Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1831-08-04

ham and myself and himself on the oc-
casion so often referred to. Extracts
! from this statement are used to do me
injustice. This is done, to be sure,
without the authority of Col. Johnson,
but he has furnished the means which
are thus improperly used, and l have
no alternative but it give the correspon-
dence, or submit to continued misrepre-
sentation. l publish Col. Johnson's let
ter, as an act Of justice to him, that
the public may be in full possession OF
his statement. My reply follows; and
after this the letter and statement ol
Mr.. lngham, to whom, as well as to
MIR. Branch, | forwarded a copy of Col.
Johnson's letter From Mr.. Branch |
have received no reply-owing, as l
suppose, to his absence from home.
Colonel Il. W. Johnson TO Messrs. Berrien
and hgham.
GREAT CRossING, 3Oth June, 1881.
Gentlemen The Telegraph has allu-
ded to some communication made to you
by member of Congress, authorized by
the President-the substance of which
is, that the President wished to coerce a
social intercourse between your families
and Mrs. Eaton. ] see the Globe de-
nes it. | have thought it barely possi-
be that the allusion could be made to
me, because if had ever commune at I'd
such an idea, | should have done the
most palpabIe, gross, and wanton injus-
tice to the President; for he dsclaimed, +,
on all occasions, any right or desire, or
intention, to regulate the private or So
cial intercourse of his Cabinet The
President had been induced to believe
that part of his Cabinet had entered
into a deep-laid scheme to drive Maj or
Eaton from his Cabinet, and Of this he
complained. did not believe it; and,
as the mutual friend of all concerned, 1
proposed that should have the oppor-
tunity to converse with that portion of This
Cabinet before he had an interview with
the m, and he cquiesed-and the inter-
vie W which l had with you, resulted, as
l understood, in better understanding,
and in fact l considered it reconcilia-
tion.-Whatever came from me, upon
the subject of social intercourse, was
the suggestions Of my solicitude to restore
harmony among friends. My object
was peace and friendship. have never
considered myself at liberty to say any
thing about this interview, except to
discreet and confidential friend. l GER
tainly should not think any of the parties
justified in representing for publication
or newspapers, what any of the other
parties said, without submitting such
statement for mutual examination; for the
plain reason, that such conversations are
so easily misunderstood. may well
remember what | have said myself, but
may not so easily represent what you
have said, or intended to say. have
not myself seen the necessity or proprie-
ty Of any alluson in newspapers, to our
interview, which was among intimate
and bosom friends, where the conversa-
ton was free and unreserved. and Tor the
object of peace and friendship. But if
any should consider it necessary, then
the great object should be, to state the
conversation correctly; for there can be
no motive to misunderstood the facts
For fear that allusion should have been
made to myself, as the member of Con-
gress, and believing it barely possible
that ! may have been misunderstood on
the particular point alluded to, have
felt it my duty. and due to that perfect
friendship which has ever existed be-
tween us, to make known these views,
that the proper correction may be made,
as misunderstanding, without the ne
cessity Of any formal publication from
either of US, and without even a disclos-
ure as to what member of Congress allu-
sion was made.
Sincerely and truly your friend,
RICHARD M. JOHNSON.
Messrs INGHAN & BERRIEN.
City Of Washington.
The absence of Governor Branch
has been the only cause why this letter
was not also addressed to him.
Mr.. Berrien TO Col. Johnson.
WASHINGTON, 7th July, 1881.
Dear Sir-Yours of the 3Oth ult. ad-
dressed jointly to MIR. Ingham and my
self has been duly received. have no
ted your view ofthe occurrence to which |
it refers, with a perfect disposition to meet
you IN the spirit oftrankness and of good
feeling, which is expressed in your let
ter. 1t is an evidence ofmy reluctance
to engage in controversy, that l have alb
stained from going before the public, not
withstanding the multiplied lnisrepresen-
tations with which the newspapers are
teeming. | still desire to avoid this ne
cessity--but as circumstances beyond
my control may render it indispensable,
Il Il