Newspapers / The Weekly Raleigh Register … / Aug. 4, 1831, edition 1 / Page 1
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VJ CI I I I r r i - i W " 'If PEACE, UMWARP'D BY PARTY RAGE, TO LIVE LIKE BROTHERS.-?? . 4f 038. , ; , . . y- ,r -AITO. NORTHER ; - i f ': OUtiS ARE. THE PLANS OF FAIR DELIGHTFUL 'til otTBT TTl?.h. WVTT.Tl V TlfTIHSD AY. . Iialeiih, NvrihrCcfrdtfna: P r ibkk Doll Ani per AUrtuirt -pritf liulf in advance. Thoe who dotot, Icittter at the tine of sb scr'ihin, or subsecit-ntlvgvVe notice of their W1sh to hiivethepapefiscoiihuedat the ex. niration of their viearj wiHlie'presHmedas de- t exceeding strtetn fmes, will be inserted 'firee times for a Dollar"; and twenty five cents (or each sahHetjtien publication : those of ..greater length,' hi the same proportion. If the number of jnseriio,ns be not marked on them, the v will be continued until ordered out, and charged accordingly. . dance, with my own ami i lelt it to Dene;-siui rprerrea to the thousand rumors re to vnow of yon, wiiether rrnotvau VftnT tjif y, riotrto withhold any assistance which had readied him as this onwitv '.ot" whicSl coultl give t carry them into ef- such impression which had . been ' made feet. The annunciation of the names of upon his mind. He shqwijmsno paper M il. B R Hill KN'sfPPFAL, TOfiTJIE PUBLIC. the intended Cabinr-teeued to me, how ever to present an insuperable bar to ray acceptance of the oface which was tend ered tojtne. thouuht 1 foresaw cleajrlj the evils which have too obviously result ed from this selection.' A stranger to Gep. Jackson, I.co'uljJ not wijh propriety disp'Uss these objection's with him. I knew ntorenver, lint jsomeof his cimfidential fiends had faithfully discharged their duty to him, and to the 1 country, by a frank cinninicatiori': of them. In th:s state of things sbu ht the counsel vf those around me. To a ntldman hi;'i in the confi lence of therPresident, ami to a distinguished ' citizen of my ovn State, 1 submitted th enquiry, whether, with this view of the Cab-net: which the Presi dent, had selected, I could with propriety become a m'emb'ar of it. Thlc former- ex-ni-iid hi i decided conviction, founded nVa long and intimatis -knowlecUe 'of thf Prpsideni's char.icteriJthat he would hiro '.di speedily see, and correct the evil. 'Hie hitter unred'the peculiar. relafions of Circumstances bvond my.-control haVe ip..d me under the necessitv oFuresenf- I mvself to your notice. I assei t no i txcorgia Avith the tjnneral luovernmcni, as laim to your attention, which does no?. J nresentin.sr a slron cl;dtn upon me not to ,myr pniKill v to every free citizen of the i refuse the invitation w;hich had h;vn aiven y.ir.. liut I ask, and, I feel that I ; to mfs A I yielded o the-e surest ions, and took mv piace in. the u.iDiner, wnn a firm determination to avoid the coii'rover nub' ive a right to expect, your candid con iJeration of this address. l;suhject i ne of awakening inievt in us all. The psitinn in which. I find ir,yself has noth-j iZ idviting in it.v It is one, which I have j t sbulft, but which has been turoe i up u me, and one -in which T. am called up ,n to vindicate not myself merely, but lie cause of truth, and the bet and dear est interests pijthe Community, at a haz ard io which fatuity alone could be iusen- s.ble. ; ' Tlie misrepresentations of a public iour- r.a', professing to speak the language of the 'President ot the;t)iuted btates, .and publVjhed uijder his eye, have presented to ir.e the alternative of submitting to an imputation, alike dishonorable & unf'outi; 'j.d in fact, or of meeting the. issue which U been tendered to me under, the alleg 1 1, authority 'of that bih ofBcer. If I do iiwt shrink "from this unequal" strife, it is Lecause I have a confidence which has hever wavered in the intelligence-of my cojntrymen,' a firm & utsshaken reliance in the justice of that tribunal, whose high 1 orerogaiive it is at all times, and under til circumstances, to vinutcate tne cause f truth. ' .. . t have studiously abstaineil from any effurt to excite public feeling in relation U the dissolution of the Cabinet. Iiiave felt that the question' of it propriety was one, the decision ot which. belonged a'one to the Auierican PebphW Personally I have not been disposed to-denythe riht of the President to exercise his own free will, as well in the change, as in the ori ;inal selection of his Cabinet : and with a perfect sense of the delicacy of my own tuati;.n. 1 wood have been at ail times a reluctant wtlness in the investigation vlwch led to tlie recent erent. it was not liawevfr enoi!rh that I .should submit wvself to his will, altlibug'i