisi, wrvnjj 1 " - . not but regret; to find the same apparent misapprenension of the nature and object of my letter of the liisi uiuuio still existing, which Jiad pervaded your previous prutccv. ings on this subject." The representation 1 made to you of the transactions of Maj. Eaton and others, was not induced bv any alleged injury done'to me This was -.dincilv Hisrlai.npd. The obiect was simply tr bring to vour noticed meditated outrage against the majesty of thp law which I deemed discreditable to tbe Government, and considered it to b my duty to lay before you. In furtherance of this object, I suggested such prominent facts as I thought necessary to enable you to give a di rection to any investigation you might order, which would most readily disclose the whole truth. The facts presented by me for your considei ation, were, that Maj. Katon and Mr Randolph had resolved to assault me; that, for effecting their object, they occupied, as n ren dezvous, certain lower rooms in the Treasury building, near which, as the head of the Department, I must ne cessarily pass: in the discharge of my official dotie ; that the officers occupying these rooms, with one another, were in the company of Major Eaton and Randolph, whilst they were thus awaiting an opportunity to- make the intended assault. I further stated, that the principal persons thus engaged, viz: Eaton and Randolph, with a recruited force, beset my dwelling for two successive nights, indicating, by words, ac,. ions, and armament, hos tile designs. ; AU these matters are brought before you, believing that all who had in any manner aided or given countenance al Hie time to the designs of the principal, were guilty of a high offence against the laws of the country. The matters for investigation under this state ment, of facts, were simply as follows : 1. Did Eaton and Randolph, or either of them, arm and lie in wait for the purpose alleged, or for any other" criminal put pose ? 2. Did t hey; use the rooms of the Treasury building as places of rendevzous for such a purpose ? ' 3. Were the officers who occupied those rooms present while they were so employed by Eaton and Randolph, or either of them ? 4. Did Ealpri; and Randolph, with a recruited armed force, threaten an assault on my dwelling, for two sue cessive nights, till a late hour ? It so, then is all 1 have slated true to the letter, i am sure it will not be contended that it did not concern the character of the Government, to have a severe scrutiny made to ascertain the truth ot such allegations ; and, it found to-be true, to. know especially how it had happened that any persons, much more those in ydur j particular confidence, should have dared to occupy th rooms in the Treasury Department, in order to make an assault on the life of its chief officer; and to what extent, if at all the officers accompanying them, had any knowledge of or given aid or countenance to so disgraceful an outrage The fa'cts which then had come to my knowledge were embodied in a letter addressed to you, on the eve of mv departure from the seat of Government, (the only mo ment at my d'Spo-al for that purpose,) believing that you would conceive it your duly to cause the subject to be in vestigated in s'ch manner as the long experience of the mosi enlightened communities had found besl calculated to f-licit truth and promote justice. But you have not thought proper to do so. You have contented yourself with drawing out and spreading before the public, the excuses and denials of a portion of ihe persons referred to, without taking ihe; slightest noticf of the principal and avowed offender, Rejecting all offers to adduce addi tional testimony. An examination might very possibly have implicated persons not before thousrht of. or resulted in the acquittal of others who were suspected. But that the facts should have been investigated, will not be denied by any one who duly appreciates the sacred duty of rr-pres-ing, among the officers of the Government, within ,the walls of th public edifk es, disposition to violence. I have only to add, that, when such a scrutiny shall be made, all I have alleged will he substantially r.ved; the subsequent preva rications of '.he minor coadjutors to the contrary notwithstanding. I do not complain that you hav6 not instituted "an i.iveiiratinn ; have no right, to do so, more than any other citizen of the United by an officer who holds his office at your will ; in addtti to this, you hold Ihe pardoning power in vour own h'jn Whoever has paid attention to Slate trials, cannot be