Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1831-10-28


has never slumbered, TO fan the flame OF dis
cord: These have been the abors ola press
which is necessarily under his control Who
doubts that this reiterated calumny this con-
tinued menace of violence, might have been
checked by word' Who will question that
the power 10 do so, involved the obligation TO
exert 1t: Else, what are government, laws.
and the duties which belong to the civil ma
gistracy. What is that high and enrolling
feeling which does not permit lis possessor 10
resort 10 dishonorable means himself, nor 10
counsel or countenance them in those whose
conduct he has either the legal or moral pow
or TO control
dismiss with these remarks go much Of
Mr.. Eaton's pamphlet as relates to the Sc
cond correspondence between us. In the
spirit of determination to misrepresent eve
ry thing connected with this subject, he I'M
putes TO me the violation of personal intima-
cy which he says existed before the organi-
cation ofthe Cabinet, and the fact OF having
contributed TO give currency TO the reports
against the character Of Mrs Eaton. He
adds, that, as the partizan OF Mr. Calhoun,
had tomcnted the divisions ofthe Cabinet and
become party 10 an intrigue, which had for
its object his expulsion from it, Each of
these charges il wholly destitute of founda-
ton. Indeed the pamphlet presents a case so
entirely fictitious that those who have been
converSant with the transactions as they oc-
CURED, can discern no resemblance TO them
in this statement, and they will perhans be
embarrassed in determining TO whom 10 a
ward the credit of exercising that degree of
imaginative power which was necessary to
have conceived it.
never was on terms Of intimate friend
CHI
like due 10 myself, and 10 those with whom
have the good fortune 10 stand in that rela-
ton. have already said that attended his
wedding: dld so upon an appeal made to
me, as Mem3Eer ofthc Senate; as POLITICAL.
not priRae friend. Circumstances soon
disclosed 10 me- the differences which would
probably be drawn from this occurrence and
limited ysclflhereaiter TO civil inter
course with Mr. Eaton, when wamct Twas
not in the habit of visiting him, either before
or atler his marriage. Still had no hostility
towards him, and in looking TO the circum-
stances so often adverted TO in this controver-
sy, whether before, or at the time of his in
PRODUCTION into the Cabinet, certainly in
duiged no such feeling. have before said
and now repeat, that my conduct while there,
was studlousiy regulated 10 avoid offence. /
could not CRAFTY the too obvious wish of The
PRESIDENT IN this matter. 1 thouUht n r>s. in
IeFiSCeRf con IG'uotnttry ; but did not seek
to intlame the feeling which was excited by
the indiscrcct attempt 10 control the society Of
w ashington.
A single fact, kno1Dn to be so. By those n.
nlong iUhom tcrite, furnishes decisive an
swer to the allegation ofa combination in the
Cabinet to exclude Mrs. Eaton from society
1T is that the question Of exclusion as IL reIy-
ted to the sOcietyof Washington eeneraIh,.
tcGs settled before Bf1'. Eaton came into Of
rec Ills marriage occurred in January. and
during that and the succeeding month this
question had been tried and determined. bv
those TO whom it belonged, the community in
which he lived. Any movement on the Eart
OF those who composed the Cabinet on that
subject, could only therefore have had for its
object TO reUerse that decision-to introduce
and not to exclude.
Mr.. Eaton has made labored effort to at
tribute the dissolution of the late Cabinet 10
the lntrlgues oithe partisans of Mr. Calhoun.
rather than to the feeling which had been ex,
cited by the attempt TO control the social in
tcrcourse OF Washington That effort is vain.
he public judgment on that subject is be-
lieved 10 he irrcYocably fixed. However
under the influence of various motives. men
may differ as to the character of the act -
mong the vast majority Of the American
people, there are few, I believe, who doubt
That my colleagues and myself might have
retained our places in the Cabinet If. con-
slsiently with cur sense OF propriety we could
have taken different view of that subject.
The Charge that was at any time the mar
tison of MIR. Calhoun, is utterly destitute Of
foundation. MIR Eaton cannot impute TO me
any act or expression which will give the
slightest countenance to this assertion. In
The contest of 1925, my wishes were openly
ayowed, and acted upon, in favor of MIR
Crawford. The earliest measures Of the ad
minislraioa, which then came into powor
ard moro especially in relation tothe interests
81 GeorgIa, placed me in the opposition to
mat administration, and | remained there
during lhe contest which succeeded. 7 en-
tered the Cabinet in 1929, as the political
friend OF Gen. jackson, with every dispcsi-
ton to fulfil tho duties which that relation
prescribed, but with no claims upon him as
an individual, and without believing that I
had incurred any obligation, MS such. from
The fact OF having been called there. These
duties, however, in the Wow which took Of
| them, independently ofall other considera-
lions, we're sufficient 70 preclude me from
belng TIC partisan OF any man. On the con-
/ lrary, ! endeavored uniformly To inculcate
the Propriety Of abstaining from all agitation
Of the question, who should be the snccessor
ofGen jackson. This exposition of INV par-
ticular views would be entirely unimportsnt
to the public, and would not have been nro-
sented to their notice, if a contrary course
had not been hntruly imputed 10 mo. for the
purpose Of concealing from them The real
causes Of the dissolution Of the late Cabinet.