the principle - - m . - t ,rr winch it wasavowediy regulated couk Aave no application to me ; fortbis I have unhesitatinslv done. But I have been re Ojuired silently to witness the entire mis lepres'rntation of occurrences wliich the jiublic . -?were welt aware must have come til ler my observntiiri : nay, to be public ly vouched as authority fof that which was 'S rectly in conflict with my convictions 'i truth -and tinallv to. be called rto vin dicate my own claim to veracity, assailed .as it is undej the alleged auinov.ry hf the Preswteht ' .of the United I which no. honorable man may ' bear. I mistake the character ,of the American sies which I feared might occur. To that determination I .have steadily adhered. Associating on t "-ms of courtesy with mv colleagues, my official intercourse with them was never interrupted by discord. If there were any combinations grow ing out of the supposed; conflict, between the interest ot Mr. Calhoun and Mr. Van Ruren, Thad no part in them a d as lttle in the supposed measures or that character, having for their object ' to co erce Major Eaton to retire from the Cab it;et or to exclude his family frbm the societv of Washington. With mine they did not :associate ; but no advance had been made on either side, and their actu al relation seemed therefore to fiirni-h no just ground ofoffVnc to either party. In t'n's posture of tilings, and shortly- af ter I had given an evening party to wnich Mrs. Eaton had pot been invited, . I re ceived and heard with infinite surprise the message, of Col. Joh:ion. I could make no mistake as to its char acter, for there was a direct and repeat ed reference to the large parties, which had been then recently given by Messrs. Branch and Ingham,.. and myself. Such a mistaklTif i had b;en -one, would have been instantly corrected, from the nature of mv reolv. If the compl lint had been of a combination to evict Major Eaton from Qjic and. not to exclude his famVij from society the reference to ihese even- ing parties would have been idle : aim my declaration that 'I -would not permit the President to control the local inter4 course of mvclf and family, would have been instantly met by an explanation, yhicli would hare removed the. impres sion from the mffids of Messrs. - Branch and Ingha'ni, and myself. Yet we all parted with Cok Johnson, with '.a clear convictio-i that such a proposition had been made, and feeling as we all did, that an-Ttidignity had been olfered to us, there was. as rbelieve. n3 dift- rence of opinion between us as to the course we fspoke to me of noneintmaled to me no 1 1 ' 1 ft - W " 'n.--. rerms ivmcn 'ie wow a ncreajter reqaire. By Kis declaration that he did riot intend to prpss the requisition which he Had m,ade ilirouh Col. Johnsoh, I considered the object of the interviev to be to ex plain to me the motives wider which he had acted and to announce the. 'change of his determination, lie accompanied this with expressions of personal kindness, which I thought were intended to soodVe the feelings which he must have - been con -, sc'ous of having excited. Still T thought it was improper for me longer to r(1mai'i in the Cabinet. Admitting that sufficient atonement had been made forthe indigni ty offered, by the message -.Si' nt through 'ol. Johnson, there was a perpetual lia bility to thi recurrence of; similar out rage. I believed it, tlierefore, to 'he mv duty to retire. .. My triends thought other-. wise, and my own sense ol what the in terests of (eorg a at that particular cri sis required, induced me to repress 'my ieei!ngj. When at a subsequent period, the con troversy occurred between the President and We President, I thought saw in this, the evidence or aniintei'tion agmn to agitate the question, which by the agency of the personal Triends of (Jen. Jackson,' had been be fore happilv repressed Thn conBection of Mr. Crawford with "this controversy, and my own relation-to (rim Jackson, forbade me to take any part in it, ?t:td I studiously avoided all interfer ence, except to deprecate Mr. Calhoun's publication. I left Washington on the fourth dav of April, one d.iv after Major Eaton had announced to the Pre-ident his determination to niu, according to the statement in his (Mai. Eaton's) letter of resignation, and not the slightest intima tion was given to nie of the intended change in the Cabinet- But. when I saw thv, correspondence between the Presi dend and the several. Heads jof Depart ment, I could not doubt for a moment how, and by whom, the dissolution had been produced I did not fed at liberty to express mv views generally, until my re tnirn to Washington should emb'e me to