Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-07-25

him. and to the country. by a frank communiea-
Tin, If them. In this state OF things, L sought the
couusei of those around me. 10 a gentleman
b;oh in the confidence of the President, and to a
Distinguished citizen Of nv own State, submit
ted the INQUIRY. whether. with this VIE" OF the
Cabinet which the President bad selected. could
with propriety become a member OF II. Inc,
former EXPRESSED his decided conviction, foand-
ed on a long and intimate knowledge OF the fre-
siJen,:s character. that he would himself speedi-
" see. and correct the evil. The latter urged
ii. peculiar relations of Georgia with the Gene
raj Government, as presenting a strong claim up
an me not TO refuse the invitation which had been
given to me. Welded to these suggestions ana
took my place 10 the Cabinet, with a hrm deter
mina,iou to avoid the controversies which Tear
ed might occur. To that determination have
steadily adhered. Associating on terms OF cour-
tesv with my colleagues. my official intercourse
with them was never interrupted BY discord'
If there were anv combinations growing out OF
the supposed conflict between the Interests OF
Mr.. Calhoun Snd Mr.. Van BtGeu; | had no part
in them-and as little in the supposed measures
of that character, having for their object I" CO.
cree Major Eaton to retire from tie Cablnet-Or
to exclude his family from the society Of Wash
%irrton. With mine they did not associate; bat
Nv ItNt pN'b "a WI NtihN ''H'f N'''
their actual relation seemed. therefore, to furnish
no just ground ofoaencc to either party. In this
posture nf things. and shortly after had given
an evening party TO which Mrs. Eaton had not
been invited, | received and heard with Infinite
surprise the message Of Col. Johnson.
could make no mistake as to its character. for
there was a direct and repeated reference 10 the
large parties, which had been then recently CIV
IN by Messrs. Branch and Iusham. and myself.
such a mistake, if ii had been one, Wcuid nave
been instantly corrected, from the nature Of my
reply. If the complaint had Eeen OF n e0m5ln"-
lion to erict MAJOR Eaton from office. and not TO
exclude his family from society. the reference TO
these evening parties would have been idle: and
my declaration that | would not permit the Pre-
sidcnt To control the local intercourse Of myself
and family, would have been instantly met BY all
explanation. which wGuld have removed the ian
preston from the minds Of Mrssrs. Branch and
| lncham and myself. Yet we all parted with Col.
Johnson. with Il clear conviction that such a pro-
position had been made, aud feeling as we all did,
that an ~indignily had been offered 10 US. there
was. as | believe, no difference Of opinion betwcen
Us as to the course we ought To pursue, II tbs
proposition should be av0wed AID pressed by the
President.
This conversation took place on Wednesday
evening. and the rumOr of our intended removal
speedily became general. On the succeeding day.
the personal friends of Gen. Jackson interpnsed,
and he was awakened to a sense OF the impro-
priety of his projected course. II was then, &c
cordins 10 Col. Juhus0n's statement 10 MIR. Ing
ham, that the paper spoken OF by the Editor OF
the Globe was prepared. MytNo colleagues had
their Interview with the President on the succeed
ing day. tFrIiav) and as Mr.. insham's statement,
nude from mi notes taken atihe Tine, proves. 40
paDer tcas shoph to him on that OCCASION. Uw-
ing TO 4 mistake in the communication of the
Presidents wishes to me-, | did not see him un-
til the succeeding day, Saturday. and then the
excitement of his feelings had SO entirely subsidized
that he seemed TO me to be anxious to dispose Of
the subject as briefly as possible. He spoke Of
the falsehood Of the reports against Mrs. Eaton,
of which he said he had sufficient proof; and up
on my declining to discuss that question, he com
planned of the injustice IF excluding her from
society; referred to the large parties given by
Messrs. Ingham and Branch. and myself, and
told me if he could have been convinced that
there was a combination between those gentle
men and myself to exclude her from society.
that he would have required our designations. -
He Immediately added that he was entirely salts
fed that there had been 10 such combination,
and again referred to those large parties, and to
the rumors to which they had given rise. as hav-
ing produced that impression. So far from then
suggesting that information had been received
front any member o. Congress. when | claimed
the right of having the names of any persons who
had made ohm representations unavoidable to my
conduct. he still referred TO the thousand rumors
which had reached him as the origin of such i'm
pressions which had been made upon his mird.
He sho1ced me no paper-spoke 10 me Of none
infima'ei 10 me no terms Which he W0uid hcre0f-
Ter require. BY his declaration that he dId not
intend to press the requisltion which he had made
through Col. Johnson. | considered the object Of
the interview TO be to explain to me The motires
amder Which he hal miei, and 10 announce tie
change of his determination. He accompanied
this with expressionso of personal kindness. which |
thoughtwcre intended to soothe the feelings which
he must have been conscious of having eAclted.
Still | thought 1t was improper for me longer To
remain in the Cabinet. Admitting that sufficient
atonement had been made for the indi.nity offer
ed by the message sent through Cot. johnson.
there was a perpetual liability to the recurrence
Of similar outrage. / believed il. therefore. to
A.. m uuty fan retire Nv friends tbo,,1ht n;Inr-