Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-10-20
TEe Richmond YVEi.,
POLITICAL.
From the u. s.. Telegraph.
TO THE PUBLIC


Major Eton's communication to tn, ,rb,;, :,
""cn am assailod with virulcnco HAVING ir,r
pa'Hhe's In the party warfare of this country Wa.
H'suoa from tho press during my absence from,
mono. lie claims tho right to dcnouucc mo ON
account OF alleged pecuniary oblig,,ion. u,o,,
which ho b'iildn the charge of ingratitudc to him
N'o"'"s III" Importance OF giving names and dates
In controversy oil this kind, was dcsious to ac
company my reply with the names of individu,I /,
VINO had principal agency in the transactions. tina,
they might thus bc mace to bear testimony in NV h.,
half; but am prevented from doing so nv :, ~ ~
Willingness 10 subject them, without their consent.
IN the present stage of the CONTROVERSY to nisrcp
roscntations. 1t is with great reluctance that 7
now permit myself, constrained as | am to speak
as | now fcol bound to do of myself and oYn
private affairs. But am not mere private
individual L am husband and parent am
also the editor of popular pregs and s such hov,
boon associated with pron:nsut public men; and as
1T Is the object % nay Rssaants TO impair the inHu
o"oo OF my press snd their popularity by destroying
my rep i'ation, i am compelled to cvunteract false
hood by tho publication of truth. The public will
understand and cannot fail appreciate tho causes
which have delayed my reply
W.T. r'a'on's purpose is to represent me as mere
Pohtica adventurcr, 'poor, and pcnnylcss," nurtur
Cd INTO atlncncc through his Kindness See how
n pam talc will put him down | cmigrated 10
boons i-ck. Missouri, in 1917, and made extern
F'Vo ana advantageous purchases OF real estate in
tna' hourish'ng Territory. Uupon the change of
government, was mun,bor of tho convention
which formed the State Constitutions and subse
qucntly was elected to the House of Representa-.
lives, and then to the Senate. Before | left Mis-
INC proceeds OF my practice an Attorney,
were moro than adequate to tho support of NV
family and besides this, had an extensive con
tract for carrying tho mail in stages then in suc
ccssinl operation, and yielding me a largo n.cfit.
liz December, 1923, visited st. Louis. preparato
ry to my removal there. found t!ls editor of tho
81. LOUIS Enquirer, paper thcn devoted 10 Mr.
Ciay, IN pccuniury cmbarrussmcnts and mr.
chase" II. was OF those who, at that time, pre-
ferrcd the election of Mr. Calhoun, and so declared
myself but when Gen. Jack .on was nominated b.,
the Legislature OF PcnLsy vanil, III March follow:
inS sustained the nomination and advocated hi,
election with whatever ability I possessed. aud
win a zeal winch, may be permitted to say ne
yer falcrcd for fear of consequences
Shortly after the election OF Mr. Adams and bc-
torc tho adjournment of Congress, [ came on IN
Washington al Attorney for sundry citizcps
OF flsHoel, who had claims to a large amosnt
against the GcVernmeHt Of the United States for
property takan by the Indians. In common viii,
th' friends Of Gen. Jackson, dsa pproved oftbo
oloctlon OF Mr.. Adams, and was r. lied to- to tak
charge OF press, whict it then in contcnpla
ton to establish, fer the purpose of advocctinu,ho
election of Gen. Jackson.
1t was supposed that the appointment of Mr.
Hiay would conci.iatc his friends to support
tho new Administration. The friends of Mr.
Calhoun in the South and West were oIro,d,.
IDENTIFIED i'll the support of General Jackson. The
crawford party were independent power to
cobculte whom, 1t was deemed advisable 10 Dur
chase the Washington City Gazette, paper Which
aa thon bos is' ELECTION Of Mr. Graword and
rtSiaedy and uncquivocally opposed. Congress-
e'I)o irned; and OF my return home, | overlook
Hon' Jackson at Wheeling. We descended tho
river IN the same boat as fur as Cincinnati Or
our way down, tho subject was freely canvasscd
and suggested the belief that the position of the
crawford party, and the circumstance of nv beuo
the brother-In-l law of Gov Edwards had prevented
the establishment of tie contemplated PAGER He
urged removal q w, Sbinuto l.:
confidence ofmy success, and said that he believed
three thousand subscribers could be obtained in
3oDEessce alone.
During the summer abandoned all idea of as
tnbiishing the paper; and in January, purchased
tho mail contract from Louisville 10 Yincennes
In February, 1926, clmc again to Washington to
prosecute, before Congress, the claims for Indian
spoliatonS.
meeting OF Congress, Mr.. John ). Mcehan issued
proposals for weekly paper. Those who had
contemplated the establishment of paper to sup
port Cen Jackson's election, insisted upon his
purchasing the Washington City Gazette: and il
was ultimately agreed that certain individuals of
whom Major Eaton was one, should pay Mr.. ELI
ut thousand dollars; that some Of them should
indemnify Major Eaton, and that he should guar
unieS Mr.. Meehan's endorser, Il wealthy indyidu-
al of this City; and that Mr.. Meehan should give
his notes for twenty five hundred dollars, payable
III four instruments; which executed as the
purchase.
When | reached Washington the paper was in
oPeration. became acquainted with the editor
and wrote occasional articles for it. was in form
cd that, so far from contributing to the support OF
the paper his political friends had paid but five
hundred dollars of Che thousand which, upon their
assurance, he had assumed; and that great embar.
Tassment, for want of funds, was then already
experienced. Such the pressure that / loaned
him about seven hundred dollars. lie became ap-
prchcnsivc that the paper would fail for want of
funds, and urged me to take it. In this he was sc.
condcd by many Of his political friends.
1T was found that, to meet the emergencies of
;ghc paper, and to enable to make my arrange
ments in Missouri, and remove my family to
Washington, without a forced sale of property for
cash. would require about four thousand five
hundred dollars. Several individuals proposed
that the, should be raised by contribution. |
refused 10 receive cent a contribution, OK
saFssssly the ground that the paper should be
free from all pccunary obligations. told those
with whom / conferred that | could support it on
my own means, if due cxcrtions made to OBJ
tain subscribers Iorcsaw, that to avoid sacrifice,
] would be compelled to sell my property upon
time and that a loan of about three thousand dol
lars, to be repaid in twelve and eighteen months,
necessary 1t then agreed that Major
Eaton should he Unidentified, aud that he should
give me u letter of credit to political friend in
Baltimore, through whom it was believed the
could be obtained. ] visited Baltimore for that
purpose, and, having received an assurance that
upon reaching Missouri would be authosjZed To
druw on the late Mr.. Ridgcloy, for. twenty-five
hundred dollars, returned 10 Washington, cOuclu.
ded the purchase, advanced about eight hundred
more Of my private funds TO the paper, FASTENED
TO Missouri, and In four weeks closed my profes
sional and private business, SOLD my contracts and
stock, upon time, to my agents, and being disap-
pointed in hearing from Baltimore, was compelled
TO sell A valuable tract Of land at sacrifice to
raise funds. As may be readily supposed, these
haStv arran ge1nPDts wee made at great loss, and