Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1831-08-04

llJNO. MACfflERSON BEkklEN
/ Hon. II NJ. Johnson.
/ Mr.. hgham to Col. johnson.
New HorE, July 18th, 1881.
Dear Sir: ! have received a copy d
your letter of the 3Oth ult. to MIR. Bel
rien and myself, forwarded by him fro1
Washington relating to an allegatio
made in the newspapers, that Generd
Jackson had required, through membd
of Congress, of Mcssrs. Branch, Berrier
and my self, that our families should as
sociate with Mrs Eaton. ! had also nd
ticed the publication in the Telegraph d
which you refer, and another ofthe sam
import in New York paper of an Garlic
date, and supposing it propable, in th
existing state ofthe public mind, that th
discussion would take such range as t
involve all the parties to that transactio
IN the necessity Of making explanations
| had commenced the preparation d
copies Of q statement of the cOnversatio
which you have referred to as well tina
between you and me, as that between
General Jackson and myself on the sam
subject, intending as soon as they coul|
be completed, to send one to him and a
mother to yourself. Upon the receipt O
your letter, Immediately wrote you
note, expressing an intention to wait fc
the further comparison of our recollection
before made any determination as q
the disposition of my statement. BJ
two articles in the Globe ofthe ! tn inst
which you have no doubt seen, reache(
me before my letter was mailed, and ar
rested its progress. These articles, al
far as they relate to this subject, bear Of
their face the evidence of having beeI
authorised by General Jackson, AM
yourself, and leave me no choice as q
the publication of my statement. Th(
articles which l supposed to have bee|
authorised by you, shows that you hav(
also taken different view of this matte
since your letter to me before referred q
was written. / could not otherwise rel
concile your remonstra:ice against pub
lication Of what you deemed n confden
tial conversation, with the authority alleg
ed by the Globe to publish your denia
ofthe statement alluded to; at least, with
out previous interchange of recollec
tons between all the parties concerned
l do not, however, concur with you il
the opinion that there ever was any obi
CATION Of secrecy imposed on me, o
those associated with me, to be implied
from the friendly character the conver
sation referred to. The communication
made to me by you that my continuance
in office would depend upon the consen
of my family to visit Mrs. Eaton and in
vite her to their large parties, consider
ed at the time, though not so intended by
you, as in its nature offensive. could
not, therefore, carry with it the confiden
tial obligation which belongs to the usua
intercour Sc offriendship. Iregarded thu
proposition as wounding to my feelings
and had determined to resign my Office
even after you info rmed me that Genera
Jackson had changed his ground, from
which l was only dissuaded by the earn
estremonstrance ofthe friends consult
ed, who urged, among other considera
tions, that although my personal respec
for the President might he impaired, my
services in the Department were for tho
country, and while it was faithfully serv-
ed, ] could not be unfaithful to the Adj
minlstration. A proposition thus dispos7
ed of could be regarded as any thing
rather than imposing an obligation Of
friendly confidence.
But l find an additional reason''for pub
lication growing out ofyour letter, its ap1
parent disagreement from my statement
and its admonitory suggestions could not
fail, whenever the whole matter shall bd
brought out, which is inevitable in the
present state Of the public mind, to ex-
pose me to the imputation Of having
shrunk from doing what Cuty to my owl d
character, if not to the country, seemed
to demand. / cannot therefore accord in
your desire that no publication shall bel
made, any more than | can in the views
of the obligation of secrecy which you
have suggested. would prefer, how
ever, to accompany the publication with
that Of your letter ofthe 3Oth ultimo, and
not having received any intimation Of
your wishes on that subject, it will re-
quire some deliberation to determine
what is most proper to be done in this
particular. can assure you that this
determination will be exclusively govern
ed by desire to do what, under all cir
cumstances, may appear most likely to-
meet your own wishes. / have now on
ly to add that in making the statements $
of these conversations, have relied not
merely on the indelible impressions made
on my memory, but on memoranda put
on paper at the time. l have not the
slightest recollection or any note of your
having adverted to any fact or circum-
stance alleged by General Jackson or