Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-07-27

Telegraph Of the 18th inst relating to your wife, ant
desiring to know whether will sanction or disayow
that statement, you add, "the relation we have sus
tanned towards each other authorizes me TO demand m
immediate answer"
To this inquiry preferred as a matter of right and
presented in the form of demand my answer must be
BRET 1t consists in the simple denial of the claim
winch you assert. cannot recognize your right to in.
terrogae me, concerning the statements of the Tele
graph, or of any other public Journal which are made
without my agency. You might with equal propriety
select an article from any newspaper in the Union for
the purpose OF putting to the queston-and if the
claim which you assert be well founded might be re-
quired at the instance of any person aggreved TO give
my confession of faith in relation various state
ments TO be found in any of the journals in which nv
name may chance to be mentioned Such demand
therefore, cannot be admitted for a momeat But al
though cannot recognize your right either az derived
from the relation which we have sustained towards
each other, or from any other source, make the de-
mand presented by your note, am not quite sure
looking to the position in which stand before the
public, that can acqut myself to the community or to
myself Tor declining to answer your inquiry
In the progress OF those events which have at lens
resulted IN the dissolution of the Cabinet my deerni-
nation has been not to- do which was calculated
10 provoke controversy nor to devate under whatever
urgency from that line of conduct which my own
sense OF proprety prescribed Acting upon this deter
mination, have necessarily pursued course, which
refusal TO answer your inquiry, might 10 ndi-
cate an unwillingness to Such an inference
would be unjust it regards myself and delusive in
relation to the public. Although, therefore, have the
most unaffected reluctance TO enter upon such SUBJ
ect and certainly do not acquesce in your right to
mand IT, 1T seems TO me that you have by making the
inquiry, imposed upon the obligation TO do So from
Just consideration of what owe TO myself and to the
public have then to state to you that up the time
oil your marriage, had not heard the rumors which
have since in various FORMS been the pub
lic and ignorant of Mrs. Eatons relation to the
society OF this place. accepted your invitation to be
present at your wedding therefore, with dsrust of
the proPriey my doing 80, other than that which
suited from my own situation at that period You are
yourself no doubt aware how much that event. and your
subsequent introduction into the Cabinet made these
runors the subject of conversation. could longer
continue in ignorance of that which was publicly and
generally spoken of, and it consequently became ne
cessary Tor me- embarrassed the question was by the
otciai relation in which stood TO each other TO de-
ternne upon my future conduct la doing this il did
not seem 10 me to be necessary, decide upon the
truth or falsetood of the statements which made
IL was sufficient to ascertain the general of the
community OF which had recently become member !;
aud having done So to conform it, In the winter of
io3O DIS presume is known to you was called upon
by gentleman who represented himself actln, and
VINO doubt not did act under the authority the Pre-
sdent to express with precise reference this subject
the regret which he felt at the harmony or of So
cai intercourse among the members of his Cabinet and
70 announce his determination at any rate have H.
messrs lnghan and Branch present at this inter
view The fact was distinctly stated that they and myself
hau successfully given very large parties which Mrs
Eaton had not been invited We were then told that
on such occasions at least the President would expect
In future social intercourse between respective
1aIlles There were various other suggestions made
during this conversation but the recaptulaon of them
~ not rendered necessary by your inquiry answered
10 this communication for myself, that would per-
mt the PRESIDENT, nor any other individual regulate
the social intercourse of myself tamil yand that if
such requistlon was persevered in, | would retire
from the official situation which held In the inter
view to winch was invited by the President some few
days afterwards, frankly expressed to him my views
on TINS subject, and he dsclamed any disposition 10
press such requisiton. am not aware that any other
occasion has occurred in which the question of in
tercourse between your family and has been pre-
sen ed to me or to my family.
ani, respectfully, your obedent servant,
JOHN MACPHERSON BERRIEN.
To j. II. EATON, Esq.