Newspaper Page Text
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the Westchester Spy.
The Village Garrison—An anecdote
of the Thirty Years’ lVar. —lt happen
ed in the course of the thirty year* war,
that Gonsalvo de Gordeva, who com
manded the Spanish troops, then over
running the Palatinate, found it neces
sary to possess himself of a little wal
led village, called Ogerseeitn, that lay
in hrs way. On the first intelligence of
his approach, all the inhabitants fled to
Manlteiin, and When Gonsalvo at length
drew near, and summoned the place to
stnrender, there remained within the
walls only a poor shepherd and his wife,
the latter of whom, having that morn
ing brought a little infant into this
world ol misery, ivas unable to leave
her bed, and tier husband of course,
staid with her.
The anxiety and distress df the poor
man may be more easily conceived than
described. Fortunately, however, he
possessed both courage and shrewdness;
and on the spur of the moment betho't
himself a scheme of escape, which, af
ter embracing them both, he hastened
to put into execution.
The inhabitants having run off in a
tremendous hurry had left almost all
their property at his disposal; so he had
no dillicnllv in finding what was requi
site for his purpose, namely, a complete
change of dress, llavingfirst accoutered
his lower man in military guise, he
tossed away his shepherd’s hat, which
he replaced w ith a huge helmet, “ a
world too,wide;” he buckled a long
sword to his side, threw a goodly cloak
over his shoulders, stuck two enormous
pistols in his belt, ant* putting on boots
so thick in the soles and high In the
heels, that they lifted him about half a
foot from the ground, he fastened to
them a prodigious pair of jingling spurs
which were the fashion of the time.—
Thus accoutred, he forthwith betook
himself to the walls, and leaning with
a pompous air on his sword, he listened
cooly to the herald, who advanced to
summon the village to surrender.
* t fiend, ’ said our hero, as soon cs the
herald had concluded his speech. • tell
vour commander that though I have
not yet made up my mind to surrender 1
at all, I may possibly be induced to do
so, provided he agrees to the three fol
lowing Conditions, in which I shall
nuke no abatement whatever:—lst.
The garrison must be allowed to march
Out with military honors; 2d. The lives
and property of the inhabitants must
be |irotected ; 3d. They must be allowed
(he fiec exercise of the Protestant re
ligion.’
The heraiil immediately replied that
such preposterous conditions could not
for a moment be listened to, added that
the garrison was known to be weak. and
Concluded by again demanding the in
stant surrenderor the place.
* My good friend,’ answered the shep
herd, *do not be too rash. I advise von
to inform your General from me, that
nothing but my desire to avoid blood
shed could make me think of surren
dering on anv terms whatever, and
please to add, that if he does not choose
to agree to those I have already stated,
he will gain possession of the town only
at the point of the sword, (or 1 swear
to you by the faith of an honest man
and of a chiistian, as well as by the
honor of a gentle.nan, that the garrison
has received a reinforcement he little
dreams of.’
So saying the shepherd lighted his
pipe and pnfled away with an air of the
most consummate nonchulanct. Con
founded by this appearance of boldness
and security, the herald thought it piu
dent to return, and state to Gonsalvo
the demands which had been made
The Spanish General, deceived by this
show of resistance, and being unwilling
to waste either men or time in reducing
this paltry town, resolved to agree to the
conditions offered, and followed by his
troops, approached the gates. This le
nient determination was announced by
the fierahl to the shepherd, who only
vouchsafed to say in reply, ‘ I find your
commander is a man of some sense.’
He then left the walls, letdown the
drawbridge, deliberately opened the
gales, and allowed the Spanish troops
to enter the town. Surprised at seeing
no one in the street, but a strange look
ing fellow, whose caricature of a milita
ry costume hung upon him like patch
work, Gonsalvo began to suspect treach
ery, and seizing the shepherd, demand
ed to know where the garrison was.
‘lf your highness will follow me, I
will show you, answered the rustic.
* Keep my stirrup, then’ exclaimed
Gonsalvo, * and on the least svmptom
that you mean to betray, I shall send a
bullet through you l heart.’
‘Agreed,’ said our friend. ‘Follow
me, Spaniards! for 1 sweat by the word
of an honest man and Christian, as well
ashy the honor ol a gentleman, that
the garrison will offer you no injury.’
lie then placed himself by Gonsnl*
vo’s stirrup, and, followed by the troops,
passed through several silent ami de
serted streets, till, at length, turning
into a narrow lane, he stopped before a
mean looking house, and having pre
vailed on Gonsalvo to enter, he led Imn
inroasinall room, where lay his wife,
and her little boy beside her.
‘ Noble General,’ he said, pointing to
the former, ‘ this is our garrison; and
tins’ he added, taking his son in hii
arms, ‘isthe reinforcement of which I
told you.’
Aware now of the real state of mat
ters. the absurdity and cleverness ol the
t-ick, moved even Spanish gravity, and
Gonsalvo gave Iree course to his mirth.
