Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-08-17

CTo be continued
From the National Iateligeacer Of yesterday
COL. JOHNSON TO MIR. BERRIEN.
The following copy Of Letterfro" Col. JOHN
SON to Mr.. BERRIss has been forwarded to US Tor
publication by COL JOHNSON:
OAstASD, Ky. July Goth, 1881.
Dear Sir: Your favor Of the 9TH instant has
been received. I find that you understood me
to say, that the President would at least expect
the invitation of Mrs. Eaton when you gave large
and general parties. The President never did
directly or indirectly express or intimate such an
expectation. He informed me that he had been in
duced to believe that part Of his cabinet had en-.
tered into combination to drive Maj. Eaton from
it, by excluding him and his family from society;
that he had been also Informed that the success.
sive parties to which you aIlude was link in the
chain: that attempts had been made even upon
foreign Ministers 10 exclude Maj. Eaton and his
family from their parties; that such state OF
things gave him great distress, that lie was dc.
termined at all hazards to have harmony III his
cabinet. He then read paper containing the
principles upon which he intended to act in
my conversation with you, referred to this pa
per. No doubt it is now in existence. 1t dis
claimed all intentions, OH the part Of the Presi-
dent to regulate, in any manner whatever, the
private or social intercourse of the members OF
his cabinet. As mutual friend called upon
you, and, as peace maker, my object was to
make the above communication in the most deli
cate manner possible. During our conversation,
in the anxiety of my heart to serve my friend and
my country, it was alone, upon my own respon.
sibiliy, who made the suggestion or proposition,
or rather inquiry, whether you could not, at those
large and promiscuous parties, invite Maj. Eaton
and his family, From the total social non-inter-
course of the members Of the cabinet, the want
Of harmony was inferred, more than from any
other circumstance; and my desire was to reme-
dy that evil by the suggestion or inquiry which
made. 1t would have been an absolute, unqua-
lifted, and total misrepresentation of his views,
if had represented the President as making
any such demand. You will therefore per-
ceiye that you have fallen into the mistake Of
supposing that attributed to him what was the
spontaneous, sole, and independent sugges-
ton Of my own mind. have had no agency in
bringing any part of our conversation before the
public. am happy in the recollection that my
voluntary exertions to restore harmony to ancient
friendship, for the time being, was not unavailing,
by conversations and mutual explanations, be-
tween some Of the parties, and that / have had
no agency In producing the recent separation.-
Having now corrected your misapprehension Of
what did say in nv endeavors to prevent the
disunion Of my bosom friends, | feel as if had
performed another sacred duty. have done it
promptly, and in the same spirit Of peace and
friendship. have confined my remarks to an
explanation Of what said myself. This is done
to avoid any unpleasant collision which too fire.
quently arises among the best Of friends and most
honorable men when efforts are made to detail
private conversations.
am, dear sir, yours, respectfully,
r. Nj. JOHNSON.
Hon. J. Macpherson Berr,en.