The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1831-09-27
VOL. 2s.


IN their bosoms inspired an earnest desire To
transmit TO their children, "an unsnlhcd. good
name"-wcrc, tho abuse and slander Of a
mother, with two innocent daughters, whose
good name was blend,S with hers, and IN at
tacks upon my integrity and honor Did they
reason themselves into the belief, that the IN
her'tence ofa parents good name, was Of no
value, only as il regarded their children and
that whether others lived or pershed, was not
material, If they and theirs were safe?
Did merit such course of treatment front
Mr. BeIrien? We had served together for
several years in the Senate of the u. States.
lie was invited TO, and was present at my
lmariage. six or eight weeks before. We
were in habits Of daily friendly intercourse /;
on my part, free and hnrestrained, and. as |
!. supposed, equally so on his. lie proiessed TO
be my friend, and such thought him. Was
1t honorable, then, ana was il Just, TO hide
from me all the "eriis" which he .foresG,c."
and suffer me 10 run bhndly upon lnexirica-
bic difficulties? Should he not have warned
me- that not "the opposilion"-not 'the enc
mics OF the President" merely, as Mr.. Branch
states. but his iriends-"his personal political,
and long tried friends, aye, even those
whom he bad selected as members of his Cabi.
net viewed by selection as an evil. and in.
tended TO use il 10 distract his councils, cm-
successor Had Mr.. Berrien frankly in
formed inc, that he and his assucia,es con-
sidered my appointment ian insuperable bar"
TO their acceptance, an issue would at once
been rendered. should have desired the
President to excuse me, and given him my
reasons, and then, for the sake of harmony,
he would have discharged either me or them
: But all was concealed from me, and only n.
gainst the probable course of the opposition,
the enemies ofthe President was advised
ana warned. l was not taught TO expect,
that IN lngham, Branch and Berrcn, should
md these very enemies, who were smiling
upon him, and me, with unqualified professions
. of devotion and friendship. Against their
assaults. it was hence impossible to guard.
Again. ask, was il Just or honorable in Mr..
Rerren, entertaining the views which he has
recently avowed, to conceal them from me,
and thus lend me bindly forward, upon
NINE which he knew was prepared for my
destruction
However he may excuse himself for his
practised concealmcnt towards me, vet was
he bound in duty to tho President and to the
country, to communicate his views frankly
. and fully to him. lie knew the Importance,
nay absolute necessity, of entire harmony in
= the Cabinet, and that the views Of the Presi.
y Iuent, IN re'ation 10 the reformation of thu
= government, and home Interests of the coun.
Try, could not be accomplished without it,
Mr.. Bcrrien knew, that the President had
. right to expect unity Of feeling and action
r amongst those whom he had selected as his
I counseors and that in insticc 10 himself,
and to the people who had elected him. he
would not knowingly constitute q Cabne, of
g disoordant materials. Yet "cierriy foreseeing
, all The erifs mhich haze rcsulied.n he concealed
ms feelings and his views, and suffered a
Cabinet to be formed, between whose friend
= ~ association. and cordial cooperation, there
! was an, 'insuperaJic bar" which hs clearly
! saw but which the President did NOTIFY
this concealment. and want of candor, he sui.
fcred his friend and benciactor TO be led into
error, in the very first step of his adninistra.-
ton. and which IN common with other enc
mes, he IS now attempting 10 WELD to his de-
strnction. On whom ought the responsibility
ot organizing such a Cabinet to rest! On
the conyfding friend, who, judging of men by
their professions selected those as its mem
bers whom he believed to be friendly to each
other, and devoted to the success of his ad.
mnstration ;or 10 those deceitfnl individuals,
who, forcseeing all the evils which have re-
suited. kept them concealed from the Presi-
dent, and entered his Cabinet only because
they expected such discord and division to
arise, that 'pubiic sentiment ,couid concen.
irate" upon one Of their colleagues, and force
his remoyll2
The question so gravely raised and dis.
cussed in the pnblic newspapers about visit
ing--leavng a cord, and invitations to "large
parties" or small ones, in this city, cannot
but be matter of derision TO the American
people. Who calls upon his neighbor or in.
ves him to eat and drink with him, and who
does not, Is n matter OF no conc ern 10 the peo.
pie and to them 1t must appear ridiculous,
that statesmen and Cabinet Counscilors, have
thought IT necessary Ia disturb them with
matters so trihing. But even these have
been rendered Of some importance, as dcveI.
opng The motives of men, and accounting for
events Of higher importance. And in this
view is il, that | am about to Introduce such
topic, and beg to be pardoned for so doing.
After my marriage in January 1899, my
wife md myself visited Philadelphia, and
were absent from Washington two weeks!
Amongst those who had called in our ab.
sence to visit and pay us the customary con.
gratula,ions were Mr.. and Mrs. Calhoun--
their cards had been left. In cities, leaving
at neigbbor's house card-a small piece
OF pasteboard with tho name upon il, is called
u visit. Not long afterwards, we called al
Mr.. Calhoun's lodgings to return the civility.
After sending in our names, we were invited
up 10 the Vico Presidents parlor, where Mrs.
Calhoun was alone. and received us with
much potencss. We spent a short time,
quite agrecably, and took our leave. This
was q short time before il was understood
who would compose the Cabinet Of Gen.
Jackson.
Another triang incident is worthy or note.
When it was asceriained certainly thstI
would be- Secretary of War, M. Calhoun 70.
cd the appoi mo nj of anna cc III. r.;..l.