THentAing off a rich cold chain which
decorated Ins person, he passed it round
the neck of the infant.
* Permit me to offer this mark of my
esteem.’ lie said good naturedlv, * for
the valient ganiSc >nos Ogersheitn. By
the hand of a soldier, I envy you the
possession of such a reinforcement;
and you must let me present you with
• nurse of gold, for the use of the vounc
recruit.’
lie then stooped down and kissed the
delighted mother mid her boy, and quit
ted the house, leaving the shepherd to
boast, for many a summer day and
**mer night of the success of his stra-
Sagem.
DOMESTIC.
/’rows the Rational Intelligencer.
TO THE PUBLIC.
Circumstances beyond my control
have placed me under the necessity o(
presenting myself to vour notice. I as
sert no claim to your attention, which
does not belong equally to every free
citizen of the Republic. But I ask.
mid I feel that I have, a right to expect,
your candid consideration of this ad
dress. Its subject if one of awakening
interest to us all. Theposition in which
I find myself has nothing inviting in it.
It is one which 1 have not sought, but
which has been forced upon me, and one
in which I am caller! upon to vindicate
not myself merely, but the cause ol
truth, and the best and dearest interests
ol the community, at a hazard to which
fatuity alone could be insensible.
The misrepresentations of a public
journal, professing to speak the lan
guage of the President of the U. States,
and published under his eve, have pre
sented to me the alternative, of submit
ting to an imputation, alike dishonora
ble and unfounded in fact, or of meet
ing the issue which has been tendered to
me under the alleged authority of that
high officer. If I do not shrink from
this unequal strife, it is because I have
a confidence which has never wavered,
in the intelligence of my countrymen, a
linn ayd unshaken reliance in the jus
tice of that tribunal, whose high prirog
ative it is at all times, and under all cir
cumstances, lo vindicate the cause of
truth.
I have studiously abstained from any
effort to excite public feeling in relation
to the dissolution ol the late Cabinet.—
1 have felt that the question of its pro
priety Was one, the decision of which
belonged alone to the American People.
Personally I have not been disposed to
deny tlie right of tile President to cxei
cise his own free will, as well in the
change, us in the original selection of
his Cabinet; and with a perfect sense
of the delicacy of my own situation, I
would have been at all times a reluctant
w itness, in the investigation of the causes
which led to the tecent events. It was
not however enough that I should sub
mit myself to his will, although the prin
ciple by which it was avowedly regula
ted, could have no application to me ;
for this I have unhesitatingly done.—
But I have been required silently to w it
ness the entire misrepresentation of cc
eurreiioes which the public were well a
ware must have come untier my obser
vation ; nav, to he publicly vouched as
authority for that which was directly in
conflict with my convictions of truth—
and finally to he called to vindicate tuv
ow it claim to veracity, assailed as it is
under the alleged authority of the Presi
dent of the United States, or to submit
to an imputation which no honorable
man may bear. I mistake the charac
ter of iheAincrican people if they would
require this. I am totally ignorant of
niv own, if, under any circumstances, I
could yield to it If in the face of this
great community, the cause of truth can
be prostrated by the arm of power, at
least the privilegeof vindicating it, shall
not be tamely surrendered in tnv per
son. I will bow to the decision of my
countrymen —but w l.atever that decision
may lie, the high consolation of having
faithfully discharged my duty to them,
and to niyvslf, shall not be taken from
me.
The disingenuous and unmanly sug
gestion of my desire to remain in the
Cabinet of General Jackson, notwith
standing the occurrences which produc
ed my retirement, will he my apology
for adverting briefly to the origin of my
connexion w itli it, and to the circum
stances which induced its continuance.
It was without any solicitation on my
part, or, so far as 1 know or believe on
the part of any of my friends, that I was
invited to accept the oftce of Attorney
General ol the United States. There
were circumstances, temporary in their
nature, but still strongly operative, w liicli
rendered it not desirable to me. I felt,
however, that I was called to decide up
on the question of my acceptance, not
merely as an individual, but as a citizen,
and especially as a citizen ol Georgia.
On certain principles of general policy,
some of which were particularly inter
esting to (lie people of that State, the
views communicated to me by the Pres
ident, w ere in accordance with nty own:
and i (clt it to bo my duty, not to with
hold any assistance which I could give
to carry them into effect. The annun
ciation of the names of the intended
Cabinet seemed to me, however, to pre
sent an insuperable bar to my accept
ance of the office which was tendered to
me. I thought I foresaw clearly the
evils which have too obviously resulted
from this selection. A stranger to Gen.
