Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1831-09-30


cndeavoring To control all the cabinet ar
Engagements, and secretly 10 place around The
President men OF their selection and stamp
II was not for him 10 select his own coun-
sellers, or decide who were his "perSonal,
political, and long tried friends ;" men who
had supported him only hen they lad lost
all hope of MIR. Calhoun--who had joined his
standard only when their fayorite candidate
had disappeared from the contest and who
, had supported him as a secondary choice
| Your lnghams, Berricns, and others, were
now arrogating TO become his exclusive
counseilors, and 10 thrust from his presence
rs unworthy of his trust and confidence those
who had supported him for his own sake
whose attachment was cemented by years Of
confidential nterCourse-whuse faith and en-
ergies were pledged 10 his support, & whose
horcs were all concentrated in the success
and prosperity of his administration.
MIR. Branch was made the instrument OF.
ADLER heads, and attempted TO become man
ager i'll this business. I'm his recent letter,
he mentions call which he made on the
President previous TO my termination 10 she
Senate, at which he arrogantly represented
that my selection would be improper and UNI
fortunate, and gave his reasons, which APP
pear TO have related solely TO my family He
| also states he then came to advise me against
accepting a place in the cabinet, admitting
that the charges made against my family
were tnlso, by representing "wbat use the
opposition would make of it, and that "the
enemies oithe President would not fail to
MAKE handle oft" He says that he pla.
ced Mrs jackson and Mrs Eaton on the
same footing, and desired 10 save the Presi-
dent "from recolleCtions which would be
inf, Il Il
treacherous recollection. He kept no note
book, or, like his co-partner, Mr. Ingham,
lie has accommodated his notes to cmergcn-
Gies: | can put him right in this affair, not
doubling his admission of tie truth of the
narration offer, if honor be left him. altho'
he may deny The motive which feel pcrsua-
ded influenced him at the time.
Failing in the attempt TO prevent nv ap-
po;ntment, and TO dissuade or rather deter
me from accepting, Mr. Branch was next
made the instrument ola piece of secret man
agemcnt, having in view the same result
ltwas suggested TO the President, after the
first arrangement of the Cabinet was made,
that Mr. NJ Lean entertained objections a
gaInSt remaining i'll the Post Office Depart
ment. II was known that the President was
disposed TO crafty him, by placing him in
another Department, il he could DO so with
aproper regard to others previously selected.
i his, 1t seems, taken in connection with NV
known rcpugnance, under any circumstan-
ceS, TO undertake the labors of that Depart
ment, furnished hint TO those who wished
my exclusion from the Cabinet oiwhich they
fastened TO avail themselves Mr. Branch
declared that the President might place HAN
'Dhere lee pleased; he ,oouH be satisfied and
proposed 10 me, that we should, if The Presi-
dent approved it, assent TO the placing of
Mr.. hl'Lean in either of the Departments
assigned 10 us, rs he might choose, TO which
! assented. The War, Navy, and Post Of
ice Departments, were then considered o.
pen to re-dSSignmcnt, according to the will
OF tie President. The result was, Mr.. Mp
Lean was arranged 70 the War Department,
Mir Branch TO the Post Office, and myself
TO the Navy Department. This di, moi meet
the object. MIR. Branch made unexpected
difficulties, and at The desire of those who
proposed the change, the original arrange
ment was restored.
suspected no other than fair and honest
motive in all this but we arc now informed
through the expositions recently made in the
Telegraph, that all Mr. Brancll's move
menls originated in the ''adyice" of certain
''persOhaI, poi,i zeal, and long tried friends of
tie President" given with a view, as is now
expressly stated, "tO TemOUe" me from the
Cabinet.
At length the Cabinet was formed. Mr.
Derrien expressly says, that he entered il =,
only because he expected "the President
himself would speedily see and correct the
cvil' ofmy appointment; and that he clearly
"forcsaw the.evils which have resulted from
the selection" His declaration is no doubt
true. No prophets foresee future events so
precisely and so certainly, as those who hav-
ing the means in their own control, arc de-
tcrmlncd to bring them to pass Forcseeing
the evils, he must have iOrcsccn the means
through which their correction was TO he
brought about. lie must have lOreseen that
he and his associate friends intended 10 use
the influence and consequence which Office
gave, TO accomplish their eXpcclations-ihe
persecution OF my iamily-thc attempt 10 de-
grade me, and all the arts which subsequent
ly they have employed TO procure my reno
val
How could SO much lie Goresocn, if it lad
not been predetermined! No prophecy could
have been 50 confidently relied on, if it had
not been resolved, by cahal of the PrcSi-
dents pretended "lriends," with view 10
concentrate public opinion, that and my
family should bc prescribed from intercourse
with that portion Of society over which they
and their families had or could have innu-
ence. Not doubt is left on my mind, that
before the nomination of the Cabinet TO the
Senate, the means of operating on public O.
pnion, and forcing the President 10 exclude
me, were devised, arranged, and fixed upon,
by and with the knowledge and appreciation
OF Mcssrs lngham and Berrien, if not of MIR.
Branch and the means TO be employed I'm
der their boosted sense Of bonor-an honor