Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-07-21

The following correspondence IS given as mere
~ preparatory to something more. which we eS.
meet shortly. 1t will be we'll If the truth ana
the whole truth is obtained before the August
elections are over.
Mr.. Berrien to MI. Blair.
WASHINGTON, 18th July. 1881.
S,t-In an article under the Editorial head,
in YOUR paper of this morning, which has relation.
70 = controversy between the Editor OF the Ieie.
praph and Yourself, | observe the following re.
mark:
:. At this point, we should have dropped the
controversy. hut we have understood that 1t Is
renorted. TO give countenance to the cOntradlcted
statement of the Telegraph. that MIR. berrlen mas
received a letter from Col. Johnson, which shews
that we had no warrant for the denial we made
rs TO him. We take the liberty, therefore, OF
quoting from the letter of Col. Johnson, when
we have, his express declaration. that the fresi-
dent did not make the exaction OF the members
of his Cabinet charged by the Telegraph. Inc
Colonel says, He General J%ackson) never a"-
thorized me to require social intercourse, &c
&c. He ALWAYS disclaimed it; | told the parties
So These are the words of the Colonel. to the
word, point, and letter. lf this does not satisfy.
we must refer the parties making the charge. to
the witness called by them"
The reference thus made to me. renders It ne
~cessary that | should submit the following obser-
fystions to the public. and | have accordingly to
ask that YOU will give them a place IN your paper.
have not authorized the report OF WHICH you
speak, and I would have told YOU so, without
hesitation. if YOU had intmated its existence to
me. That such a course would have been more
conformable to the views of Col. johnson, | in
fer from the following considerations.
have a letter from that gentleman, in which,
after stating his object, aud motires, in seeking
tn interview, which, with the appreciation OF the
President. he held with Messrs. Branch, lngham
and myself. he proceeds to remark, that he has
not himself seen the necessity or ~propriety of any
~ailusion, in newspapers, to this interview-and
adds. that If any should consider it necessary,
J then the great object should be to state the con.
v~ersation correctly, for which purpose mis- views
were made known III that letter, in order that any
misunderstanding might be corrected. Acquies
, cling in the propriety of this suggestion, | imme'
diately communicated to Col. Johnson a state.
, ment of the conversation referred to, as it was
very distinctly impressed upon my memory and
! sufficient time has not yet elapsed, | believe, ia
authorize me to expect an answer in the regular
course of the mail. However this may be, ]
have not received any. Independently, there.
J fore, of my reluctance to appear before the pub
lie, in relation to any matters connected with the
dissolution of the Cabinet.-a reluctance which
could only be yielded to my own strong %convic.
ton Of the ~propriety of such a meDure,-I have
thought that the understanding implied in the cor.
respondence to which I have referred, would be
violated, by publishing a statement OF what passed
at the interview in question, until it could be &C
companied by the remarks of Col. Johnson on
that which | had transmitted to HIM. A depar-
ture from this understanding, by that gentleman
himself, would Of course relieve me from its obi
CATION. But from the tenor Of your editorial ar
ticle, l infer, that the act Of publishing the er-
tract from his letter, is not authorized by him.
| adhere therefore, at present, TO the determine
ton, which | had formed; and assuming that
your object, as public journalists, is to present
nothing to your readers which is not true, and
not to withhold from them, that which is so. |
take the liberty Of suggesting, as well to the Edi-
tor of the Telegraph as to yourself, the propriety
of abstaining from any partial and imperfect
statements of the conversation. The delusion
produced by such statements, must be speedily
corrected; but until that correction is made,
their effect is to mislead the public mind, on a
subject of awakening interest to the American
people. | am, very respectfully,
Sir, YOUR obedient servant,
JNO. MACPHERSON BERRIEN.
To FRANCIS p. BLAIR. Esq.
Editor of the Globe.