Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1831-08-04
/ am, very respectfully,
Sir, your ob't servant,
in. MACPHERSON BEltRIEN,
To Francis p. BLAIR, Esq.
Editor OChe Globe.

SIR: Your last letter was received
late at night, when the Globe was made
up for the press. To give it insertion
with the correspondence which preceded
it, rendered it necessary that / should
defer the whole until this day, and sub
sttute other matter, previously set up,
for my paper.
Without adverting to the special plead
ing of your letter, (in which, being no
lawyer, have no skill l come at once
to the point. You take issue again with
me, by declaring, "that no such paper as
that quoted by me was erer read to you,
or shoum to you, or spoken Of to you."-
And you further say, that the President
"w;H not, you think, authorize the state
msm that that paper ras erer shomn 10
your
When the statement which | made,
predicated upon Col. Johnson's letter,
was impeached in your second note, |
made the appeal to the President which
you seem to think ought now to make.
He Immediately put into my hands the
original memorandum which he wrote,
and which he read to Messrs. Branch,
lngham, and yourself; and am now ex
pressly authorized to state again, that in
the interview referred to in my note and
in your own letter, quoted therein, he
held IN his hand, and read to yoS, the pa.
per from ,chich Ihare giren The extracts,
which you say was never read, shown or
spoken of to you. find / am authorized
further to say, that i you ~iH call on the
President he riH again erhibit and read
TO you this original document. 1t was
prepared by him in contemplation that
the interview mi ght lead to an immediate
dissolution of his Cabinet, and it was in
tended by him to record the basis he as
sumed in doing an act which involved
his own character and the interests of
the country. The paper thus prepared
by the President was communicated at
the time to several of his friends, whom
he consulted on the occasion. And the
substance of the conversation which
preceded and followed the communica-
ton was also Immediately reduced TO
writing, and connected with the docu-
ment read to you, that nothing might be
lett to recollection, if circumstances at a
remote period should make reference
to it necessary. With regard to trans
action so recorded, and vouched by the
concurrent testimony of those consulted
on the occasion, there can be no mistake
A mans memory may be treacherous
when the man himself is honest. am
willing to believe this is your case. You
have innocently forgotten the declara-
ton made by the President, which stands
authenticated as have told you, as well
as the communication of the same pur-
port made to you by Col. Johnson.
i am obliged to rely on this 'critten re-
cord Of fact, rather than on your men,
ory, especially when find this positive
proof confirming the statement Of Colonel
johnson, that the President disclaimed
any right or desire to interfere with the
private associations of yourself or your
family, and that you knew It.
next quoted your own written adms-
sion, confirming the statement of Colo
mel Johnson, and the written record of
the President, in the following words:
"In the interview to which l was invited
by the President some few days after
wards, (alter Col. Johoson's visit. j
frankly expressed to him my views on
the subject, and he disclaimed any dis
position to press such requisition."
You say that ga disclaimer Of an in
tention to press such requisition, is a
wholly different thing from denial Of ev-
or having made it,"
! l thought not, in this case; because