sensible to the effect of these powers. I am then!"" on, now met with an unsought offer of personal protect while I carry on a public prosecution, in which ti'. ' nesses I might offer are threatened with the privation r tbe means of subsistence for their families, and 8onf with the addition of the penalties of the law, Rg a Pu jshment for their generous services in my defence. can 1 understand such a communication as exnres.; W a aesne iur u iree, nupni na, mm uniiauiiiea MVegtitr tion of ffuth, before a tribunal of justice. It is any thi else ralQ?r than this. If it had been your sole intentio" iu writing this letter, to deter the scrutiny it purports arising uimu uiiiiiiiuiiiiuii .i3 ujjwii me uy your nr ceeding, than expose to injury men who had' offered t risk their lives for mine. But you have left rne no choi in an appeal to a tribunal of criminal jurisdiction, i! the same moment in which you seemingly invited tinbl ! attention to see " what proofs (I) sbould be able to bririT in support of the charges' you closed the door Rs Wefi against the witnes-es as again! the effect of their test moHv. Instead if accepting my aid for the purnoep. 1.- justif-e, you have proclaimed the acquittal of the eujt neni an abv ly theV a punisnmeni oi tue innocent ffect to your purpose, you made inquiries (secretly ol allege To the ar- give forma.tiori thus received, ileclare my 8tat Mivr..Uvv. , , umy announce at you co"8e) and and left nothing for me to do but to aid yon i ik- ratgni ihe moi have from ments to be ' liieeviuriitvjv" " inun i.iivj njuc nuu isise wil Ii out having heard it, but, to complete this course-.of nro. ceeding in a manner most injurious to my character and feelings, you have even descended from your high station to offer me a .personal taunt. Such is the close of ii ast scene of the political relation between you.and me. You will perceive t flat I have carefully ahstained from int,,; cine into this discussion any njalter to which you have not ;,.;. public attention in your leer of the7th instant, and vour docuir;fnt of the lHh, and which '.s ndf necessary to ray defen're against 'u, charges therein made I have therelore left a vast fielJ wholly un". explored, all of which was fairly at my disposal, if I could have re" coneired myseit myteenngs, even under such circumstances of inju- . rv, to do anyi thinr which might resemble an aggressive conuWr ' , . , - sm ' m t . I r . i . r . i : who ine mei iuagisiraie. ocu ucience is, nowever,or.e of those sacredreservedrightswhich.it is conceded in all communitips.man has never submitted to the entire cont rol of society ; it is this right alone I claim to hav exerted in the foregoing remarks. If I used it with what ahv one may consider ai undue freedom, it will " be cause of regret to me : but having, from the beginning of my official connexion until it was dissolved by yoji, devoted all ihe la- ' culties of my mind to the public ser.We, with no other view tban to promote the public interest and tbe character of the Government and, consequently, ihe fame of Us chiefofficer, I bnvenot considered myself as laboring under obligations which could not te paid, nor you as haviiKr any right to inflict injuries by way of ai'justin" such a oaiance. vv iui iiie eitepuo i ui t,iai ion, mereiore, 1 ie it no res traint which would not be required in any other case, and if station can be construed toconfer privileges of this nature, those who claim them ought to remember that tbe established courtesies of repihi;.' can society, at least, protect tbe inferior members from the unjust effects of such a privilege, by imposing corresponding restraints on the superior. But it shuld always be kept in view, wherever this conespondence may lead to, that it has been forced uion nie in ,i manner which h;is left me no choice but to suffer the effects oi vuar cruel injustice, or to use some of the means which crowd into r.jy service, to avert Ihe intended wrongs. J have already adverted ti the manner in which our official connexion has been maintaireiou my part. The documents before me show how that relation has been maintained ou your pari. It commenced in suspicion,and continued' under a brooding-, but restrained hostility; was marked, near : close, by a wanton and desperate design, fostered in the breast .'u' your most devoted and most confidential friend, to assail my life , and, failing in this, it is now terminated with a still more unre lenting and injurious purpose of destroying my reputation, and robbing my children of their only hope of bequest. I have