The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1831-10-12
Fromthe Sal N Gasstts.
MR.. BERRIEN's REPLY TO MR.. EATo

..
Mr.. Berren has published plain and manly
statement in reply to Mr.. Eaton, which amply
sustains every thing previously advanced BY
MIN. This exposition, he says, has been Tor
ced upon him, and the President is denounced
as the prime mover in conspiracy to ruin him:
under the avowed authority OF the Chief Mag
lstrate, have been calunniated and meIaced
by those W no speak at his bidding and are silent
at his nod" 'iThe reign of terror" says Mr..
B., d" Is emphatically established in this coun-
try" &" would exhibit to the American peo-
pie that system of caumny and menace, which
prevails at the seat of The national govern
ment, under the immediate view of its highest
funciionary, and in which his most confidential
friend is the prominent and principal actor. =
Tho ridiculous nature of Mr.. Eaton's first at
tempt.to fasten a quarrel upon him, lis " idle
bravadop and futile conclusion, are then dis
played.
Mr.. Eaton afterward sent Mr.. Berricn for
NAL challenge, the replyto which, By Mr.. Ber-
rien, concludes thus =
" have higher duties to perform both to my I
sell and to the country, than any which your
demand, even conceding it to be rightiul, ION
which subject express no opinion,) can i'm
pose. | will not be diverted from the fulfil
ment of these duties When that purpose shall
haze been accomplished, will attend to your
demand with disposition promptly to repair
"This letter, Tcontaues Mr. Berrien1 which
was delivered to friend of Mr.. Eaton, that
friend refused to receive and returned 20 the
bearer oft. | consider this as decisive evil
dence of Mr.. Eaton's disposition to evade the
contest which he protested to seek. II he had
been sincere in making this demand, an oppor
tunity was thus offered 10 him of gratifying his
resentment. A short time would suffice to
release me from my existing engagements to
the public, and then he would ave been au-
thorlZed to renew his claim. BY the refusal to
receive my letter, he necessarily closed all
communication between US, unless the object
OF such communication had been as premina.
ry to further proceedings, to retrace that step,
and to apologize for it. think, then, it is OBJ.
vious, that this idle bravado, twice displayed,
without even a plausible pretence, has in each
case eventuated in the disgrace of its authors,
and the palpable discontinue of its more i'm.
mediate agent"
The following passage of Mr. Berrien's letter,
deserves the grave consideration of the Amer.
lean people, as being the direct testimony of a
high minded and honorable man, TO fact which
has long been mere than suspected, and which
was practically illustrated in the case of MIR.
Ingham:
g MIR. Eaton and his resentments, and the
manner in which he may think proper TO in
dulge them, are utterly unimportant. That
which demands our consideration is that the
lao of force is openly proclaimed at the seat Of
the National Government. that he toho oentures
to repeL the grOundless ealumnieS of the official
press, must speak at the peril Of has life, in the
rindication Of his honor-and if euen in self.
defence, he shall drre TO say aught aohich may
dra1c into question the public conduct of that
high functionary, CHOSE uiesos IL professes to
represent, and By ,ehose alleged authority it
speaks, he must Instantly prepare himself for
the combat"
Mr.. Berrien proceeds:
Ever since June last, this community has
been repeatedly agitated by rumors of intend
ed conflicts. No man has been able to close
his ears against them. The public newspa pers
from all parts of the Union have brought them
back to US, and there is no one who is either so
elevated or SO humble, but that they have
reached and penetrated his dwelling. For this
disturbance of the quiet of he community
this degradation of the national character, a
solemn responsibility rests somewhere What
ever the delusion Of tho moment, the time will
come, and that speedily, when the American
people will enforce it. And who has been the
principal actor in these scenes, in each case,
the moving cause OF this Disturbance An in
dividual enjoying the confidence of the Chief
Magistrate, in habits of daily and intimate inter.
course with him. And by whom have these
calumnies been uttered Who is it that has
endeavored, with an activity that has never
slumbered, to fan the fame of discord Those
have been the labors ola press which is neces-
sarily under his control. Who doubts that this
reiterated calumny, this continued menace of
violence might have been checked by word !?
Who will question that the power to do SO, in
volved the obligation to exert it. Else, what
are government, laws, and the duties which be-
long to the civil magistracy? What is that
high and ennobling feeling which does not per-
init its possessor to resort TO dishonorable means
himself nor TO counsel or countenance them in
those whose conduct he has either the legal or
the moral power to control?
MI Berrien denies that he acted in the cabi-
net as the partisan of Mr.. Calhoun. He also
denies that he was ever ION terms of intimate
friendship with Mr.. Eaton" al have already
said that attended his wedding. | did SO up
on an appeal made TO me as a member of the
Senate-as political not as a private friend"
single fact, knoton 10 be so, By those, among
,ohom lorite, furnishes a decisive answer to the
allegation Of a combination in the Cab met, to
exclude Mrs. Eaton from society. 1t is, that
the question Of exclusion as it related to the so.
ciety Of Washington generally, aoas settled be-
FORE Mr.. Eaton came into office.
The letter concludes with a cutting sarcasm
upon Mr.. Eaton's known inability to indi:e the
composition which bore his signature. al de-
sire to say, says Mr.. B., that what have writ
ten bears my signature-and it is true that
hare 'oritten, whatever is thus verified"
From the NJ Y. american. [Anti-Masonic.
NoMINATIoN OF Mr.. Writ. The letter