Jackson, I could not with propriety dis
cuss these objections with him. I knew,
moreover, that some of his confident! . 1
friends had faithfully discharged their
duty to him, and to the* country, by n
frank communication of them. In this
stale of things, I sought the counsel of
those around me. To u gentleman high
in the confidence of the President, and
to a distinguished citizen of tny own
State, I submitted the inquiry, whether,
with this view- of the Cabinet which the
President had selected, I could with
propriety become a member of it. The
former expressed liisdecided conviction,
founded on a long and intimate knowl
edge of the President's character, that
lie would liimsell speedily see, and cor
rect the evil. The latter urged the pe
culiar relations of Georgia with the
General Government, as presenting a
strong claim upon rne not to refuse the
invitation which had been given to me.
I yielded to these suggestions and took
my place in the Cabinet, with a firm
determination to avoid the controver
sies which I leared might occur. Te
that de'erminatMin I have steadily ad
hered. Associating en terms of courte
sy with mv colleagues, my official inter
course with them was never interrupted
by discord.
If there were any combinations grow
ing nut of the supposed conflict between
the interests ol Mr. Calhoun and Mr.
Van Boren. I had no part in them —and
as little in the supposed measures of that
character, having for their object to
coerce Major Eaton to retire from the
Cabinet—or to exclude his family from
the society of Washington. With mine
they did not associate; but no advaace
bed been made on either aide, and their
actual relative seemed therefore to furn-
ish no just ground of offence to either
party. In this posture of things, and
shortly alter I had given an evening
puny to which Mrs. Eaton had not been
invited. I received and heard witli infin
ite surprise the message of Col. John
son.
I could make no mistake as to its
character, for there was a direct and re
peated reference to the large parties,
which had been then recently given by
Messrs. Branch and Ingham, and myself.
Such a mistake, if it had been one,
would have tieen instantly corrected,
from the nature of my reply. If the
complaint had been of a combination to
evict Major Union from office and not
to exclude his fimity from society, the
reference to these evening parties would
have been idle : and try declaration that
I would not permit the President to con
trol the social intercourse of myself and
lamilv, would have been instantly met
Iry an explanation, which would have
removed the impression from the minds
of Messrs. Branch and Ingham, and my
self. Vet we all parted with Col. John
son, with a clear conviction that such a
proposition had been made, and feeling
as we all did, that nn indignity had been
offered to us, there was, as I believe, no
difference of opinion between us .is lo
the course we ought to pursue, if this
proposition should be avowed and press
ed iiy the President.
This conversation took place on Wed
nesday evening, and the rumor of our
intended removal speedily became gen
eral. On the succeeding clay, the per
sonal friends of General Jackson inter
posed, and he was awakened to a sense
of the impropriety of his projected
course. It was then, according to Col.
Johnson’s statement to Mr. Ingham,
that the paper spoken of by Ihe Editor
of tlie Globe was prepared. My two
colleagues Inid their interview with the
President on the succeeding day, (Fri
day) jnd as Mr. Ingham’s statement,
made from full notes taken at the time,
proves no fwper was shown to him on
that occasion. Owing to a mistake in
the communication of the President’s
wishes to me. I did not see him until the
succeeding day, (Saturday,) and then
the excitement of his feelings had so
entirely subsided, that he seemed lo me
to he anxious to dispose of the subject
as briefly as possible. lie spoke of the
falsehood of the repoits Against Mrs.
Eaton, of which lie said he had suffi
cient pioof; and upon my declining
to discuss that question, lie complained
of the injustice of excluding her from
society; referred to the large parties
given by Messrs. Ingham and Branch,
and myself, and told me if lie could have
been convinced that there was a com
bination between those gentlemen and
myself to exclude her from society, that
he would have required our resignations.
He immediately added, that be was en
tirely satisfied that there had been no
such combination, and again referred to
those large parties, and to the rumors to
which they had given rise, as having pro
duced that impression. So far from
then suggesting that information had
been received from any member of Con
gress, when I claimed the right of hav
ing the names of any persons who had
made to him representations unfavora
ble to tnv conduct, lie still referred to
the thousand rumors which had reached
him as the origin of such impression
which had been made upon his mind.—
lie showed me no paper - spoke to me of
none - intimated to me no terms which he
would hereafter require. By his declar
ation that he did not intend to press the
requisition which he had made through
Colonel Johnson, I considered the ob
ject of the interview to he to explain to
me the motives under which he had acted,
and lo announce the change of his deter
mination. lie accompanied this with
expression of personal kindness, which ,
1 thought were intended to soothe the
feelings whit'll lie must have been con
scious of having excited. Still I thought
it was improper for me longer to remain
in the Cabinet. Admitting that suffi
cient atonement had been made for the
indignity offered hy the message sent
through Col. Johnson, there was a per
petual liability lo the recurrence of sim
ilar outrage. I believed it, therefore,
to be my duty to rctiie. My friends
thought otherwise, and my own sense of
what the inteiests of Georgia af that
particular crisis required, induced me to
repress my feelings.
