Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-07-25

tion this statement; or disavow it. The relation
have sustained towards each other authorizes
ne to demand an immediate answer.
Worry respectfully,
J. H. EATON.
JNo. NJ. BEnRIEN Esq
WASHINGTON, 18th June, 1881
Sir: received to-day your note of last II; ght,
in which you call my attention to art Gle in
the u S. States Telegraph of the 18th instant re.
lating to your wife-and desiring to know whether
will sanction or disavow that statement, YOU add
''the relation we have sustained towards cach 9TH
er, authorizes me to demand an immediate an
swer."
To this inquiry preferred as a matter of right
and presented in the form of demand, my answer
must be brief. 1t consists in the simple donial of
the claim which you assert | cannot rccopnize
your right to lnterrogatc me, concerning the state.
mcnts of the Telegraph, of any other public
journal, which are made without my agency. You
might with equal propriety select article from
any newspaper i'll the Union, for the purpose of
putting me to the question-and ifthc claim which
you assert be well founded, l might be required AT
the instance ofany sr5on aggrieved to give my
confession OF faith relation to the vdrious state
ments to be found in any of the Journals i'll which
my name may chance to be mentioned. Such
demand, therefore, cannot be admitted for mo-
ment But although 1 cannot recognize your
right, either derived from tho relation which wa
have sustained towards each other or from any 9th
er source, to make the demand presented by your
note, am not quite sure, looking to the post ON
IN winch we stand before the public, that 1 can
acqult myself to the community or to myself for
declining to answer you inquiry.
In the progress of those events which have nj
length resulted III the dissolution of the CABINET
my determination has been not to do any act which
was calculated TO provoke controversy, nor to de-
vate under whatever urgency from that line of con-
duct, which my own sence of propriety prescribed
Acting upon this determination, have necessarily
pursued course, which refusal to answer your
inquiry, might seem to indicate unwillinPness
to avow. Such inference would be uniu st as il
regards myself, and delusve in relation to the pub
lie. Although therefore have the most unaffec
tea reluctance to enter upon such subject and
certainly do not acquesce in your light to demand
1t, 1t seems to me that you have by making the
lnlairy, imposed upon me the obligation to do SO
from just consideration of what owe to myself
and to the public. have then to state to YOU that
up to the time of your marriage, | had not heard
the rumors VIII oh have since in various forms been
presented to the public, and was ignorant of Mrs
Eaton's relation to the society of this place
accepted your invitation to be present at Your
wedding therefore, with dstrust of the pronr;e-
ty OF my doing so, other than that which resulted
from my own stu alton at that period You are
yourself no doubt aware how much that event. and
your subsequent Introduce on into the Cabinet
made these rumors the subject of conversation I
could not longer continue in ipnorance of that
which was publ ely and generally spoken Of and
II consequently became necessary for me- embar
raised as the question was, by the official relation
In which we stood to each other, determine upon
my future conduct. In doing this, it did not seem
to me to be necessary, to decide upon the truth or
faisehood or the statements which were made II
was sufficient to ascertain the general sense of the
community of which had recently become mem.
Der, having done SO, to conform it. In the winter
OF 1850, as presume is known TO YOU was called
upon by gentleman who represented himself as
acting, and who doubt not did act under the MI
thorIty OF the President, to express with precise
reference to this subject the regret which he felt
AT the want OF harmony, ofsocial intercour Sc A.
nong the members of his Cabinet, & to announce his
determination az any rate 10 have it, Messrs Inpham
ana Branch were present at this interview The
TACT was distinctly stated that they and myself
nave successfully given very large parties to which
Mrs Eaton had not been invited We were
then told that such occasions at least the Presi
dent would expect in future social intcrcourse he
tween our respective families There were var;
Gus other suggestions MAIDS during this conversa
t9n but the rccaPtulation of them is not rendered.
necessary by your inquiry answer to this com
munIcatlon for myself, that / would not permi,
the PRESIDENT, nor any other individual TO regulate
the social intercourse Of myself or family-nod
that If such areqoisition was perseyered in
would retire from the official situation which held
In the interview TO which was invited by the Pre-
sldent some few days afterwards, frankIy eIpress
ca TO INN my views on this subject and he disclam
ed any disposition to press such requsition am NOT
aware that any other occasion has occurred in which
The question of an intercourse between vour fannie
and mine has been presented to me or TO nv fany
am, respectfully, your obedicnt servant.
JOHN MACPHERSON BERRIRN
To J. II. EAToS, Esq.