The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1831-08-03

COLI. said that he had been requested by
:he President TO have a conversation with the
Secretary of the Navy and the Attorney Gen
eral also; but, from what had said, he sup
posed it would be of no avail. The President
had expressed hope that our families would
have been willing to invite Mrs. Eaton to their
large parties, to give the appearance OF an os'
tensible intercourse. adding that he was so much
excited that he was like roaring lion. lie
had heard that the lady of foreign minister
had Joined in the conspiracy against Mrs. Eat
on. and he had swern that he would send her
and her husband home if he could not put an
I end to such doings. ] replied, that 1t could not
hardly be possible that the President contem-
plated such step. Col. j. replied that he GER
taInly did and again remarked that 1t seemed
to be useless for him 10 see Mr.. Branch and
Mr.. Berrien. l told him that each of us had
taken our course. upon our own views OF pro-
prlety, without concert and that he ought not
to consider me as answering tor any but my
self. He then proposed that l should meet
! him at Mr.. Branch's, and invite MIR. Berrien,
/ that evening at clock; which was agreed
/ TO. Col. J. came to my house about b, and we
went up to MIR. Berrien's, having first sent for
I Mr.. Branch. On our way to Mr.. Berriens
/ Col. J. remarked that the President had in
formed him that he would invite Mr.. Branch,
( Mr.. Berrien, and myself, TO meet him on
/ the next Friday, when he would inform
us, in the presence of DR.. Ely, OF his deter
mination and if we did not agree to comply
! with his wishes, he would expect us to send in
our designations. Upon our arrival at Mr.. Ber-
! rIen's, Col ]. renewed the subject IN presence
of him and Gov. Branch, and repeated snbstan-
tally, though, thought, rather more qualified
ly, what he had said to me- HI did not 90 so
much into detail, nor do | recollect whether he
mentioned the Presidents remarks as to the
J lady above mentioned and DR.. Ely-those gen-
| tlemen will better rccollect. MIR. BranCh and
/ MIR. Berrien replied as unequiyocally as | had
| done, that they would never consent to have
| the social relations of their families controlled
by any power whatever but their own. Mr.
Branch, Mr.. Berren and myself, went the same
evening to party at Col. Towson's, where
report was current that we were to be remov-
ed forthwith, of which had doubt at the
time. The next morning Col. J. came to my
house, and said that he ought perhaps TO have
! been more frank last evening, and told US posi-
lively that the President had finally determined
on our removal from office, unless we agreed at
once that our families should visit Mrs. Eaton,
and invite her to their large parties and that
he had made up his mind to designate Mr.. Dick
ms to take charge of the Treasury Department,
and Mr.. Kendall to take charge of the Navy
Department, and would find an Attorney Cen
era somewhere. | observed that my course
was fixed, and could not be changed for all the
offices in the Presidents gift and it made no
more difference to me than to any other person
whom the President designated to take my
place. In the evening Of the same day, Col. J.
called again, and informed me that he had Just
been with the President, who had drawn up a
paper explanatory Of what he had intended and
expected of US /; that some of his Tennessee
friends had been with him for several hours
that his passion had subsidized, and he had en-
tirely changed his ground he would not insist
on our families visiting Mrs. Eaton; he only
wished US to assist in putting down the Sian.
deTs against her that he believed her innocent
and he thought our families ought to do what
they could to sustain her, if they could not WIS.,
1t her; and that he wished to see me the next
day. Col. J. added that the President had been
exceedingly excited for several days, but was
now perfectly calm and mild. The next day ]
waited on the President, and opened the subject
by stating that Col. Johnson had informed me
that he wished to see me; to which he assent
ed, and went into long argument to show how
innocent woman Mrs Eaton was, and how
much she had been prosecuted and mentioned
the names of number of ladies who had been
active in this persecution, and that the lady of
foreign minister also one of the conspir- |
ators; adding that he would send her and her
husband home, and teach him and his master
that the wife of member of his cabinet was
II. >
pure and chaste as Mrs. Donelson's infant
daughter, but there was combination here !
| among number of ladies', not those of The |
Heads OF Departmental drive her out of society," |
! and TO drive her husband out of Office out he !
would be cut into inch pieces on the rack. before
he would suffe. him or his wife to be injured by
their vile calumnies; that he was resolved to (
nave harmony IN his cabinet, and he wished US
| to JOIN IN putting down the ISLANDERS against
! 1t,
L had never considered it incumbent on me 10 !
investigate the character of Mrs. Eaton: such /
! service did not, in my judgment, come with !
in the scope of my duties to the government
1t belonged to society alone to determine such
matters. The power of the administration |
| could not change the opinion of the communi !
ty, even il it could DO properly used to control
the relations of domestic life in any case. The
society OF Washington must be the best iudres
OF whom 1t ought to receive. | regretted The !
difficulties which Major Eaton labored under, !
ana had isit u TO De my duty not TO aggravate
them. | had intended at an carly dav 10 have
had conversation with him an tbe subject
with view to have our social relation defined
ont no opportunity had offered, without volun-
teerlng one, and it had not been done in that
way. The course had taken was however.
adopted with great care, TO save his FEELINGS as
much as possible, consistently with what was
due to my family, and the community with
which we were associated. considered the
charge OF my family to be a sacred trust. belong.
ing exclusively to myself, as a member of soci-
ETY.. The administration had nothing 10 do
with IL, more than with that of any other indi.
vldnal, and political power could not be prop.
ery exerted over their social intercourse, and
it was important TO his reputation IN have II
understood that he did not interfere in spcb
matters That was not aware of anv w,nt orI
harmony in the cabinet; had not seen the
slightest symptom of such feeling in lis delhi.
erations, and | was perfectly certain that NM
official conduct had never been influenced in
the slightest degree by feeling of that nature
saw no ground, therefore, for the least cbanre
on my part in this respect. To which the pres.
ident replied in changed tone, that he had the
most entire confidence in my integrity and ca.
pacity in executing the duties of the Denart.
ment, and expressed his perfect satisfaction, in
that respect, with my whole conduct he had
never supposed for a moment that ~, -. -"