\V hen at a subsequent period, the
controversy occurred between the Presi
dent and Vice President, I thought 1
saw in this, the evidence of an inten
tion again to agitate the question, which
bv the agency of the personal friends of
Gen Jackson, had been before happily
repressed. The connection of Mr. Craw
ford with this controversy, and tny own
relation to Gen. Jackson, forbade me to
lake any part in it, —and 1 studiously
avoided all interference, except to de
precate Mr. Calhoun's publication. I
left Washington on tire 4th day of April,
one day alter Major Eaton had an
nounced to the President his determina
tion to resign ; according to the state
ment in Ins (Major Eaton’s letter of re
signation, and not the slightest intima
tion was given to me of the intended
change in the Cabinet. Hut when I
saw the correspondence between the
President and theseveiai Heads of De
partments, I could not doubt for a mo
ment how, and by whom, the dissolution
had been produced. I did not feel at
liberty to express my views generally,
until my return to Washington should
enable me to dissolve my connection
wuli the President; but to a few friends
who had the right to understand my tie
fual position, I slated the utter imposi*
bility of my continuance in the Cabinet,
unless the President could place the re
tirement of my colleagues on other
grounds than those which 1 believed to
have occasioned it, und such as I could
approve. In full view of the speedy
dissolution of all connexion between the
President and myself, I availed myself
of the occasion afforded by the kindness
of my fellow citizens of savannah, to
do an act of justice to his public conduct,
on a question vitally interesting to the
people of Georgia. If there be any
rmin who is incapable of understanding,
or ol appreciating the motive which
prompted this act, I cannot envy his
feelings, and will not attempt to enligli.
ten his understanding. 1 returned to
this city, had a conversation with tip;
President, of which the prominent points
are adverted to in my letter of retalia
tion which immediately follow ;d it, and
having brought up the public business,
which was in arrtar, retiled from office.
While these occurrences were in pro
gress, Major Caton addressed lo me a
letter of like iinpott with his first
communication to Mr. Ingham. He
called upon me to Snociion or disavow
the statement in the Telegraph, that my
family had refused to associate with his.
I answered by detailing the conversation
which had passed between myself and
Col. Johnson, and stated that I had sub
sequently expressed the same views to
the President, who had disclaimed any
disposition to press tills requisition, re
ferring 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, ami has made an important at
tempt to ditort its meaning. The pub
lic shall judge of the wlioie correspon
dence for themselves. I had no dispo
sition to publish this correspondence. —
Perfectly satisfied that it would at all
times speak for itself, and not emulous
of reputation to be required in such con
troversies, 1 have resisted the numerous
calls which have been made upon me
through different journals to give il to
the public. But the Editor of the Globe
is in possession of it, and hy the publica
tion of un isolated extract, attempts to
do me injustice. I exercise a right,
therefore, which belongs to me, when I
take from him, this unfair means of an
noyance, by giving the whole to I lie pub
lic.
ToJ. 11. Eaton, Esq.
I received a letter
from Col. Johnson, which, with my re
ply, I feel myself bound now to give to
the public. I have anxiously desired to
delay this until I could receive Colonel
Johnson’s answer. Perhaps I have wait
ed long enough ; for my reply, accord
ing to the memorandum which 1 have
of it, was dated on the 7th inst. But it
is not this circumstance which has deter
mined me. Col. Johnson has furnished
to the editor of the Globe a statement
full or otherwise, of what passed be
tween Messrs. Branch and Ingham and
myself and himself, on the occasion so
often referred to. Extracts from this
statement are used to do me injustice.—
This is done, to be sure, without the au
thority .of Col. Johnson, but he has fur
nished the means which are thus impro
perly used, and I have no alternative
hut to give the correspondence, or sub
mit to continued misrepresentation. 1
published Col. Johnson’s lelier, as an
act of justice to him, that the public may
he in lull possession of his statement.—
My reply follows; and after this the
letter and statement of Mr. Ingham, to
whom, ns well as to Mr. Branch, I for
warded a copy of Col. Johnson’s letter.
From Mr. Branch I have received no
reply—owing, as I suppose, to his ab
sence from home.
Colonel R. M. Johnson to Messrs. Ber
rien and Ingham.
Great Crossing, .'one 30, 1831.
Gentlemen : Ths Telegraph hits al
luded to some communication made to
you liy a member of (’(ingress, author
ized by the President—the substance
of which is that the President wished to
coerce a social intercourse between your
families and Mrs. Eaton. I see the
Globe denies it. I have thought it bare
ly possible that the allusion could be
made tome, because if I had ever com
municated sucks an idea, I should have
done the most palpable, gross, and wan
ton injustice to the President; for lie
disclaimed, on all occasions, any right
or desire, or intention, to regulate the
private or social intercourse of his Cab
inet. The President bad been induced
to believe that a part of his Cabinet had
entered into a deep laid scheme to drive
Major Eaton from his Cabinet, and of
this he complained. I did not believe it,
and as'llte mutual friend of all concern
ed, I proposed that I should have the
opportunity to converse w itlr that por
tion of bis Cabinet before he had an in
terview with them, and he acquiesced—
and the interview which I had with you,
resulted as I understood, in a better un
derstanding. and in fact I considered it
a reconciliation. Whatever came from
me. upon the subject of a social inter
course, was the suggestions of my soli
citude tnrestore harmony among friends.
