Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1831-09-09

teIriew and unless our difficulties in
reference 90 Mrs. Eaton could be adjust
ID, shat AIR. lngham, Judge Berrien and
! 'nysc! must expect to retire. When he
closed isrVmarls, well recollcct. ris-
i'm fro:n my seat, and with an earnest
ness OF manner which the extraordinary
character Of the communication was so
well calculated to produce, observed, "a
mong other things, that no man had a
right to dictate to me and TO my family
iii their domestic relations, and that
would submit 20 no control of the kind.
The Colonel undertook to reason the
matter with us, By observing that altho'
it might be Improbable to establish IN
timate and Socioi relations between our
| families anil Mrs. Eaton, he could see no
reason why she should not be invited TO
our large parties to which every body
was usually invited, Tom, Dick, Harry,
&c. With this concession he said, the
President would be satisfied. We pro-
tested against the interference of the
President in any manner or form whate-
yer, as it was matter which did not be-
long to our official connection with him.
Soon after which, Col. Johnson express
ed his deep regret at the failure of his
mission, and we separated.
waited until Friday, day having
interviewed, in expectation of hearing
from the President, but, receiving no
message, ] walked over, in hopes that an
opportunity would offer to put an end to
( my unpleasant state of feeling. | found
the President alone. He received me
with his wontcd courtesy, though evil
IDENTIFY but i'll at ease. In a few minutes
the all absorbing subject was introduced.
Among other things, he spoke in strong
language of the purity Of Mrs. Eaton's
character and the baseness of her SLAM
derers, and presently mentioned a rumor
which he said had been in circulation of
a combination TO exclude her from soci-
ETY.. Several parties, he said, had been
recently given; among Others, three by
Mr.. lngham, Judge Berrien and myself,
TO which she had not been invited, and
/ from this, twas strongly inferred that
We had combined TO keep her out of So
ciety. ! told him, that SO far as | was
concerned, believed my family were
I doing no more than the members of Con-
gress, the citizens of Washington and
visitors to the Seat of Government, had
a right to expect from me as a member
ofhis cabinet. 1t was certainly in ac-
cordancc to a universal custom, and :hat
as TO a combination, | knew ofnone; that
| could never acknowledge the right of
In ,,4,
the private and social arrangements of
my family and that before | would be
dictated TO or controlled in such matters,
1 ,COuid abandon his cabinet and ,cas req
dy to do so ichenerer he desired ii, 81 add
I'd several other strong remarks of sim
liar character. He assured me in reply
that. he did not desire ii that he uGs en-
tiftIy satisfied nth the manner in achich
had discharged my official duiy, and that
he did not claim the right TO dictate to as
in our social relations, but that lie felt
himself bound to protect the family of
Maj. Eaton as he would mine under sim
liar circumstances. then informed him
that Col. J ohnson had formally announced
to Mr.. Ingham, Judge Berrien g. myself,
that it was his intention to remove us
from Office for the cause mentioned and
had learned from Mr.. I. the evening
before, who derived his information from
the Colonel that he had gone so far as to
make temporary arrangements for the
management of the Departments, viz
Mr.. Dickens for the Treasury, Mr. Ken
dial for the Navy, and some one else, for
Attorney General. This the President
denied, and said he would send for Col.
Johnson, and for that purpose, called a
servant. When the servant came, OBJ
served it was unnecessary to send for
Col. J. his word was sufficient. We'll,
said hc, if you are satisfied. told him
[ was. We continued our conversation
for some time. attempted on that oc-
casion, as ! had done several times be-
fore, to convince him of the improperly
Of his interfering at all in question Of
such delicate character, but his feel
mgs Werc eUidently too much enlisted TO
reigh any 3casons Which might be o6eT-
cd. | have already informed The public
that no paper acGS presented 10 me, or read
TO me, or aIigded 10, having reference to
the future conduct Of the members Of the
cabinet On this head ! cannot be mis-
taken. NAV add that the President
constantly insisted on the necessity of
haImony among the members Of the cab
met. Here I cannot refrain from re-
mark upon this Injunction Of the Presi-
dent, that Maj. Eaton was the only dis
satisfied member of the cabinet-the on