dissolve nv connection with the President; ouht to'par'sue, if this proposition should be avowed and pressed by tne President This conversation took place on "Wed nesday evening, and the rumor of our in tended removal speedily became general. Oh the succeeding .day, the personal friends of General Jackson interposed, and he was awakened to a sense of th impropriety of his projected course. . It was then, according to Col. Johnsons statement to Mr. Inghairi, that the paper People, if they would require this. I am j spoken of by the Etlitnr of the Giobe was totally ignorant of my own, if, uhd'er any circumstances I could vield to it.. lr m' face-' of. this great community, the cause of truth can be prostrated by the arm of power, at least the privilfge of vin- licaiing it, shall not be tamely surren dered in my person. I vil I bow to tlie decision of my countrymen but whate ver that decision may be, the high conso- vv w 1 , i uu; nij urn iiiuiij u irviiii v u - duty to them, and to myself, -shall not be taken from me. ! ' The disingenuous and unmanly sugges- 'i'-m of my desire to remain in the",Cibii net of General Jackson, notwithstandittfr !ie occurrences which produced my rc-f ttrementti will be my apology for advert ing briefly to the origin of my connexion vith it, and to the circumstances which -'duced its, continuance It was without any solicitation on my part fr, so far as I know or believe, on the part P'C JXnv of fripn'dsl lh;it I i va ill vit- , . j "v ?'";r'. ------ '11 to Spppi t.m t ifc'n- cx tf 'l'ffnpnn Cicina- ral of the United katrsT rjiere verc cir- Nmstancev tetnpofary in;their kiature, sun strongly operative, which render acceptance riot jrierelyrSs mmvicuai, but as a citizen, andrespe rUy as a citixeji of Georgia. On Certain Hv hi general pohev. Some ol wtiicli particularly interesfirig'tothe p'eo- ...c uruir, me views coraniuHicai "hythe President, , were in aceor- prenared. My two Colleagues had then i n t e r v i e W;. w i th t he P r e si d e n t o n the s u c -ceecling day, (Friday) and as JMr. In gVam's statement, made from full notes taken at the time, proves, nq paper was shown to'hhn on thai occasion. Owing to a mistake in ithe communication of the President's wishes to me, I did not see hiin;untd tJie surce;dingtlay, (Saturday.') and then the exBe;nierit of his feelings Had so entirely subsided, that he seemed to me to beahxious to dispose of the sub ject asiefly as possible- He spoke of the falsehood' ot the reports against Mrs. Eatonfjiwhich lie said he had sufficient proof;: and 'tfpon. myMecliniiig to discuss that Tjuestioi;, he complained of the in justic4f excluding! her from society : referrlu to thei large partiesgiyen by Messfs. ingham and Branch, and myself, and lolft hic ifShetcpu Id have been con vinced that there. was a combination be tween, those genfletnen and myself; to ex clude h e r ro ih fib die ty , ..that'he . wo u 1 d have renuhed?our;resinatibn?. "Ile im- nation mediately addedffthit hewas entirely satisfied that thpro har! hepn . nn , such f li not desirable to me. t.tej t,. S we. combination, ahd!aain referred :to Jhose ICr' ?,,at Was called tSeciile upon the Iae parties, and 'rtii'tne runiorstttf' which - uLL.ru Mr;-.f -iini. niri ri a ? i ii rr- :t ii.iii j'iru i me. Mnia vii? o-(T' iirifii in .t i ,l.,,.l 1... . . . V-t-v . f J .1.1 A' - .. ; . J . , .?.-.l- . - uiacjmpression .-&p taf trom then .sug gesting that information had been'rieceiv-; td (rownem I claimed '.thetft&Ut 6f4iavingtthenames ofjany persQftMlio'had madeto hlin rep- I fv 1 - '-r J i t ' t .. but to a few friends who had the right to understand inv actual position, I stated the utter imposibility of ray continuance in the Cabinet, unless the President could place the retirement of my colleagues on other grounds than those which 1 believe to have occasioned it, and -uch as I could approve. In full view of the speedv dis solution of all connection between the President an.l myself, I availed myself of the occasion, afforded by the kindness of mv fellow citizens of Savannah, to do an act of justice to his public conduct, on a ques-'ion vitally ieresting to the peo ple of Gorrr a. If there be any man v. ho is incapable of 'understanding, or of ap preciatingthe motive which prompted this act, I cannot envy Ins feelings, and will not attc.npt to enlighten his understand ing. I returned to this city, had a conver sation with the President, of which the prominent points arc adverted to in my letter of resignation which immediately followed it, and having brought up thc public business, which was in arrear, re tired from office. i While these occurrences