My object was peace and friendship.—
I have never considered myself at liber
ty to say any thing about this interview
except to a discreet and confidential
friend, 1 certainly should not think any
of the parties justified in representing
for publication or newspapers, what any
of the parties said, without submitting
such statement for mutual examination,
for the plain reason that such conversa
tions are so easily misunderstood. I
may well rrmembei what 1 have saiJ
myself, but may not so easily represent
what you have said, or intended to say.
I have not myself seen the necessity or
propriety of any allusions in newspa
pers, to our interview, which was among
intimate and bosom friends, where the
conversation was free and unreserved,
and for the object of peace and friend
ship. But if any should consider it ne
cessary, then the great object should be,
to state the conversation correctly ; for
their can be no motive to misunderstand
the facts. For leur that allusion should
have been made to myself, as the mem
ber of Congress, and believing it barely
possible that I may have been misun
derstood on the particular point alluded
to, I have felt it my duty, and due to
that perfect friendship which has ever
existed between us, to make known
those views, that the pioper correction
may be made, as a misunderstanding,
without the necessity of any formal pub
lication from either of us, and without
even a disclosure as to what member of
Congress allusion was made.
Sincerely and truly your Iriend,
KICIIAKD M. JOHNSON.
Messrs. Ingham & Berrien,
City of Washington.
The absence of Governor Branch has
been the only cause why this letter was
not also addressed to him.
Mr. Berrien to Col. Johnson.
Washington, 7th July, 1831.
Dear Sir— Yours of the 30th ultimo,
addressed jointly to Mr. Ingham ami
myself, has been duly received. 1 have
noted your view of the occurrence to
which it refers, with a perfect disposition
to meet you in the spirit of frankness
and of good feeling, which is expressed
ill your letter. It is an evidence of my
reluctance to engage io controversy,
that I have abstained from going before ]
the public, notwithstanding the multi-;
plied misrepresentations with w hich the |
newspapers are teeming. I still desire
to avoid this necessity—but as circum
stances beyond my control may rentier
it indispensable, 1 acquiesce with the
less reluctance, in the inteichange ol
recollections which you propose.
1 am to speak of what occurred at the
interview which look place between you
Messrs. Biancli and Ingham, and my
self at my house. You had, as 1 af
terwards understood, held previous con
versations on the same subject with one
or both of those gentlemen, but I was
perfectly unprepared fur the interview,
until the moment when you announced
its object at my house. The impression
made hy your annunciation was such as
not to he easily effaced from my memo
ry. You began by expressing the
friendly regard which you felt for those
gentlemen and myself, and by stating
that this was the motive for your inter
rerence. You told us that an impres
sion had been made upon tlie mind of
the President that a combination exist
ed between Messrs. Ingham and Branch
and myself, to exclude Mrs. Eaton from
the society of Washington—that he was
excited hy this representation, consider
ing it as aifaiteinpt to wound him thro’
Maj. Eaton, that the President had seen
with pain the want of harmony among
the members of his Cabinet—that lie
was determined to have harmony, and
that his determination would be an
nounced to us in the course of the w eek.
You added that you had in the mean
time sought this interview with the ap
probation of the President f.om motives
of regard for all parlies. You men
tioned as circumstances which had con
tributed to produce this impression on
(lie mind of the President, that Messrs.
Branch and Ingham, and myself, had
successively given large parlies to w hich
Mrs. E. had not beeninvited—and while
you disclaimed any disposition on his
part tu require an intimacy between our
families and that of Major Eaton, von
added, that lie would in future expect
that at least on such occasions as that
to which you had referred, (that is to
say, when large or general parties were
given) that Mrs. E. should he invited.
I replied to you that not having been
previously advised of the intention to
hold this interview, having had no con
ference with the other gentlemen, I
must he considered solely responsible
for what [ was about to say. 1 then ob
served that I would not permit the Pre
sident or any other mail to regulate the
social intercourse of myself or family—
and that if such a requisition was per
severed in, I would retire from office.—
You expressed your regret at the terms
of this answer—and I remarked that it
was indifferent to me in w hat terms it
was conveyed, provided the substance
w as retained—but that from this 1 would
not depart. I understood you to dis
claim any intention on the part of the
President to require ail intimate inter
course between the families of Messrs.
Blanch and inghatti, and myself, and
that of Maj. E., blit lo express with
equal clearness his expectation that w hen
we gave large or general parties Mrs.
E. should he invited—and it was niv
purpose to deny altogether his right to
interfere in this matter. The replies of
the other gentlemen were according to
my recollection, substantially the same
—but I shall enclose copies of your
letter to them, and leave them to speak
for themselves.
