Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-09-27

whether before, or at the time Of his introduction
into the Cabinet, l certainly indniged no such
feeling. have before said, and DOW repeat, that
mr. conduct while there was studious'y regulated
to avoid offence. could not crafty the too 3D.
vious wish Of the President 10 this matter
thought any interference on his part, unfortunate
FIR himself and for the country; but did not seek
to inilame the feeling which was excited 0y the
iudiscreet attempt 10 control the society OF
Washington.
A single fact, known 10 be so by those among
whoD, t0rife, furnishes decisive answer to the
ALLEGATION of combination in the Cabinet, to ex-
clude Mrs. Eatob from society. 1t is, that the
question of erciusion, as 1t related 10 the society
If " ashington generally. pas settled before Hr;
Eaton came into office. His marriage occurred
in January, and during that aud the succeeding
month, this question had been tried and deter
mined, by those to whom it belonged-the COM
munity in which he lived. Any movement on
the part of those who composed the Cabinet on
that subject, could only therefore have had tor ITS
object to reperse that decision-to introduce and
not 10 erciude | had no part in this matter. i
was during tina. winter member Of the Senate,
and did not enter into societv-and my family
did not reach this place until the following sum-
mer. did not believe that, as member OF the
Cabinet, had ans thing to do with the regula-
tons of this society, and in connecting myself
with the community as an individual, conform
ed myself to what appeared TO me to be already
established in relation to its social intercourse.
Now, as heretofore. Mr.. Eaton is DESTROYS OF
placing me in the attitude of all accaser-that he
may avail himself of the public sympathy, which
50 many efforts have been made TO exci,e-and
now. as heretofore, discaim this office, IN form
as well as in fact. The call upon me tor the ad-
ducton of proofs, is therefore merely IDLE. am
not even responsible for the introduction OF Mrs.
Eaton's name into the discussions between US.
That was done originally by Mr.. Eaton himself.
The demand which he made upon me, on the 18th
June, drew from me the statement contained IN
nv note Of the succeeding day, and it was Mr..
Eaton who brough, that correspondence before
the public, by giving it, or an extract from it, to
the Editor fthe Globe, by whom that extract was
published; and this rendered II necessary to pub.
lsh the entire correspondence. SO lar as ! am
concerned, therefore, it is Mr. Eaton himself who
has drawn into discussion between US, the qucs.
ton Of Mrs. Eaton's relation to the society of
Washington, and the rumors concerning her.
| have brief remark to make on Mr.. EatOns
statement of the interview, which took place be-
tween MIR. Branch and himself in my Office.
had no agency in producing that interview, and
was not, think, advised that it was contemplate
ed, until very short time before the parties met.
| was eratified by termination of it, which did
not interrupt the official intercourse of those
cerned; but believe nobody thought-for my
self certainly did not-that any explanation
which was given there, was calculated to remove
feelings of personal hostility. if any such existed
The expression of such feeling as is ascribed to
me, would therefore have been utterly inconsst-
ent with the OCCASION. | advert to this subject,
however, for the purpose of stating The strong i'm
preston which rest. npon my mind, that there is
mistake as to the time OF its occurrence, not
wlthstanding the abduction of Mr.. Branch's let
ter. kept no note of this transaction, and can
not therefore speak with positiveness; but my be-
lief is that which have stated. Mr.. Branch
will, presume, put this matter on its true foot
ing.
Mr.. Eaton has made labored effort to attri-
butte the dissolution of the late Cabinet to the in
tisues of the partisans of Mr. Calhoun, rather
than to the feeling which had been excited by the
attempt to control the social intercourse of Wash
ington That effort is vain. The public judg-
ment on that subject is believed tobe irrevocably
fixed However, under the influence Of various
motives, men may differ as to the eli aracter of the
act, among the vast ma jorIty Of the American peo
pie, there are few, believe, who doubt that my
colleagues and myself might have retained our
places in the Cabinet, If, consistently with our
sense of propnety. we could have taken differ
ent view of that subject.
The charge that was at any time the partisan
of Mr.. Calhoun, is utterly destitute of founda-
ton. Mr. Eaton cannot imrute to me any act
or expression which will give the slightest counte-
nance to this assertion. In the contest of 1925,
my wishes were openly avowed, and acted upon,
in favor of Mr.. Crawford. The earliest measures
of the administration, which then came into pow
err, and more especially in relation to the interests
of Georgia. placed me in the opposition to that
administration, and remained there during the
contest which succeeded. l entered the Cabinet
in 1929, as the political friend of Gen. Jackson.
with every disposition TO fulfil the duties. which
that relation prescribed, but with no claims upon
him as an individual, and without believing that
had incurred any obligations, as such, from the
fact Of having been called there. These duties,
however, in the view which took of them, indie
pendently of all other considerations, were sufi-
Gent to preclude me from being the partisan of
any other man. On the contrary, endeavOred uni
Tor,ly I'm to the prODrjety of abstannp from