were in pro gress. Major Eaton addressed to' me a let ter of like import with his first communi cation to Mr. Ingham. He called upon ipe to sanction or disavow the statement in the Telegraph, that my family had re- fusedto associate wi'b his. I answered by detailing the conversation which had passed between my .clf and Col. Johnson, and stated that 1 had subsequently, ex pressed the same views to the President, who had disclaimed any disposition to press this requisition referring to that which I had previously stated to have been made through Col. Johnson. The Editor of the Globe has published this detached sentence of my letter, and has made an impotent at tempt' to distort its meaning. The public shall judge of the whole correspondence for themselves. 1 had no disposition to pJublish this corres pondence. , Perfectly? satisfied that it would at all times speak for itself, and not emuljous of reputation to be acquired in such controversies, I have resisted the numerous calls which have been made upon me through different journals to give it to the public. But the Editor of the Globe is in "possession-of it, and by the publication of an isolated extract, at tempts to do me injustice. I exercise r right, therefore, which belongs to me, when I take from him, this unfair meahs of annoyance, by.givingj.he whole to the public - ,.. .- ' sr. F "-'i FRiDA.r-NiotiT, ir.th June1, 1831. Srn: T h'.ive studied to disregard the abusive slanders which have arisen through. saMebased a;onrce as the U. S. 'vTelerapt 1 have been content to Wait for the full development of w'nat' hejftftl to say aVwl iintil jierons-orespprisiSle. characters :shcild. ;be brought forth" eni'.orje his vile ivbuseBof me,'?in1d my f.imiij. In jthat pa, pep cf thil evening is intained Itie.'follo-w ng remar ksof my wit'ei- fylt s 7iiven thjt tbi Se CfetarTs r.t"f1':easury andV of theiTayy , and - ol the4AUorney Menerjd, Ifefusexl to associate' wit b her." This5 pliblicat3ortiaipers -in a papei? anc. or disavow it. The Tela. turn we Icive snst.iined towards ea.h o'her air. Uiorizes me to demand an! Immediate answer. Very reS'-ectfiiHv, ! ' J. H.EATON. Jxo. M. Behrikv, E?q. ' , ' ' Washtvgtok, 18 h June, 1831. Sir I received to-day your note of hsi ir-g'it, m which you rail my attention man article in "tie U. S. 'IVleiii-apb of the 17'h in;t. tel iTintr to voiir wifV a :d desiring to know whether I will fcanctio i or disavow that st.temeiit, you add, "the-relation' we have sustained t" wards e:ch otlier, authorizes me to demand an imqiedia'e answer. ' fc To ibis 'inquiry preferred as a matter of ri"h, an4 fT-sentcd In tie. form of a demand, my "an sw!r must . be brief. It ron-ts in the simple denial of the claim which vou assert. I-cannot r-cotrnixe your rigid to iutTrotrate me, con- i mg the st .tements of the Telejrrapji, cr of any-o-diei public jo ir,i:d which are-made without my ajrency. Yimi mlit with eqtid propriety select an article from any newspaper in the Union, for-the purpose of muting me to the question and if the claim which vou assort be well foundt'd, I might be requ'u cd-'Uthe instance of any :)-rson a-rLM'ieved In r',va m.r "t taitii. in relation to the various statements to, be found in any of the journals in which rnyi name may - chance to be mentioned. Such -a Jnna.id, therefore, cannot ne admiued for a moment. Uut fdthon.h I car.irn recognize vour ri.ht, either asdei-ived fiom the TeLtion which we have sustained towards each otht-r, or' from any otb-r source, to m ike tlie demand pr-senu-d by your note, I a-h riot q-iite ,uie, looking to me posiuon in wiu -hiwe stand hefore the nohl c. tint I can arqu't myseif to the conui.uivtv or to mv .t !t tor de clMimtc to answer your inqu'rv. In tlie pr ioress of those events which hve at length resulted in the dissolution of the Cabinet my deunninaiioi. bus been nut to do any ac' winch was calculated to: pro, oVe conti oversv, n-.r to deviate under whutev r or-ency trom thai line ot conduct, which my own sense of proprie ty prescribed. Acting upon tins determination, I have necessarily pursiu d a course, wbirh a re fuaal to answer your inqsiTv, might seem Jr, indi cate an tin wil linn-ss to avow Sncii an infer t nee wool 1 be unjust as it rer-irils tnvsclf. and delusive in relation to the public. 'Ahhoiifcli therefor.