Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-10-31
From tie Perdleton Mc75encer
MIR. CALI1OUN'S REPLY TO Mai EATON

Major Eaton has, in his Iato address, gratuitous
~ dragged my name into his contr, ycrsy with Z,
part OF his associates in the late administrations
Inc station which he recently occupied, and the
relation in which he is we'll known TO stand to tbe
mead OF the Executive branch of the Government
are calculated to give more weight to his rcprcsen-
latons at least with many, than what belongs to
the anonymous COMMUNICATIONS of the day: yet
would not have deemed his statement wor,bv of
my no,ico, had he confined himsclfto the yaouo
hshuaion5, which constitute the great body of his
address as tar rs S-relates to me. To give color
to his general charges he has vcnturrd in \ f,,-
instances, TO descend into detail and TO ri We state
monts OF facts but in manner wholly erroneous.
winch, however, might be received bv tho puhIic
as true, were foreman silent. They have in
tact, beeC already received in some respect,LI.
quarters an thus compelled, in self defence to
correct the of his statements as far n. thcr
concern me. Hthe occurrences, which are tie sub
Jecl OF ns address, Of charac Ter TO render m.
socitous, that the part took in.relatior To ,hs,
should be presented in the light which truth md
justice require. Tie memory Of thsm Will nroh,-
Dy outlIve the present day; and decent rcpsrd for
the opinions OF those who are TO succeed MS p,tu
rdi'y makes me dcsirous that should not seem to
nave any other connection with events little cal
cuiatcd to do credit TO the history of the day. than
what | in reality had.
1t is impossible to doubt that the main drif of
MAJOR Eaton's address is to hold mo up as the real
author OF all tire dlScord which is aedreG to bavs
prevailed in the late Cabinet, and to which he en-
deavors 10 trace it's dissolution, and which no
would have the public believe, Iginated in = low
ana miserable uabbie on my part, in relation to
the succession to the Presidential chair
With this view, and in order to give ? politicaT
aspect 20 the refusal of Mrs Calhoun to yisi, Mrs
Eaton, no states, that she and myself called in the
fIrst instance on him and MIS- Eaton, during their
absence at rhllndeIPhin intending it TO be inferred
'hat IN CcclnIng intercourse afterwards we wore
ac'u1tcd By Political motives, and not bv consida
rations connected with duty. Jnfo-tunateIv for
hajor Eaton, his statement is not correct. Mrs
Caihcun never called on Mrs. Eaton at the time he
states nor at any other time before or since nor
drd she ever leave her card for her nor nu,borisa
any one TO do SO; ard sbo is entirely ignorant thro
what channel, or ny what agcncv her g, ID couid
come into his and Mrs, Eton's possession; TO which
| add, that IT was not done through NV age,c,.
or with my consent or knowledge. If Major "a
ton nnd rejected, he would have seen thai flor.
must have been, to say the least, an imposiiion
Soin"w here. lie states that our visit took place
VINE lhcy were IN Philadelphia, and of course
preceded their call, which, as he represents tnoL
place after their return, and which, hn r,rst Lro,,.
according to the usage that governs intercourse
at the place, could not occur. The Senators md
their families invariably make tho first cali on tho
ice resident and his family; and in conformity
with this rule, Major Eaton had called on mr.. nm
my arrival at Washington before his ,aarriaro
winch afterwards returned; and II ot findirr him
sthcme, LETT my card. This was probably. while
nc was absent at Philadelphia and was the ONLY in
t"rcourse had with him. as far az can roo,iIon,
during tho whole session, exccpt what tooi- rIo,
I'D the Senate chamber. or when we casually NIT -
parties. ''''' 81
This Is not the fast fine, that Mrs Calhoun bo,
G"ntr'H'ced The statement that she had visited Mrs
haton 1t was reported at tho time, that she ial
VISITED Mrs. Eaton, and shat her card had hoo,, To-,
HHc tEcn, on all suitable occasions c5ntradictsd :,
az directly and Pontedly as she now docs. and i,
particular, to two res cctabe ladies' fro,'Tcnncssc
joining boarding houtc
nc erroneous statement Of Mai T.. ccu.r~Ic mi,
!" give correct version Of what actually occu-rod.
81 " Inch never intended 10 intfudc on the p,,b
nc aud no" atGte, w:lh great reluctance eve, in
scit-accncc. " hen hc auG mrs r,atsr mad, iLc;-
visit, was not a. ID oinc as he static a.d did no,
return I'LL alter they had retired. When I return.
adi f"rS. Calhoun mentioned that they had been
.hcrc, and said shc wnGld not have known ,vbo
Mrs E1ion was, had she not been with Nj, E,tnn
rs INC servant had not announced their names
She Of course treated them with civiIitv. Sbc
could not with PrOPTicty, do otherwise Tho reI,
ion which MrS. Eaton bore to the society Of W,sb
tr'on became the subject some general rerpf ye
iEs next morning she Informed me- Tint she III
maze up her mind not TO. return her. sie;t E,bo
said, that c considered herself in the Iirlt IF ,
:: anger IN tho place; that sic knew notI,inp Of
irS. Eaton. or The iruth, fulschood Of tho i'm.
'Halon or heT characters and that she conceived il
o be the duty Of Mrs. Eaton if innocent to o,,.u
icT intercourse with tho ladies who resided in The
'l7cc, and who had the bcs4 means of forr,ip, ,
correct oPirion Of her conduct and not with those
Tho ike herself had no means offc-minr a cor. /
cct Judgment. ] replied that I approved Of her
leos''n' though iorcsaw the dillicE,ias in which
would probably involve me; but that viewed the
inesiion involved, az Paramount to all political
considerations, and was prepared to meet the con
cqucnces, as .OT" -~~'r h~ ''.ag ..;.. r.r- might
SO far from pa .ra .-.',se. t.v.r, r., M
nee in the cours, r..y..r -,,.. l,., ~ -
''''''''" 20 nave .' The
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