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

day.
my sole object at once to clear the skirts of
the President of charge, which you well aware
ought not to DO attached to him; for you have, us
understand, declared that he disclamcd to you, at
the time when you were IN communication with
Col Johnson, any design like that now imputed to
him."
The first remark which have to mako upon
this quotation, with reference to your observation
that do not seem to controvert the first branch of
this statement, is the following
Your assertion that was iceN a,care that the
charge against tho President, which you referred
ought not to be attached TO him, made presSiy
TO rest upon your understanding, that had cxpli.
City declared that he (he Presidency disciiimed
TO me- any such design. Whon therefore, told
you, that such Il statement was not warranted by
any declaration ever made by me-and of course
that your understanding was not correct, gave
you very broad denial of my having any such
knowledge as that which you had imputed to me.
In more distinct terms, however Of that be posi-
blo,) now renew that declaration. haze no such
kno,ciedge-Nay, more, Sir; have no knowledge
of the paper, Sin the hand writing fthc President"
10 winch you refer No such paper was ever read
to me, or shewn to me, or spoken of to me. If il
had been, L should most certainly not now have
had occasion to address myself to the public on
this subject, through the columns of your paper.
Having thus disposed of the paper to which you
refer, and shcwn that this can furnish no ground
for your understanding of ,chat ,cas or ,pas not
dtcare of, since san il, and its contents
tcere neper communicated to me, ] advert next to
your suggestion, that this understand is war
ranted by Col. Johnson's positive asseyeration
Upon this subject, have already told the public,
| through you, that consider myself bound by the
| implied understanding resulting from my cores
pondcncc with that gentleman, not to publish any
statement of the conversation which occurred he
| tween him, Messrs. Branch and Inpham and nv
self, until he shall have had reasonable time to
reply to my letter. told you, ut the same time,
that any departure from this understanding, which
was authorized by that gentleman would absolye
/ | Sti adj To n
and content myself, at present, with repeating in
reference to that of which you suppose mo TO be
well aware, that haze Sach kno,cledge. The
| time must speedily arrive when this forbcarancc
will be no longer necessary.
our next reference is TO letter O. mine 10
| Maj. Eaton, which you say is in your possession
| AS you have published an extract, YOU are bound
TO give the correspondenoe-cven before that i:
DONE it is very easy to that you have entirely
! misunderstood the expression which YOU have quot
lcd-that 4 disclaimer of an intention press a re-
QUESTION, is wholly different thing, from denia
OF ever having made it-and that in using this ex
preston, could not have had allusion to ga writ
ten declaration" which had never seen or heart
of.
You will perceive then, Sir that you are who'll,
unsustained i'll all the points of your statement
except by declaration which you admit that yvr
have used without authority, and which will be me
II 1t becomes necessary. AS faithful journalist
you will, of course, seize the occasion to corrcc
your error; you can, doubt, do this in relation
to the paper OH which you have placed so muci
reliance, by direct appeal to the President, whc
will not, think, authorize the statement that tina
paper was shown to me. However this ma,
be, bear this testimony to the truth. Neither in
vItng controversy, nor seeking political effect
find myself in position, in which | must eithe
speak, or silently permit the public to be mised
have sufficient sense of what is due to them. no
to intrude myself uncalled upon their notice-ant
the consciousness of what l to myself will mo-
permit me to shrink from the performance of IN,
duty
l am, very respectfully,
Sir, your ob't serv't,
JNO. MACPHERSON BERRIEN.
To FRANCIS p. BLAIR, ESQ.
Editor of the Globe.