the honu. to be, respectfully, your obedient servant, ' S. D. INGHAM. ry expression which he thought liable to such interpre- sunnort of an idea previously inculcated, viz: that 1 was tation was erased at his suggestion ; and long after the the aggressor in all the differences which existed in your letters were written you had intimated your willingness imagination, and was seeking to the last for some 44 pre- to receive Mr. Calhoun, as usual, and invite him to your text for a quarrel to carry home to Pennsylvania." table, if he would leave a card for yob. I know through What are these facts 7 Soon after I had appointed cer- theame channel of common friendship, that he objected tain officers in the custom house of Philadelphia, disre- to an attempt at reconciliation without explanation, which garding the offcious and improper interference of the should remove the cause of the difference ; adding, that Second Auditor of the Treasury, who, as I was informed, his honor and integrity had been impugned, and, until had been some time on a political visit to that city ; and this matter was explained, there could be no cordiality after! had heard thatthe persons who formed his circle 1 and the main arS niyonduct in this partic irn,rimd in.,i. ha. w"" ,nsuu to yourseit ; Whi o-- ... " wcu lOSterorl i i . . .1 present moment ; and constaati. llJ u "'"V "' lu u,c j;.nc;n, ;n,. ' . "n"Ry cherished, with its pre- Li. . . . na ICU- substance to every ft V. A V nV, r. .1 n ... . L. '. V. 1 ,trive,brcredulitycoild bepvaa u CpuJd CQ What are these shadow. UP?n toembrp.ee. - 111 uis embo died Al the uccttdim XSs!nn fir. held meetings for the purpose of add7esin7ZTS frends Maj. Eaton-3 Tbrei things are nece,rVt?be ni to maintain this charge and bring it home to m. ! That Mr. Calhoun had a class of friends distinct fr yours. 2d. That they held such meetings, And sa That I was privy to, and give aid or countenance t'o the rrfeasure. A to the first, I know of no such class. ; As to the seconu, I Know ol no such meeting. And thirdly I, of course, could have given it no aid or countenance' If. however there was such a meetinr. its rhar.tor objects muAt be subjects for proofs; and if it did address -yon, the names must show tbat it would seem only to I will not require of yon ft prove ttiat I was present, there, spoke of my appointments as unwarranted in my then situation, received a note from you, in which yon designated me as " Acting Secretary of the Treasury," not only on the outside, with marked peculiarities, but atso in the body of the note. I could not suppose it to bean inadvertence. It was not recurring, to a familiar address from an unusual one, but the reverse ; .and be ing the first time you had ever addressed me in that man ner, carried, as I thought, on its face, evidence of delib erate intention. The notes which passed between us on the occasion have been published and I am content that an impartial public should decide, from the face of our two first notes, even unconnected with tbe visit of Major Lewis to Philadelphia, "which of us has the appear ance of " seeking cause of offence" in this transaction. The next fact is, that I wrote an angry letter to Mr. Barry, informed him that I had heard that one of his As sistants had said tbe Department held a certain bond in terrorem over me. 1 will publish this correspondence also, though an inconsiderable item in this scrap of his tory, from which it will be readily determined, whether the disposition to quarrel begun with me, or those who had enteitaiued a putpose so injurious to my character, as to have it believed that the silent repose which I was looking to, must be attributed to the base motive: of avoid- debt to the Movernmenti I could nd wrote, not." an angry," but a Barry, stating what 1 had heard, and 'questing him, if he supposed 1 was indebted to the Department, to brin? suit, as 1 could not believe that be would make the collection of a debt depend on such con siderations. His reply was mainly in the same temper, although I thought he unnecessarily introduced some po litical matter into his letter, but it was not offensive ; nor, though I declined the discussion, did 1 reply to him in that feeling. I supposed he had misapprehended a single point in the case, and explained it for his information ; but bis last letter convinced me of the truth- not only of what I had heard as to tbe threat; but that it had been written to give all the effect he couldVto the object of the original declaration of his subordinate. I saw too; in that in your