- fii -ve the most .un-..iFt cfed reluctance to enter upon such a su'dect, and c.rtninlv do not acquiesce in voOr r to demand it.it seenis to me tiiat you hve by making tlie int;uv, i n-po-ed upon me the oh!ic;t!ou to .io so, firo.n !. iu.t cons'uler.ation of wh it I ove to im sr-lf and to the, public- I have then to sta-e to you, that up to the time of your ni rriare, l ,ot beard the rumors, Whicb'hW since in varitun forms . be-n presented to the public, and v. as ij;n-rant of Mrs. Eaton's relation to tlie soaietv i;f thi p...c . ,1 .accen'ed your invitation to be present at your w-eddmg,' 'tiierefore, with no disf'rnst; of the propriety of. my doin so, other than thai which r -suited from my own sitiiacion at that pe riod. You -are yourself no doubt aware how much that .event, and your subsequent introduc tion into the Cabinet, made thesje rumors tlie subject ot conversHtion. I could not longer continue in ignorance of that, which was public ly an 1 generally spoken of, and it conse quently became necessary for me, emharr.-.ss. eel as the question was, by the official rc-lation in which we stood to e;-ch other- determine upon mv future ebndur.t.- date. I could nof recoe-nize vourriirht to makf this demand, bt for tli reasons mentioned ii my "reply, ;I thought it w s proper to. state -to you what I had donejVin re ation to this njHtttr, To do thjs wais thertnly object of that nfte. ,'? ; Yoij are ; quite iir!d,iowpver, ih believintr that I -Ji-a'd no agency in procuring the public U,f on of the statement referred to. And adverting o she spirit of yourdast note, I h;ve ho besita- :"t' Un in thus- confirming the.'Coiivjction whichhhh impresk'nvo the mind of the President. tnat Mrssrs. Branch and Ingham and it y self, .had sncce-Hiyeiy pivei la.ie partes .to : which Mri, you havxi expressed. 1 am respectf d'y, JN M KCPIlEUSON BEUUIEN. To J. H. E'tox, Esq." ' . ,.. ; . ; . 1 1 Shortly after this, I received a letter, from Col. Johnson, which with my reply,, I feel iiivself bound now to giv to te public. I have anxiously desired to de lay this until I could receive Col. John son's answer. Pe-Hfaps I have waited long enough ; for my reply, according to t!e memorandum whichjl hive of it," was ilated on the Tth instant. But it is not this circumstance,, which has determined me. Col. Johnson has furnished to the editor of the Globe a. statement full or o therwUe, of what passed between Mesrs. Branch and Ingham and iryself and him self, on the occasion so often referred to. Extracts from this statement are used to the President "had seen with pain tfie ivant of Jbarmonyimon the . memberi of : his O dinet that he was determined fo Jiavg. hav;mony, and tiat his determination would be annciinced to us in the fnurse of the week. bYou added thht vou ttad in the mean time sfnight this interview with the approbation of Ibe IresKle;(t,v frtftii motives of regard for all part ies. Youlmentioned as,cir- lT 4 Cunistances which bad contributed to; prrjuce to In doing this, it did not seem to me to be ne- cessnrv, to decide upon the truth or fa !k -hood of the statements which were made. It was sufficient to ascertain the general sense of the community of which I had recently become a member; and havm? done so, to conform to it. 1 the winttr of 1830, as I presume is known to you, I was called upon by a'.scentleman, who re presented himself -as acting, and who I doubt no, did act. under theauthnrity of the President, to e,r s- with prec:s- reference to this subject i be regret wnicli he felt .at the w.mt of harmony, or of social interrouise among the members "of his Cabinet, and to announce his determination at any rate to have it. Mess's. Ingham & Hr,anch were present at this interview. The fact' ws d's'inctly stated that they and myself had suc-ce-s vely given very large parties to which Mrs. Eaton had not been invited. We were then told that on such occasions at ' least tne President would expect in future a social intercoms be tween our respective tamilics-NThere were va rious other htiffgesiions made during th's con ver si ion, but the recapitulation of them is. not ren dered nf-ces-ary-hy your inquiry.. 1 answered to this communicat'on f r us.ir, that 1 wudd if I permit the l're3:tlenf, nor any thtr indivi dual to r-gulate thesociat intercoutse cf myself or family. a-id that if s icb a requisition was per severed in, I would retire from the official silua-jt. , . ! i.