Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-07-23
Mr.. BLAIR 10 Mr.. Berrien.
WAsHINGIoN. July 20,


SIR: Your note of this morning will be given
Immediately to the press. In reference to the
subject of which it treats. YOU do me but Justice
when YOU say that :. pish TO represent this mat
ter truth TO The public" You will permit me,
therefore, briefly to show the ground on which
felt myself authorized to say that "you were
weH a,care," that the charge duplicating the Pre-
sident ought not be attached to him, and that you
had Yourself explicitly declared that he discaim-
ed the purpose imputed to him.
As to the first branch of this statement, which
you do not seem directly to controvert. have to
support me the positive written declaration OF
Col. Johnson, in which he says that the President
alcays disclaimed such requisition, and that ne
told gou so. Besides this, have before me, in
the hand writing of the President, the identical
paper, which he read to yourself. and Messrs.
Branch and Ingham, and which presented the
attitude that he thought it his duty to assume in
relation to the circumstances which affected the
harmony g. character of his Cabinet. The course
which he thought proper then TO adopt. was pre-.
Dictated on information given by several members
of Congress, showing that a combination had
been entered into. in which yourself and the
other gentlemen named were concerned, to dis
grace Major Eaton, and coerce his dismssion
from the Cabinet. After PREDATORY verbal
explanation of the reasons inducing the inter-
view, the President proceeded to say, that If
it were true that YOU had taken the course OF
which he spoke he felt himself called on to make
the declaration which he read to YOU from his
written memorandum, in which he SAYS that it
was, using his own words, ''not only unjust in
itself, but highly disrespectfu 70 me- (the Pre-
sidenN and well calculated In destroy the har
mony of nv Cabinet. The grounds upon which
: loI ,k.t,
lido not claim heright to interfere. IN any man
ner, im the domestic relations or personal inter
course Of any member Of my CABINET, nor hare 1
IN any manner afemptedt,' &c. &c.
In the conclusion of the same paper. after re-
captivating the circumstances to which he wish
ed TO call your attention, he saws. as the result of
the matter. g Therefore hare Isought This inter
view, TO assure you II there is any truth in the
report that vou haze entered into tie combination
charged, TO drive MAJOR Eaton from nny Cabinet,
thrt I feel it an, mdignity and insult offered to
nyselt. and is Of a character that ciA be consi-
dered of
This is the ground on which this matter was
placed by the President in his interview with you
in the beginning of the difficulties. And from
it, and the absolute asseveraton of Col. Johnson.
| consider nv statement, that you were WeN
a,care that the President disclaimed all right to
interfere and dictate the social intercourse of the
family Of any member Of the cabinet TO be yell
warranted.
That am also warranted in having said that
YOU, Yourself, had declared that the President dis
claimed to you any disposition Of the sort, will ap
pear from the extract which make from letter
of your own, now before me. After recapitulat-
ing conversation Of your own, held with Col.
Johnson, (the tenor of which you inform me is to
be adjusted between you and him. you make this
single remark in relation to the President:
q II, the interuie,c to ,chich ,cas Invited by