intercourse, anu tnat ne could not suomil io an ostensible reconciliation with one who persevered in maintaining such unfounded aspersions against his cha racter. You were willing to be reconciled after all the offence contained in the correspondence was fully before you ; consequently, the issue spoken of as u made with (yourself) personally," must have been made by the pub lication, not by the matter of the correspondence. This could no be changed by its transfer to the printer's ink. The whole iniquity of this ' horrible plot" is therefore displayed in the act of publishing the correspondence. From this cause alone, it would seem that you found (your) cabinet divided, and determined on its re-organi- zaiion. ah this is now placed iat my door, as the con summation of an accumulating series of plot? and Con spiracies, of which my letter of the 21st ult is considered an act. I cannot content myself wtth merely requesting the proofs of my connexion with this affair, but must he permitted to demand how. when and on what noints. were the cabinet divided, either bv the matter of the cor respondence, or tbe publication of it ? Was it. or any measure connected therewith, ever brdueht before the i i .... iiiirotiuceo into their deliberations' Was any act of the Government influenced by it, or could any one be made to depend on the speculative oninions ot the cabinet members, as to the propriety of having that ing the payment of a c document in possession of the public, rather than con- not doubt the report, a fined to the desks of Mr. Calhoun and yourself? Yet res ctful note to Mr sucn is ine auegeu lounaation ot the horrible plot wbich compelled you to " determine on an entire re-organiza tion of (your) cabinet Ihe responsibility of which, it now seems, is to be mainly thrown on me. I have alrea dy proved that the origin of this whole drama was but a phantom, and it is now demonstrated that theira mediate cause of its catastrophe is something, if possible, less substantial-. The history of the world, I am sure, can not furnish such another exhibition of preposterous suspicions and imaginary conspiracies; ot agents tor espionage and information, to recollect and report ma terials; of such lamentable credulity for their reception, and reckless temerity in determining matters of high mo ment on grounds so baseless as have been thus shewn to letter, a germ of the feeling since so fully disclosed, and have pervaded your council chamber, almost from the I disposed of the matter as T 'hought it merited, without first moment you entered it, until your re organization J further notice. I should have deemed these incidents too was carried into effect. I beg leave to pause here, and unimportant for such notice, but for that which you have inquire, if these alleged causes for the reorganization of given them. They certainly constitute no proof of a dis- your cabinet be the true causes, what are we to under- position iu me to " seek cause for a quarrel." i They are stand from the letters of the Secretary of State and Se of the same character with the absurd imputations as to creuiry of War, in which are; given their reasons for their the publication in the Telegraph, with which 1 had ! no voluntary resignation f If the re-organization was a pri- more to do than Major Eaton had ; and becauie 1 would inary determination of your own, grounded upon the se- not disavow, under a menace, I am represented by you nes of events indicated in your manife$to,.and repined as the aggressor; and because I would not present my. with "ttf11 bjr tne publication of tbe correspondence self without defence to his pistols and stiletto, or neglect Stat ;,houn wherefore is it that the Secretary of my duties to call in aid the civil authorities, t have be- atate gave one reason, and the Secretary of War another, come", in your judgment, a " threatener of the peace!" or tneir retirement, neither having the slightest reference I To the mind which bas long been perverted bv the work- Mates. You are responsible for the due execution of the laws of the District; and when these fail to afford personal protection, I hope to be as able as most others to protect myself. But I think I have a just ground for complaint, in your eflort to transfer from yourself and your officer, who are constituted for that service, to me, a private citizen, at a distance, and without special interest the labor ind responsibility of carrying on a criminal prosecution) for at.