-ii ti .i . . i f , tllC noil wiiicu t iit'iu. m uie interview to wincn i was invi.'e I by the Pros di nt some ft w days af terwitrds, I frankly expressed to him my views on this sub jeer, and he declaimed nny disposition to press such a requ'si'iem. I am not aware that any otlie r orcasi in bs ' occurred in which the question of an inttrcourse bttween your f ami 'y and mine h. s been presented to me r to my fa mily. . ' 1 am, respectfully, votir obedient scrv?n, J()Hnt macpmekson uekrien. To J. II. EAToir, Esq. do me injustice. This4s donekto be sure, without the authority of. Col. John-on, but he has furnished the means whicji are thus improperly used, and I have no al ternative but to give the correspondence, or submit to continued misrepresentation. I publish Col Juhnson's letter, as an act of justice to him, that the public may be in'full possession of his statement of Mr. Ingham, to whom as well as to Mr. Branch 1 forwarded a copy of CoC Johnson's! let ter. From Mr. Branch I have received no replyowing, as I suppose, to h'i3 ab sence frornhome. . Colonel R. M. Johnson to Messrs. Berrien ' and Ingham. CiiraT Cnos'iNG, 30th June, 1831 Qenfl-mev : The Telegraph- has alluded to some communication made to you by a member of CoriFres, au lurised by the President the subs;an'".e of wiiiciris, that the Presideet wishfd to coerce a social intercourse between ynur.fam lies and Mrs. Eaton. I see the. Globe denies it, I have thought it barely possible .that the allusi on covdd be mule to me, becajose if I had ever communicated such an idea, I 'should have done "the uut palpable, Rivs, and wanton injustice to the President tor lie disclaimed on ail occa sioi.s, any' right, or desire, or intentiem tjD.r-gti-late the private cr social intercourse oi'hiaOab- net. The President had been induced t believe that a part of his Cabinet had entered into a -deep-laid scheme "to drive M;.j r Eaton from his Cabinet, and of this he complained. I did not believe it, and as the mutual f riend of all concerned, proposed that 1 should have the opportunity to converse with that portion of hs Cabinet before he bad an in tevview with them, and he acquu sced--anel the interview which I had with you, resulted, as I understood in a better understanding, and in fact I considered it a reconciliation. .Whatever came from me, upon the sub ject of a social intercourse was the suggestions of. my solicitude to ..restore harmony among friends. My object, was peace and friendship. I have never considered mysel at liberty to say any thing about this interview except to a discreet, and confidential -.fnc no. certainly should not think any ot the parties jns' ificd in representing for public tion or news pitptrs, what any of the other parties said, with out submitting each staterm r.t for mutual exam ination ; for the plain reason that such cpnversa tions are so easily misunderstood. 1 may well remember what I have said myself, but may not so easily represent what you have said, or inten ded to aay. I have not myself seen the necessi ty or propriety ot any allusion in newspapers o our interview, which was among intimate and btisom friends, ' here the conversation was f ree and unreserved, and for tlie object of peace and friendship. Bet if any should consider it neces sary, then tjie threat object should be, to state the conversation correctly ? for there can be'no motive to misunderstand the facts. For fear that allusion should have been made to mvself, s3 the' member ot Congress, , and believing it barely pos sible that. I may have been misunderstood on the particular point alluded to, I have felt it my duty, and due to that perfect; friendship which has ever existed petween us, to ip.ake known se views, that the proper correction may be made as a misundersttndmg? without the neces sity of any formal publication from eidier Of us. :nJ without even, a disclosure as to .what mem- bv.r of Congress allusion was jmade. . , Sicertly and tndy:;your frieiwl, " V ' - KICHARD M; JOHNSON. Messrs. Ixghvm & Rahitrrvwi , The absence or" Ubvefncr Branch has been the only cause why this lettef was not also addressed E. had jut ben invited -arid, while vou disclaim. eal arjy: disposition on his part to rrqrfire ah inti- ' m o y between oitr fammesaftd Major Eaton, y u added, that he wotdd Tn future; ecptct- that at least ,. on such occasions as that tb ' I which you had r- feared, (that is to Syi when I irtre -v general parties were givenj-that Mrs E. sbotdd! be init-d.' 1 replied to you that not ha-;; ving been previously advised of the' inletuioqf to i Inddhis intervieWhavinghad no conference " with the oth r gentlemen, I must.be considered '; solely responsible for what 1 was about tosayr i T theiv observed that I would not permit theJIPre N V sident or any odier man to regulate the" sofejaTJ, intefcotiFse of myself or fimil'-shil that if icfi ' a requisition was pereverrej in, 1 would retire i fr.vjn otTire. You expressed yurTt-grt at the ; terms uf this answerU-knel I remarked that it was I iudflerent to ine in what tenis if was conveyed, ' provided tlie substance was' rctained--butt that from th I would not dej art. f understood you i to disclaim anv in ention i.n the part of thtr Pre- sil'-nt io requireau intimate intercourse between' ; the families of Messrs. Tiranc and tngrram; aid nv.