The impression which this conversa
tion made upon my mind is clear and
distinct; and it is not probable that it
could have been effaced from my mem
ory. .My own disposition was instantly
to resign my office. In consenting to
retain it, I yielded to the opinions of
those in whose judgment 1 had opr.fi
| dence, and to my sense of what was due
| to the interests of Georgia, at that par
ticular- juncture.
My remembrance of this conversation
is moreover confirmed by a recollection
of w bat occurred on my subsequent in
terview with the President, in which a
particular reference was made to it.—
When he spoke of a combination be
tween Messrs. Ingham and Branch and
myself, to excluoe iVrs. E. from society,
I claimed, as matter of right, to know
the names of the persons by whom such
a representation had been made. He
said the impression har. been derived
from the various rumors which had
reached him ; spoke of the parties w hich
had been given by those gentlemen and
myself, to which Mts. E. had not been
invited—and added that the reports
against her were foul calumnies. I re
monstrated against his having adopted
an opinion dishonorable to any me iber
of hisCabmeton mere rumor blit ex*
pressly declined to discuss the question
of the truth or falsehood of the reports
to which lie had referred—telling him,
that, without undertaking to decide
whether they were true or false, it was
tny purpose merely to conform to the
general sense of the community of which
I had become a member; and that I
could not be induced to change that de
termination. The decision of the Pre
sident not to pursue this matter further,
I understood at the time to have been
produced by the representations of some
of his most intimate personal friends.
Such is my understanding ofthe con
versation referred to in your letter. I
look to it as the origin and continuing
cause of the distraction of the party,
which has thus lost the meant of doing
much good which it might have effected.
But I am not desirous to bruit it to the
wotld. If, without imputing u> me the
alleged want of harmony in the Cabinet,
my relitement is placed on the ground
of the President’s mere will, so Far as 1
am concerned, it is well. Ido not dis
pute Ilia right toexerciseth.it as lie thinks
fit ; but for the sake of my children 1
will net submit to the continued misre
presentations of the public journals
The best legacy I have to bequeath them
•• the untarnished reputation of their
father. I can easily conceive, also, that
a slate of things may exist, in which a
sense of duty to the public wilt compel
me to speak. But I hope such an emer
gency will not arise.
I ought perhaps to arid, that I have
already stated to Major Baton the sub*
stance of this, so far as it whs necessa
ry to answer a call which he made up
on me to avow or disavow the statement
in the Telegraph, that iny family had
refused to associate with his. It was
not necessary, howercr, to mention vour
name, and it was consequently not men*
tioned. I spoke of tlie interview ns ha
ving been had with *• a gentleman who
represented himself as acting, and who
I doubt not, did act under the authority
of the President.” Having now re
plied to your letter, I will only add,
that, should our recollections differ, 1
shall regret it. Hut that i have taken
great care not to put down any thing
w hich is not distinctly impressed upon
mine. 1 am, dear sir, respectfully
yours,
JOHN MACPIIERSON BERRIEN,
lion. R. M Johnson.
Mr. Ingham to Col. Johnson.
Nkw-Hope, July 13, lU3I.
Dear Sir —l have received a copy of
your teller ol the 30tli ult. to Mr. Ber
rien and myself, forwarded by him from
Washington, relating, to an allegation
made in the newspapers, that General
1 Jackson had required, through a Mem
ber of Congress, of Messrs. Branch,
Berrien and nivself, that our families
should associate with Mrs. Eaton. I
’ had also noticed ll e publication in tlie
Telegraph to which you refer, and an
other of the same import in a New Yotk
1 paper of an earlier date, and supposing
1 it probable, in Ihe existing state of the
public mind, that the discussion would
take such a range as to involve all the
1 parties to that transaction in the nccessi
i ly of making explanations, I had com
menced the preparation of copies of a
’ statement of the conversation which you
’ have referred to; as well that between
you and me, as that between General
Jackson and in} sell on the same subject,
intending, as soon as they could be
1 completed, to send one lo him and an
other to yourself. Upon Ihe receipt of
your letter, 1 immediately wrote you a
1 note, expressing an intention lo wait for
the further comparison of our recollec
tions before I made any determination
1 as to the disposition ol my statement. —
But two articles in tlie Globe of the
11th inst. w hich you have no doubt seen,
reached me before my letter was mailed,
and arre ted its progress. These arti
cles, as f3r as they lelate to this subject,
bear on their face the evidence of hav
-1 ing been authorized by General .1 acksoi;
and yourself, and leuva me no choice as
lo the publication of my statement.—
The articles which 1 supposed to have
1 been authorized hy you, shows that you
have also taken a different view of this
matter since your letter to me before re
ferred to was written. I could not oth
erwise reconcile your remonstrance a
gainsl a publication ot what you then
deemed a confidential conversation,
with the authority alleged hy the Globe
to publish vour denial of the statement
alluded to; at least, without a previous
interchange of recollections between all
the parlies concerned. Ido not, how
ever, concur w ithy ou in the opinion that
there ever was any obligation of secrecy
imposed on me, or those tssocialed with
me, to be implied from tlie friendly char
acter of the conversation referred to. —
The comiimiiicaiion made tome hy you
that my continuance to office would de
pend upon the consent ol tnv family ti
visit Mis. Eaton and invite iter to their
large parties, I considered at the time,
though not so intended by you, as in its
nature offensive. Il could not, thete
fore, carry with it the confidential obli
gation which belongs to tlie usual inter
course of friendship. I regarded the
proposition as wounding to my feelings,
and had determined to lesign my office,
even after you informed me that Gen.