- effence committed exclusively against the United States, even after the principal offender had confessed more than enough to justify a public; prosecution. But I fird a still more serious cause of complaint, in your additional effort to divert the public mind frum the primary end real qutstio , before you, to the consideration of a collateral and false issue, betven myself and tbe companions of Eaton and Randolph, whilst at their rendezvous; whereby you might ostensibly impeach im veracity, without contradicting one of my assertions. Not content with framing such an issue thus calculated to do me injury, and to defeat every purpose of justice I find in your letter, and with deep regret feel inyself obliged to expose it, indubitable evidence of a deplorable bias in your mind. As an apparent cause for the embarrassment interposed, you have made a gratuitous offer of your protection to me if 1 should engage in those prosecutions. But noi having sought protection, nor deem ed it desirable,-it removes none of the difficulties previously and subsequently thrown in the.way. I asked an assurance of. protec tion for the witnesses who might hold offices at your disposal, from injury in consequence of giving testimony,; but this is given in a form which they will regard as a threat, rather than an assurance of protection. ' ... as no witness wouiu oe required to inculpate himself fir mic own loctimnnir IKr. . . .:: , , 'j , me it'Uiiiuuii anoexeu to your as surance, that" it must not be construed as affording im punity for their own misconduct, which the investigation. iPtgnt untoiu, could have no meaning that lean ima gine, unless intended for a menace. I have also obser ved in your letter another obstacle to anv scrutiny before a tribunal of the District. It is stated bv vou that " should any person be found to have formed a part of 4-ecrujted force to engage in hostilities of any kind with in ine precincts ot tne Department, or elsewhere (vou) w.llleel it to be (your) duly, in addition to the penalties of the law, forthwith to dismiss the offender from public service ; and in the next paragraph you prejudge and ,..,u.gnic. Jiic muitiai 01 tne " Acting Secretary of War, and others" (alleged to have been charged by tne) of any offence whatever, having previously justified the officers whose rooms were occupied for a rendezvous, on the ground that it was their duty to be there ; and that any body else had a right to come there." If a free and untrammelled investigation bad been irone into, as I re quested. 1 had.determined to call upbn you as the first wit ness, notwithstanding jou say in vour letter to Messrs Campbell. Smith, Lewis, and Randolph, that " Mr nff ham's letter.f (received by you at 9 o'clock on the morn ing of the 22d of June) gave (you) the first information that (you) had on the subject of his difficulties," vet I ..an. iMmiing in saying, tna your examination, with the oiuer testimony m my power, would have afforded am ample proof of the extraordinary fact that you were well apprised of what was going on anterior to that date The fpf-.linirs nhish n-nrarn . u : - & ....... b....t j,u mis occasion may - - Hum ine iuui mat you nave justified Ma jor Eaton's meditated . assault upon me, and from th declaration Of one of your devoted friends, that, bacon. vcibBiioii ne nad with you betore the intended assault you informed him of tbe controversy between Mio- a' ton and myself, and said that, if there was to be ani more Writing it unn!rl ka In t I -w, '. c" tour course. auujeci, is tn more extraordinary, and the morf- j w specially remarked, inasmuch as toe Der sons nrincinallv inters erl o .-, 1 ..,., r . khuiyii io ue oi vour mix) ;i..cuui, .,u ueueven to be partakers of youi most secret councils; who were in habjts of daily inter uu .ur consuiiation w.ti, you, and whose devotion to your wishes authorized the belief ihar ih.., ... , - 1 thing of importance against your .ppr J pnncmal offender no notice is taken, as if there wa pcrSu on ine stage ol action. All the rest enaVpH or supposed to have been engaged i ,he intended af sfuu' are completely exculpated, and a virtual amn.c,? mem, wnue the words of vour 1piif n J 6 " arranged to convey a denunciSon nf rK" ua,rded,y the law." and Hi.:..! " X" 'at'? of tne Penalties o wprp rm.i s "Z Z, " ' omce- ainst those wh.. your denunciation o7tT" served lodgment of acouital in ' "7" " mw'. and your ... . - -; LTISlf ie words. All the iurie h From the Globe of Thursday last. " We are greatly concerned about the direction which is now given by Mr. Ingham to the storm ol'his wrath and the more especkdly as it proceeds alto gether