-seir, ann tnar ot . mjor Eaton, Out to express ; with equal xlearness his xpectation,'thar when we eravp 1 rge or general naities Mis. E. shou'd be iny ted and it was my purpose to.deny alto- getner ins right to uiterter.e in this matter. The replies of the other gentlemen were, accordiir to my r -collection substantially the same but I Mian enclose copies ot your letter to. them, and leave them to speak for themselves. l he impression wlucb this conversation-made : upon my mind 4 clear and distinct tnd it Is tint probable that it cou d have been t (Treed from iny memory. My own disposition Was isstHntly to? itly which professes to' be'ri .... . . -I. to you j ancti is brought !?rtb underour jimmediate eye. Mosdat Monvisf, 8 o'clock.' Sin I have received your not" of the 18th mst. H may become necess.ry for me to offer something in reply. . For 'the present I have en gagements "which prevent me fvugn d'in more than to acknowledge that it has been received. Very restjecifullv, , 20th June, 1831. f "j. II. EATON. Mr. lifiumtx. ' iv ' Jcsr. 22d, 1S31. trn I have not had leisure to reply to yodr letter ot toe lfcJ-h until to day. It involved mat ter which it b Ijpvedme to give a full 'and calrp consideration. to ,That has been given.f ' ' I felt indisposed to believe that these attacks ofGenenl Green' could be authorized by you, pr were made under your sanction. . Your de claration is evidence, of the correctness of what I was 'b fore impressed wUh. I .take oercasion, tlierefore, w:th pleasure, . to acknowledge the frankness withf w'hiph', yon have disavowed an agency in tlus-Ti-fanous business. t ' ; licspeclful'v, your most obedient, , A 'v ' ''I .'vi" J. EATOM. to him. resign my ofnc-. In cons . nting to Tetain it, I yielded to -the o.iinion pf those in whose judg ment I had confi lencehd to my sense of what ; was duedo the interests ol Geurgiaut that par ticular juncture.' My remenibra-.ce of this conversation is more over confirmed by a recollection of what occur redJon'my subsequent interview with the Ptesi- -dent, in which a particular reference Was mde to it. When he sDokf of a combination between. ; Messrs, Ingham and, Brarith and myself, to ex clude, Mr-. Eatori ' from socieUi I claim ed, as rmtter of rich t. to know the names of the ' rj i - . r persons bv whom such a representation btxl been m de. ' He said the impression h id been deri ved from the various rumors which luid reached him : snoke of the uarties which had been eiV- ebv1ii.ose gentlemen and myself, to which Mrs. E. had not been invited rand added that . the,reports asrainst her were foul cahjmaies. "r- remonstrHted againsfhis having adopted an onto-. ! Hiu ut.siiunoraoie o any TnemDer or- ius uaDinet oh me re rumor, but expressly -decrirmlTto 'discuss me ques:ion-or ine trutn or falsehood ottnerc. p- rts to which he referred telling bin?, tha, without tindrtaking to decide whether they were trite or f dse, it was my purpose .1 rely to con ' !orm to the general sense of the community of which t had" become a member ; and that I ceuld not be induced to change that determlna. ( ion.vThe dec:.1-:' uii of the President not to pursue I ilis matter further, I understood at the time j to have been produced by the; representations of some of h:s most intimate personal friends. Such is my understandihg of tlie conversation reK rred to iii your letter. I look to if as the origin antl continuing cause of the distraction of uie party, , wbrcn has tlms Iot, the meaushsf do ing much good which" it might have effected..1 Hut 1 am not desirous, to bruit it to the world. Ifi? without imputing to me the alleged want of harmony in the Cabinet, my retirement is plcv ed on the ground of the ''Presidents mere will, so far as I am concerned, itls well. I do not dispute his right to exercise that as h thinks fit ; but, for the sake of mv childien. I will not submit to the cnntinued,?miirepr srutations of the public journals. The best legacy 1 have to Dequeath tiem is the untarnished reputation of their father. 1 can easily conceive, also, that st.it e of things-may eist. 