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

az that between Gen. jackson and myself on
the same subject, intending, as soon as they
could be completed, 10 send one to him ana
another to yourself. Upon the receipt of your
letter, l Immediately wrote you note, ex'
pressing an intention to wait for the further
comparison of our recolectons before | made
any determination as to the disposition OF my
statement. But two articles in the Globe oil (
the lth inst, which you have no doubt seen,
reached me before my letter was mailed, and
arrested its progress These articles as far as
they relate to this subject, bear on their face
the evidence of having been authorized by Gen.
jackson and yourself, and leave me no choice
as to the publication of my statement. Tho
article which supposed to have been author
lied by you, shows that you have also taken
different view of this matter since your letter
to me before referred to was written. | could
not otherwise reconcile your remonstrance
against publication of what you then deemed
a confidential conversation with the authority
alleged by the Globe to publish your denial of
the statement alluded to at least, without
previous interchange of recolections between
all the parties concerned | do not, however,
concur with you in the opinion that there ever
was any obligation of secrecy imposed on me, or
those associated with me, to be implied from
the friendly character of the conversation re-
ferred to. The communication made to me by
YOU that my continuance in office would depend
npon the consent of my family to visit Mrs.
Eaton and invite her to their large parties, |
considered at the time, though not so intended
by you as in its nature offensive. 1t could not,
therefore, carry with it the confidential obitga-
lion which belongs TO tho neual intercourse OF
friendship. l regarded the proposition as
wounding TO my feelings, and had determined
TO resign my office even after you informed me
that Gen. jackson had changed his ground,
frou tpb oh | Y
circumstances of the friends consulted, who
urged, among other considerations, that al
though my personal respect for the President
might be impaired M services IN the Depart
ment were for the country, and while 1t was
faithfully served, could not be untalthiul TO
the Administration. A proposition thus dlspos-
ed of could be regarded as any thing rather
than imposing an obligation of friendly conf
dence. But find an additional reason for pub
LEGATION growing out of your letter Its appar
ent disagreement from my statement, and its
admonitory suggestions could not fail, when
ever the whole matter should be brought out,
which is inevitable in the present state of the
public mind, to expose ME 10 the imputation of
having shrunk from doing what duty to my own
character, if not 10 the country, seemed to de-
mand, cannot therefore accord in your desire
that no publication shall be made, any more
than | can III the views oil the obligation of Sc
cresy which you have suggested. | would
prefer, however, to accompany the publication
with that Of your letter OF the Both ultimo, but
not having received any intimation of your
wishes on that subject, it will require some de-
liberation TO determine what is most proper TO
be done in this particular. l can assure you
that this determination will be exclusively gov
erned by desire to do what, under all cir
cumstances, may appear most likely to meet
your own wishes. | have now only to add that
in making the statements ofthese conversations
| have relied not merely on the indelible i'm
presslons made on my memory, but on memo
randa put on paper at the time. have aot the
slightest recollection or any note of your hav-
ing adverted to any fact or circumstance al
legged by Gen. Jackson or yourself, as evil
dence of unkind feeling for, much less hostility
to, or a conspiracy against Maj. Eaton on the
part of Mr.. Branch, Mr.. Berrien, or myself, or
of any want of harmony in the Cabinet other
than the simple and isolated fact, that our fami-
lies did not visit Mrs Eaton and invite her to
their parties. Nor have | any note or recol-
lection of any proposition made by you to me
individually, or Jointly with the other gentle
men, as means of removing the alleged diff
culties, other than our families should visit
Mrs Eaton, and invite her to their large parties
| cannot but persuade myselfthat my statement
will call to mind matters which may have es-
capped your recollection, and satisfy your iudg-
ment, that, whatever may have been the nature
of your instructions could not have understood
them differently from what have.
l have the honor to be, very respectfully,
your obedient servant, S. D. INGHAM
Hon. Richard NJ. Johnson.