Jackson had changed lus ground, fioin
which 1 was only dissuaded by the earn
est remonstrances of the mends I con
sulted, w lio urged, among other consul
erations, that although uiv personal re
spect for the President might be iiupair
en, my services in the Department were
for the country, and while ii was faith
fully served, I could nut be unfaith
ful to the Administration. A proposi
tion thus disposed of could l e teg udert
as any tiling r-iiher than imposing an
obligation of friendly confidence. But !
I find an additional reason for publica
tion growing out of your letter ; its up- )
parent disagreement from my statement, j
and its admonitory suggestions could ;
not fail, whenever the whole matter shall j
lie brought out, which is inevitable in j
die present state of the public mind, to j
expose me io the imputation of having
shrunk from doing what duty to my own ,
character, if not to the country, seemed
to demand, 1 cannot therefore accoid in
your desire that no publication shall lie j
made, any more than I can in the views
of the obligation of secrecy which you
have suggested. I would prefer, how
ever, to accompany the publication w ith
that ofyour letter of the 30th ult., but j
not having received any intimation of
your wishes on that subject, it w ill re
quire some deliberation to determine ;
what is most proper to he done in this
particular. 1 can assure you that this
determination will be exclusively gov
erned by a desire lo do what, under all
circumstances, may appear most likelv
to meet your own wishes. I have now
only to add that in making the state
ments ol these conversations, I have re
lied not mcrel) on the indelible impres
sions made on iny memory, but on
memnrancln put on Paper at the time
I have not the slightest recollection or j
any note of your having advpited to any
fact or circumstance alleged by Gen.
Jackson or yourself, as evidence of un
kind feeling for, much less hostility to,
or a conspiracy against Maj. Eaton on
the part of Mr. Branch, Mr. Berrien, or
myself, or of any want of harmony in
the Cabinet other than the simple and
isolated fiicl, that our families did not
visit Mrs. Eaton ami invite her to their
parties. Nor have 1 any note or recol
lection of any proposition made hy yon
to me individually, or jointly with the
other gent lenten, as a me.,ns of reniov
ine the alleged difficulties, oilier than
that our families should visit Mrs. Ea
ton, ami invite her to their parties,
I cannot but persuade myself that my
statement will call to mind mutters huh
may have escaped your recollection,
and satisfy your judgment that, what
ever may have been the nature of your
instructions I could not have understood
them differently front what I have.
I have the honor to he, very respect
fully, yoitrobt. servt.
S. TANARUS). INCHAM.
lion. Richabd M. John son.
Mr. Ingham’* statement, a copy of which ‘
tons enclosed in hi a letter to Col. John - 1
son |
On Wednesday, the *7lh of January, 1 1
1830, Colonel Johnson of Kentucky, I
waiter] on me in the Treasury [),„
“lent, and alter some prelimi na ‘ ’ rt ‘
versa)ion, ... which he exp,esse,-?’
great.regret that my family and pJ"!
Mr- Branch and Mr. Berrien ,i,h of
visit Mrs. Eaton, he said that it'h i.i i llOl
a subject of great excitement win, ,?
1 resKien*, who had come iu the • e
initiation ol having harmony in imT’
hmet by some accommodation ofn
matter. He, Ol. Johnson, >
liieud of ns all, ami had now con h
the request of the President to
whether any thing could he done -
thought that when our ladies gave
ties, they ought to invrte Mrs.
and as they had never returned her call’
ll,c y would leave the first card ani
open a formal intercourse in that w, °
tlie President would he satisfied but
jess something was done of this’ nature
he had no doubt, indeed he knew, q,.’
the President was resolved to have har
moiiy, and would probably remove Mi
Branch, Mr. Berrien, and myself, i
replied to Col. Johnson, that in all ,„ at .
ters of official business, or having anv
connexion therewith, I considered m/.
self bound to maintain an open, f ran j t
and harmonious intercourse vitb q'l
gentlemen I was associated with.—The
President had a right to expect the ex
ertion of my best faculties, and the em.
ploy meat of my time, in the public set.