from a mistake into which he has fallen', with regard to an editorial article in the Globe, which most unfortunately, he has ascribed to the Presiden.r of the United States, when it was in (act conceived, written and published by the-'editor of the. Globe. witnout advice orauthonty lrom any one. " We most solemnly and upon lienor assure Mr. Inrr- lam that the President of the United States wasnot consulted, nor had he the slightest agency in the pro duction of the paragraph which has called forth from ii m seven Koiid columns ol animadversion. Vvo, moreover, assure him that the President never read it, heard it read, nor heard of it, until it appeared.m ne newspaper, and as lie was deeply engaged in pin- . ic business when the naraprauh was Dublished. ve doubt exceedingly whether it even caught his atten tion after it was published. We must, therelore, take upon ourself the whole responsibility of this unlucky anicie,. ana do Hereby assert our claim to Mr; Ingham s etter winch he has misdirected, to the President, with the exception of so mu .h thereof as properly apper tains to the negotiation with regard to the trial of the assassins; a subject which must be settled by Mr. Trist and himself." iurhorr.n. Z ut ','.rVv msni oe called to try j - uu beiecieu under your own eye, and From the U. Telegraph. Enfield, August 1st, 1831. Sir: I have observed in the Globe, which came to land by the last mail: the following rmornnh in Mr; Blair's letter of the 21st of July to Judge Berrien: " When the statement which I made, predicated up on Ool. Johnson's letter, was impeached in your sec ond note, I made the application to the President which you seem to think I ought now to make. He immediately put into my hands the orio-iual memo- lauuum wnicn he wrote, and which he read to Messrs. Branch, Ingham, and yourself, &c." I cannot believe that Genl. Jackson has authorized any person to say that he ever read, or made known to me, the paper or memorandum mentioned. If has, then we are at issue. Nopaper pf the kind was ever read, o'r made known to me, by Gen. Jackson, to the best of my knowledge and belief. I have as ye' prepared no narrative of the circumstance connected with the dismissal of Mr. Ino-ham. Judo-e Berrien, and myself; and, in truth, where is the necessity now ior me io do so f The President, in his letter Berrien, and myself, says, that " the want of harmo ny in the Cabinet" &c. wTas thp rancp nf nnf dismif sal; or, in other words for his re-organizalivn; Judge Berrien and Mr. Ingham, I know, have truly mtcicieu tne meaning ol this mystical expression I have too much resnect for tHn intollin-prir-p. of the American people to believe that they will be at any loss to arrive at an accnraterinncliMlnn frr. ihe facts already placed in their possession. ii,. now ever, it becomes necessary hereafter tor nit to appear beibre the public, I trust that I shall 'unhes;- Respectfully, yours, &.c. '. JNO. BRANCH o the editor of the U. Telegraph From the Globe. MR. BRANCH. TV,m .il. - . i . Kciiuemaii wrote a letter tn ivt r?mrn: n- his contribution to the joint attack against the Prc dent, It did not suit Mr. Berrien togive the pubfc more than a scrap from this epistle, and that was al together applicable to Colonel Johnson's rtateme He suppressed the rest! It was deemed advisable p wait until another letter could be obtained from .Mr- jrC? 'rclSntothe interview with the Pres dent. , l he whoT rrK g-l ;n tl- ply to that which Mr. Berrien wrote, requiring 8 statement of facts for publication. Why then the letter suppressed, and a sentence only -given ? PUrV1C'Wl11 knqw hov to penetrate the motive. Mr. Branch, in his substituted letter, denies -tJlfi statement in the Globe, and says, uhe -cannot b lieve that Gen. Jackson has authorised any person to say that he ever read or made known to him paper or memorandum." It is our duty to convince this unbeliever, and in due time we'will give him most irresistible evidence. If we do not satisfy Branch on this point, we will never ask the corifiilen of any man hereafter we promise too to convince li of something more that he: is not willing to believe- If the opposition were sincere in their lamentatiuj5 over." the imbecile Cabinet,5' as they used to call tfe. Ministers, vvhy do they not now rejoice that tltf'; places are filled with the most able and distiogtu' men of the country 1E$seari De ??h v IS.-
Newbern Sentinel (New Bern, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Aug. 17, 1831, edition 1
2
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