Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-01-08

your situation, that yo,, I'd meet II ~ any
other public duty
iniiinatcd to you, that in the present stage. il
would be improper 10 make known your senti-
incnts that there strong motives for your not
taking an active part in the contest. suggested
the reiatlonn which you stood to the House, the
parties, and TO the country, and said that great in
fiuence would he attributed to your opinion that
al parties would look TO your course with interest,
ana that you would act under great responsibility.
thought there was no necessity for increasing the
difficulty OF your situation, by taking part IN the
election and that it would be better to lc, it take
its course. left you under the impression that
you concurred in these views.
saw You again on the return Of the votes from
| Louisiana, by which 1t ascertaincd that YOU
were excluded from the House. then took the
liberty OF repeating TO YOU all that / had before
said III regard TO the course you ought TO pursue.
urged the consideration of your being the pre-
siding officer ofthe House, where new questions
might arise during the election, and such other re-
Elections as occurred to me. You said you were
aware oi the danger, we'll rs the delicacy of
your position, and that you would leave your
friends perfectly at liberty TO exercise their own
Judgments. will add that no instance came with
IN my knowledge in-which you deviated from this
course. My opinion was, and still IS that YOU be-
haved with the greatest propyiety in the situation
in which you were placed
! l convcrsed with YOU in 4 walk TO the Capitol
on the instructions OF the Legislature OF Kentuc-
! KY. You still expressed your determination TO
vote Tor Mr.. Adams. You said the Legislature
4
DUTY; that you had received no instructions to vote
! tor General Jackson from your own district, that
the instructions and letters YOU had received, d-
rected you TO pay no attention to the Legislative
instructions, but 20 act upon your own judgment
and do the best for the country. You said YOU
were not only free to choose, but you were under
n great personal responsibility That you would
acquit yourself in the discharge OF this duty, by
making the best choice under all circumstances
That you believed Mr.. Adams the ablest and
safest man, ami you would act under that conviction.
called on you on the morning of the publication
OF your card You said that | would now sec
that the delicacy you had observed had pro
cured no respect or toTbearance towards YOU; VOL!
spoke with some indignation at the means which
had been employed IS well as the motives of those
by whom you were assaed. You spoke of ano-
nymous letters full of abuse and menace, letters
written at Washington, to be published ut different
places ID ofthe letter which had been noticed
IN your C.rd, sc. ] observed, YOU must expect
all this-You must have foreseen that mt some
time the storm would burst on your head-You
must prepare 10 meet il firmly and bear il pa-
tently a public man must rely upon the weight
OF his character, and the Justice of his country *
added that still believed the course you had
pursued in the election the most correct. You
said you should continue as YOU had done TO disre.
gard newspaper and anonymous abuse, but thi.
paper was pu blished on the authority of member
OF tie H. OF Representative, and therefore dcserv-
ed TO be met openly.
In referring to the terms of this letter, YOU OBJ
served taat you did not know that you would b.
oiiercda place in any administration, nor did yct
know who would compose the cabinet of eithe
Candidate. That you could not be the member o
: any cabinet that would require you to advocate
principles different from those you had AWAY
maintained before the Public, and for the suppop
OF which your public character was pledged.
On the tender Of the office of Secretary of State
You consulted with me the acceptance or retu-
sal OF the office. You stated all the reasons pri-
vate and public for and against the acceptance ant
asked my opinion. said il was occasion il
which you ought TO consult freely your friends s
act by their advice Ny own opinion is, you mus
accept in the situation i'll which you have beer
placed by circumstances you have choice;--ani
suggested some reasons of public nature wh,
you ought TO be member of the Cabinet.
Alter your nomination was confirmed, you in
orIned Ine that you had requested Gen. Harrison
TO move for Committee in the Senate, ifany thin.
occurred TO make it necessary. replied that ii,
not think any thing had occurred TO require Com
Inlttcc your part.
The foregoing is the purport of several conversa
/ tons; cannot pretend to preserve the language
but 1t is true and faithful statement of the sub
stance OF your opinions and views SO far as the,
were known to me.
: avail myself of the occasion, although no
called orh Ivy your letter. 10 state that had ocelsi
{ onal communications with you and several o
D yo1r friends in which the conversation was free
: unreserved.
That no fact ever came TO my knowledge tina
could IN the slightest degree justify the chasg
which has been exhibited. On the contrary,
know that your opinion did not undergo any chang
IRON the time first saw you your return {
W ashington. l have reason 70 believe that an
silence and reserve which YOU observed dufin
the contest, dictated by assortment of decac
TO the Candidates, and by a sense of scif-rcspec
wei as OF duty TO the Office You held in the House
VIII add that during the present summer, mf
o with two Gentlemen in the State Of Mississipp
: who voluntarily told me that they heard you cx
:, press your decided preference OF Mr. Adams d
n Lexington. before you left home for Washington
$ With great regard your osedient servant,
d J. 5. JOHNSTON.