'ih which a ssose of duty to the .public. wUl'co4npel.ime Jto speak- iiui i nope sucn an emergency wm not anse. , I ouht perhaps io add, that I have ah eady stated (la Major Eaton the substance1 of this, sci far-jTs.it was necessary to ansyver tweail which he maue upon me to avow of xiisavow t.hestatenent in the Telegraph, that my family had refused to " jsociate with' his. Itwa not necessary, how ever, to mention youf name, Uqd' it was Cause: quentij,' not meutionetu - - I spoke ot the niter- view as ii'hav!n been had with ' a gentleman who represented .nmtseit as acting, and wbo doubt not did act under the authority of the Pre- S'dent; '.Having now icpUed to your letter, t will Only addjthat, should our rr collections dif fer,, l.frhajl regret it But, that. 4 have taken ejeat care mot to put 'down any thing which fa r.ot distinctly impressed uporf roine. I am, 'dear .1 ' . ii- it " - st, xer;pt ci luuy, yours, ' JOHNtACPHERSOX IsEIlRlEN, Hon. R-31. JouVsos. ' " X J.M. BraaxEy, Esq; "-.:' WAsiTvoToif, 23d Jane, 1831. Sin Yoiu;. note of yesterday was received in the course qftbe diy.' f'"I was to .much indispo s.cjl, however, tofep!y;to it at the irio nent, and do so now merely to prevent misconception. ' In your note of the I7h Vnstsht you calletltip- o.it me to sanation or disavow the statement cmi r liir. Berrien to Col-Johnson. ,' ' " WAtrnBTorth July, 183! Dear Sir ;hmrs of the SOttt ult, addresst toinily to Mr. frfgham and myself has been duly received. I iiave iioted your view of the occur rence to which it refers, with a peifect disposf- tion to meet you in thes'ptfit or frankness and f good feeling,' which is expressed in your lelte It is an evidence ot my reluctance to engage controversy1, that l uiave. abstained irom going r before the public, notwitbitanding theirnultiplied misrepresentations ytth whicli the newspapers are tf eming. I still JCsiras to avoid this nepessi fy,but as circumstiinces beyond, mjr contro may render it indispensable, I acquiesce with the less-jeluctance, in ine miepcnangeoi recouecii ons Which vou proposer- ' , " A; - I am to speak of what occured at thip interview which took place between youvtessrsl Branch and Ingham, and my sett at my house. ?;you had, as I afterwards unilerstood,heki preViotis conver sations on the same subject with one or both ol those genilemembbt I was perfectly unprepared for the inrteyie;winti! thelmohieirt 'when you announced its object at jny house. The impres sion made by your anjijuhciation was such as not io-oe easJiy erraccii iium.iny .,Miciijiy ; iw lc-p-au by expressiftg thefrlendly regard which, vcmi felt for those ijeutlernen and myself, tand by ta ting that this ..was' the first rootiv for your inter lerence. You told us that an impression had been made uponjb? mmd of the President tht a com bination exrsted betweea Messrsf Ingham and B ranch and myself,' o exclud- Mrs. Eit4t;T'onv taiued in a pub.icatiyn in the Telegraph of that temnt to wovnd hitn through. Maj : ! Mr$ Jngham to Col. Johnson. j ;New-TIobe, Juiy3th, 1331. ' Dear Sjb Ihave received a fpv of your let ter of (the 50 th ult, to Mr- tier, ten and' myel forwarded by htm from Washington, reiaungtd an alteration made in tiie newspapers, that Gen. Jackst-H .had? required, through a Member of CoftgPcss,-?'bf Messrs. branch, Berrien, and my self, tiliat oiir families ''should associate with Mrs. Ekton. ..''-i had ilso noticed the publication in the Telegraph-to which you 'refer, and another ot the same impqi t in a New-York paper pf an ear her dite,and supposing it probable in the -ex; istjngj state of the publip mind, that 'the discus sioo would take such a range a to involve all th parties to ihatransac!loti in the necessity of ma king explanations, I had commenced tfie prepa ration: of copies of ataterotiit of the fconversa lion w hich you have referred to , as well that between you and me, as that between General "Jackson and myself on the same subjectintend ingj a$ soon asheycourld be completed, to send one to him and another to yotrseif. Upon tht receipt of yeiir letter, I. immediaiely wr tc 3'ou a note, expressing art 1 intention to wad tor th further comparistb of our recollfcti-ms before l lirmd Anv -'determination ai to the disoositiou Of jnv statement. But t wo articles in tGabe of the lith m'st. which you hare no doubt seeitj reaeh, ed me before my 'letter was mailed, and arreslt- j its progress. These articles as far s they i.v-, late to this subject, bear on their face the vw delice of having heen authorized by Gen. Jafc-. son.md ywWseU, and leave me no cuoic - h-ss the societv of AVasnmstoji that he was excited h.'' liL.: 'e mv .htompnt . j ' !.. " . . - " I LilC DBIIIIVAUUll u. "'3 by this representation, consKlering u as .n at- r apposed t have been aar.zsv 0 or Latun, tlia;i . I'. -a-i. - i I J f !jf X All " ,. -- .T : ' ' - J r S ' -f . .. -r -- t. " ; '"" p-w 4 ' i. 4 - A .'.-V ! r ; 1 a tlS-'ii .1 I . . ..
The Weekly Raleigh Register (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Aug. 4, 1831, edition 1
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