Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-02-24
m Mn DINE
To the Hon. J. c. CALHOUN.
No. S.
MIR. Calhoun 70 General Jackson.

STEAMBOAT POTOMAC, LIST June, 1880
SIR though you Intimate, in your letter of yester.
day, that no further communication with me ia ne,es
sary on the subject TO which IL REFERS feel myself
Inpeieh 10 notice come of your remarks, lest my ii.
fence should be construed into an acquiescence in their
truth or business shall be as brief az possibls
You say that have entelv mistaken your letter Of
the ISth May in surprising that it questioned either
my motives conduct. | am not aware that I hav.
imputed TO you impeachme MT If nv motives: I'm, I
certainly did understand that you had questioned the
sincerity and trankness Of my conduct and must add
,""' your present letter, Notwithstanding The most
Gemon'ira'ive proof which had offered the contrary
shows clearly that understood you correctly, and of
course was not as you suppose, mistaken.
have no doubt that there are those who .artu,ted
oy enmy to me, and not friendship TO YOU have in the
most sru manner. for years tnated that have been
:e're"y ehdeavorng to inure YOU absurd the
,oea; out must express my surprise ha. van shoud
have permitted nsnus atoms as base az ,bev ara fro
10 operate on YOU. when every word and act of min,
gave 10 Them the lie direct feel conscious that have
honorabiy and fully performed towards you eva,v dv
that friendship imposed and that anv ;n,u,,,io, o., n
contrary is wholly unmered
ro9 mstske in 'unnosng that have any dispute
win MIR. Crawford. That he bears me IN will il Ger
tam; but whatever feeling of unkindness 7 ever had
towards him has long since passed away: so much 90
ha instead oil returning his attacks on me the line of
conuue, wh'ch had prescribed to myself was, TO bear
pa"ehuy and silently all that he might do or cav Ieav
ing II TO time and truth TO vindeate nv conduct III
nave apparently departed from the rule that had
'h 'hs case II was not because there was any
disposition on my part 10 alter the line of nv condu, I.
our when you inerposed your name by pIsrpp in nv
hands copy Of his letter addressed 10 Mr. Forsv,b
was compelled by an act Of YOU'RE order that nv sic
renee 'nlght not he in'ernreted into an acknowsds
ment OF the truth of Mr.. Crawfords statement IN
rect MS m.statemens, and to expose the motives of
enmity WI ich ac,uaied him, and which sought to use
you az an instrument Of its qualification
You intimate, that, at some future time when Won
may have more leisure, you will place The subject NJ
ms correspondence in different light. | wish Won 10
Dc assured ieel every confidence, that, whenever
you may be disposed 10 controvert the correctness nj
either my statement or conduct in this affair sbaII he
prepared on my part to mant the truth of the one and
frsnkDess, honor, and patriotism of the obar ,b,o',h
out this whole transaction.
That you honestly thought that your orders author
yea you TO do what you did, have
mar you can show by aoy document, public private
that lhey were intended to give You the antboti,v
which you asumed that any SUI n cona,rnc,ion vy "a
flaced on them, at any time, by the administration.
or myself in particular believe to be impossible
You remark that my letter of the 20h instant is IN
hrst iDtimaiion you had that I had taken difT.ran,
view from yourself Of your orders. That Won shouId
conceive that you had 10 intmaIion before s {, me
unaccountable had supposed that the Invitation y,
Mr.. Monroe, in his letter 10 you of the 2Ob Octoer
1SlS with the intention that the different views taken
by yon and myself of the orders should be placed IN
the files OF the Department, and my letter TO Won of The
i3th April, 1928, covering copy of my letter TO Ma
jor Lee, in which refer TO the public documents and
private correspondence between you and Mr. Monroe
as containing the views taken of your orders. and the
offer which made TO present my views more fully II
not given sufficiently explicit in the documents referred
TO- were at least an inmation that we differed in the
construction oil The ORDERS and feel assured that ne
Their my conduct, words, actions, letters" afford
the slightest proof to the contrary.
Inc charge which you have made against me- of Sc
cre hostility and opposition, which, if true would 50
vitality affect my character for sincerity and honor and
which has caused rupture in our long continued friend
ship, has no other foundation but that of difference
between us in the construction of your ordersorders
issued by myself the intention Of which T. of course
could not mistake whatever may be their true
ton in military point of view and the right and du,
OF interpreting. which belonged especially 10 nae as ho
head OF the War Department The mere statement ot
these facts must give rise TO train Of re1ections ~
expression of which can not suppress '"0
Your course, as understand IL, assumes for lie 10
sis that ], who, as Secretary OF War issued he rSer
have some motive to conceal my construction of tbc
as II mad no right to form opinion whether tho
ohcers 70 whom they were given had transcribed them
or not WINE inc ohcer was at perfect liberty 10 ex-
press and maintain his construction. NV right as Sc
creary OF war, was at least perfect as yours as
commanding officer, TO Judge Of the true intent and Ii
nits OF your orders; and had no more motive TO con-
ceai my construction Of them than you had
yours. The idea OF concealment never entered INV
conception and to suppose IT, is 10 suppose that w,s
utterly unworthy Of the office which occupied WIZ
should conceaR owed responsibility 10 vou. and
IL you not afraid to place YOUR construction ,o
your orders, why should be afraid 10 place mnel II
affair OF mere official duty involving no question
Of private enmity or friendship, and + 50 treated it,
In conclusion, must remark, that I had supposed
that the want OF sincerity and ffankness would be the
last charge that would he brought against Coming
from quarter from which had reason TO expect far
different treatment and destitute, know 1t to be- OF
the slightest foundation, IL could not fail 10 excite feel
ines to be expressed with due regard 10 the
! official relation which bear to you.