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


SIRE Your last letter was received late at nipht
when the Globe made up for the press To
give it insertion with the correspondence which
preceded 1t, rendered it necessary that should de-
fer the whole until this day, and substitute other
platter, previously set up, for my paper.
Without adverting to the s,ecial pleading of
your letter lin which, being no lawyer, 1 have no
skill) come at once to the point You take issue
again with me, by declaring 'that such paper as
that quoted by read to [youl or shopn to
you spoken of to you." And you further saw
that the President ",oW not you think, authorize
the statement that that paper sAoon to you ~
When the statement which made, preiicated up
on Col, Johnson's letter, was impeached in your
second note, made the appeal to the President
which you seem to thihk ought now to make He
immediately put into my hands the original men,
orandum which he wrote and which he read to
Messss. Branch, Ingham and yourself, and / am
now expressly authorized to state again that in the
interview referred to in my note and in your own
letter. quoted therein, he held in has hand and read
to yon the paper from t0hich i hare gioen the er
tracts, which you say never read, shewn or spo
ken of to you. And am authorized further to san
that if you 'oU cali on the President he toiH again
exhibit and read to you this original document 1t
was prepared by him in contemplation that the in
terview might lead to immediate dissolution of
ms Cabinet and it intended by him 10 record
the basis he assumes, in doing act which involy
cd his own character and the interests of the coun
try, The paper thus prepared by the President was
communicated at the time to several of his friends
whom he consulted the occasion. And the
substance of the conversation which preceded and
followed the communication, was also immediately
reduced to writing, and connected with the docu-
ment read to you that nothing might be left to re-
collection, if circumstances at a remote period
should make reference to it necessary. With re-
gard to transaction recorded, and vouchod by
the concurrent testimony of those consulted on the
occasion, there can be HltStdke-A mans memo
ry may be treacherous when the man himself is bo
nest / am willing to believe this is your case You
have innocently forgotten the declaration made bv
the President, which stands authenticated as /
have told you, we'll as the communication of the
same purPort made to you by Colonel Johnson.
lam obliged to rely this toritten record of a
tact rather than on your memory, especially when
hnd this positive proof confirming the statement of
Col Johnson that the President disclaimed anv
right or desire to interfere with the private asso
Citations of yourself your family, and that you
kHelo it.
| next quoted your own written admission con-
hr1ing the statement of Col. Johnson and the writ
ten record of the President in the following words
In the interview to which was invited by
the President some few days afterwards (after
Col. Johnson's vis,) frankly expressed to him
my views on the subject, and he disclaimcd any
disposition to press such a requistion."
You say that ga disclaimer of an intention to press
such rcquistion, is wholly different thing from
denial ofever having made it."
thought not, in this case; because no such re-
QUESTION had been made. Col. Johnson says the
President disclamcd to him any dcs re TO control
your domestic affairs, private intercourse, md
he told you The record of what the President
said to you, declares, that no claimed no right to
interfere Gin the domestic relations or personal in
tercourse ofany member of his Cabinet" and, in
ausion to the same conversation you say, he, dis
claimed any disposition 10 press such requisfionr
When no such requistion had been made by CO.!
johnson; when nc told you the President made
none, and when y0u do not pretend he nude a7jy
either directly INDIRECTLY could not but under
stand your declaration, that che disciaimed anu
disposition to press s"ch requisition," dccla-
ration that he made no such requisition.
But find, in the character you have always sus |
tanned before the public, other conclusive proof |
that no such requisitiop was over made of you, |
and that you kpeD IL. If the President had eioni
red to you, directly indirectly that he required
you to compel your family TO associate with any /
one, contrary to their will and yours, you would not
as aman of honor, have waited for an limitation /
10 resign. You would have thrown your commits |
sion in the face Of the President and said to him.
'Sir am no longer adviser associate with man
who requires nae to disgrace myself and family; |
though no be the President of the u. States In |
your public character had guarantee that you
would not, for the sake Of your honor salary and