vice. As to the family of Mr. Eaton
1 felt an obligation on me not to say any
thing to aggravate the difficulties which
he labored under, but to observe iota]
silence ami neutrality in relation to tile
reports about his wife, audio inculcate
tlie same course as to my family, an( j
any other representations had been made
to the President they were false. J) av
ing prescribed to myself this rule, and
always acted upon it, I had done all that
the President had a right to expect—
That the society of Washington w a ,
liberally organized ; there was but one
ciicle, into which every person of res
pectable character disposed to be social
was readily admitted, without reference
to the circumstance of birth or station
which operated in ninny other places—
That we had no right to exert official
power to regulate its social intercourse,
That Mrs. Eaton had never been recei
ved ly tlie society here, and it did no;
become us to force her upon it; that mv
family liwl therefore not associated wuli
her, and they Imd done so with iwyap
prohation, and that the President ought
not, for the sake of his iwu cliaracicr.
to interfere in such inaMers. Bui il l*
chose to exert his power to force mr
family to visit any body they did n J.
choose to visit, lie was interfering uuli
that which belonged to me, and no In.
nvan power should regulate the sr-cial
intercourse of my family, by means cf
official or any other power w hich 1 could
resist. If I could submit to such ent
trol I should he unworthy of my statios.
and would despise myself. That il wn
eminently due to tlie character of ik
President to have it known that he dr
not interfere in such matters, and llui
the course vve had pursued was preser
vative of his honor and political stand
ing. I had taken my giumtd on mama
reflection, as to vvliat was due to an
family, to my friends and to the Ad
ministration, without any pirjirdice
against Maj. Eaton or Iris wife, and had
fully determined not to Change it, what
ever might he the consequence.
Col. J. said that be had been request
ed by the President to have a roinersi
tiou w iill the Sea c-tary ol the Navv soil
the Attorney General also; Let l.ra
what 1 linrl said, he supposed it would
he of nn avail. The president had ex
pressed a hope that our Ihinilifs would
have been w illii.g to invite Mrs. Eaton
to their large partus, to give tfie ap-
pearance of an osier,sil.ie Inteicimw
adding, that he was so Hindi uciltd
that he was like a roaring lion. Ilrii-n
heard that the l.tdv ot a foreign minis-
: ter had joined in the conspiracy agaii.st
Mrs. l'.H'Oll, and he had sworn ihdre
! would send her and her husband litirt
’ If lie could not put an end to slid do
. ings. I replied I hat it could Imriiii ti
j possible that the President contemplaKd
such a step. Col. Johnson replied that
| lie certainly did ; and again mnurW
that it seemed to be useless for him to
, see Mr. Branch and Mr. Beriirn. 1
j told him that cacli of us had taken'"’
; course, upon our own views of proper
ty, w ithout concert ; and that lie cup
I not to consider me as answering m
any one bill myself. He then proposed
that I should meet him at Mr. Brandi's
and invito Mr. Berrien, that evenim* l
j 7 o’clock; which was agreed to. Cos!.
’ J. came to my house about 6, ami
j went up to Mr. Berrien's, havint M
j sent for Mr. Branch. On our way 10
Mr. Berrien’s, Col. J. remarked dial lit
President had informed him that l><
[ would invite Mr. Branch, Mr. Hert.ea.
and myself, to meet him on the not
Friday, when lie would inform us, it
the presence of Dr. Ely, of his dftet”
mination; and if we did not agreet
comply with his wishes, lie would n
pect us to send in our resignation!”
Upon one urilval at Mr. Berrien's, Col-
J. renewed the subject in present*' 11
him ami Gov. Branch, and repeal
substanJßllv, though, 1 thought, radio
more qmilifiedly, what he had said H
me. He did not go so much in detail
nor do I recollect whether he mentica*
ed the President’s remarks as to tin Ml
above mentioned and Dr. Ely—thus*
gentlemen will better recollect. M'-
Diancti and Mr. Betricn replied, as ll "’
equivocally us 1 had done, that tb
would never consent to have the sm'* l
relations of their families controlled by
any power whatever but their own**
Mr. Ilrancli, Mr. llertien and
went the same evening to a party si Col’
Tow son's, where a report was current,
that we were to he removed fold)** 1 * 1 ’
of which I had no doubt at the tiu*>
Tlie next morning Col. Johnson came
to my house, and said that he
perhaps to have been more frank |j>l
evening, and told us positively lliat tl ,e
President hud finally determined on on’
removal from office, unless e g rW ”
at once that our families should
Mrs. Eaton, and invite her to •I’*”
large parties ; nnd that he had made u|’
his in• ixl to designate Mr, Dicker,* •*
take charge of the Treasury Oe|n (t
----meiit, and Ml. Kendall to the clunge 1
the Navy Department, and would
an Attorney tjeiieral somewhere
observed IhHl my course was fixed, ■*’
could not be changed for all the offices
in the President's gift; and it in , d* *“
more dilTeroiive to me than to any
person whom the President deig ,l4,,u