Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-09-22

friends, who busiod themselves in representing the
affair, in conversation and in their letters, an in
triglc which had been gotten up the part of Mr..
Van Buren, to destroy AIR Calhoun. In preparing
and bringing forward THIS address, much policy was
necessary and it employed. was requested |
To examine the manuscript, that If there was any
thing i'll IT, that could have tendency TO induce the
President to reply to it, modification might take
place. The request obeycd; but afterwards that
incident was used TO prove, that the friends of the
President had read and sanctioned the address, be-
fore it cbtancd publication. The statement as it
related to mo, was illibcrul and untrue.
The publication Of this work again aroused party
animosity, and partisaus perceived to take
sides, according 10 their personal predictions and
To bring up the question Oft succession, prema
surely, the means of creating divsi n among the
original supporters of the Administration. The
discussions in Congress were evidently marked by
such lines of separation; and while Mcssrs. Inghan
Branch and Rcrrcn could there find apoiorists ant,
advocates, the other three members of the Cabinet
were struck at, the points of attack by the new
opposition. The one was "mali%n influence"
which was bonding every thing TO selfish purposes,
while our colleagues were receiving honor and COM
| mcndation. Abuse from the papers OH one side
and Il disposition To retaliate from the other were
now clearly manifest We thus had prospect of
open war between partizans of different portions of
the Cabinet, the evils of which, as plainly to be
perceived, could not but penetrate into our Iclhc-
ratons interrupt business, affect the progress of
public affairs, and disturb tho quiet and reposc of
the country. While party to contest the sue
Cabinet, OF the prominent friends of hIr. Cal
houn introduccda resolution, which contemplated.
by retrospective provision to amend the Consti-
tuition, SO as to exclude Gen Jackson from bcinr
eligible to reelection. If those who urged this
measure in the House of Representatives, did not
hope absolutely to disfranchisc the President by OBJ
tanning such IN amendment, they moved it Il
means of bringing general principle to operate
HIM alone, and By obtaining Il vote the abstract
proposition, to urge it the sense of the Repre-
sentaives of the people against his reelection. In
this mode was the war waged against the fame
ana influence OF the man who was elevated by the
voice of the people, and who again summoned
by them TO become candidate, because he had re-
allied all their hopes, the rcformcr of abuses in
the Government and was securing the rights of
our citizens and adjusting the difficulties of the
country
The situation of the President was now easily to
, be perceived With Cabinet politically divided,
and personally, as may be presumed, not very
friendly, 1t was impossible for him to move along
IN the arduous duties OF mis- station, with satsfac-
ton to HIMSELF or advantage 10 the country. II
was apparent, that, in Justice to himself he must
soon be under the necessity of re-organizing his
; Cabinet and if it could not otherwise be
pushed, to dismiss the disailccted portion of it
Having accepted, reluctantly, place i'll the Cab
met, C oncluded 10 longer to sacrifice my private
comfort or be the occasion of embarrassment to
the President. Early in April, I communicated to
him, (what III the previous month had written TO
4 friend iii Philadclphia,) my wish and intention
to resign, which | shortly after executed. In my
o.
per that should go into history of events, such
as are presented. l confined my remarks
solely TO thai which concerned myself, without
advertng to, or touching on, the conduct of others.
felt not that any Defence vindication, for vol
UNFAIRLY yielding my Office, necessary; and
feeling no disposition to lnjuro assail others, I
foreborc to enter into details. The same deter
mination would have been pcrsevercd in, had not
tho illiberal conduct of my colleagues made diff
Ierent course necessary.
Mr. Van Buren, taking a similar view of the con-
dIton of the Cabinet and the situation of the Pre-
Sident, connected with the pecSliar circumstances
III which he had been placed by his opponents
thought proper also to resign Without going into
| 4 full explanation in his letter of resignation or
naming any of his colleagues, he presented briefly
the result Of the political intrigues which were
dividing the Cabinet, distracting the party, and
which pointed to change in the councils of the
President as necessary and indispensable.
Inc "ocret feelings sd designs with which my col
leagues entered the Cabinet, and which while there,
they continued to cherish-thcr ''notcs' of private
conversations treasured up for future and concert
ed nSe-thc advice of n certain cabal and an ac-
qulosccnce in the counsel given, enter the Cabi-
net, and continue there for special purposes not
withstandng ''the inSupcrablc bar" which consci-
encc suggested, and the ''indignity and outrage"
which had been Offered and borne Cor fifteen
months, were all unknown to me. These were
secrets worth preserving, and they were kent close
iy. Yet, entire confidence was rcposed, that on
being informed that Mr.. Van Buren, and myself
haa retired, the others would appreciate the motives
winch had occasIoned 1t and place their Offices
gam at the disposition of the President, that he
might organize Il new Cabinet of homogcne Gus
materials, which would not be obnoxious to the
attacks OF any of his protesting friends and would
suffer the affairs OF the country quietly to be trans
acted. But these gentlcmcn although now they
pretend that they had been grevously 'sinsul;-
cd" and were constantly liable to a repetition of
the outrage" could see why they should
resign, either as it regarded their own honor the
quiet OF the President, the harmony of his Ad-
minStration. Having gone into :hc Cabinet to pro-
ducc dtScord, they could perceive no reason WHY
they should retire from it, to restore haruonI
?" hat they had so long and ardenty desired be-
ing attained, 1.-THE exclusion of Mr.. Van Buren, and
myself, they were more than ever disposed 10 con-
tinue BESIDES, they could not see how the Go
yernment could well move without them, and
they were solicious to procure some iustiication
which they could plead to tho People, for the iniu-
ry which was about to result to the country at be-
ing deprived of their important services! Their
! hohor, ana the harmony of the Administration
was quite insufficient. They must needs place their
designations solely the will and the request of
'he ffcsldcnt that his shoulders might rest the
Undivided responsibility of the awful deprivation
winch The Government and the country were to
| SuHcr from their retirement. Their wishes were
! gratlled, and 4 desire communicated that thew
| should resign. Thus the Cabinet dissoi-
Eeu; ana thus TAR the country evidently, has sus-
ucu no INJURY, save IN the disturbances and inter
, ruPlIons to the public which the complaints and
murnurs OF this dismissed and disbandod corps have
occasioncd! If, as has been stated tho President
offered to two of .hem, Mr.. Ingham and Mr.,
branch, after their removal, places of trust and
! ionor, let 1T be set down to his kindness not to
thcIr merits. He did not then know these men
/ no dld not know how incapable they were of pro