Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1831-10-07

10 prove the ials;ty of the statements which
these gentlemen, in their malignity have So
reckleSsiy hagarded before the public, then
would 1t not he believed, "thougi one arose
from the dead"
By their coaduct at the time my colleagues
manifested that nothing had been required OF
them, which, as is now asserted, they consi-
dered dishonorabIe. If they had believed so
#. after conyersing with the President. they
though he had eXacted of them that to W hich
rs honorable men, they could not conform.
they should have Immediately rendered their
designations. 10 suppose they ceuld do 9TH
erwise, Is to presume that for the sake of Of
nee they were willing tamely TO submit to
The "indignity and outrage" of which they
now complain. Though the concealmenis
by which they imposed themselves on the
president, their conduct towards me, and cs-
peclaily Mr.. lngham's Notebook, in which,
beng confidential adviser, and i'm enc sense
part OF his family, he noted down, il he is
TO be believed, the free, the private and ia
miliar conversations of the President for flu
tufe use, present spectacles of human teera-
dation at which honorable minds would re-
volt; yet cannot suppose that they would
remain IN the Cabinet, under conscious
ness that'heurly they might be exposed TO
the same lndig'ity, involving their personal
honor, and the honor of their families. 1t is
utterly impossible that gentlemen now appa-
rsntly so sensitive, could have submitted
themselves 70 such state ofthngs, without
complaint, for fifteen months BY their re-
naming in the Cabinet SO long after the Sin
dignity and outrage" of which they now
complain, must conclude that the Presi
dent had not insulted them by any dishonor-
able and improper requisition, or else that
they loved their Offices better than their no.
nor, and that their present violence is caused
only by the loss of them.
But, IN relation to MIR. Branch, | have
something even better than Mr.. Inghan's
notebook, to prove what actually were his
feelings towards the President at and about
the very time when This pretended indgnity
oil Colonel johnson was offered. Ii is let
ter' addressed by MIR. Branch TO the Presi-
dent, in his own hand writing. on the 2etb Of
January, 1880, and which on the same day
was enclosed to me, in the hope that recon-
clliation might take place between us. A
greeably TO Mr. Ingham's note book, it was
on Wednesday the 9th day of January,
1880, that this alleged "indignitv and out
rage was offered. Ofcourse, this letter was
written but two days after, and on the iden-
ucai DAY when Dir Branch, feeling himself
aIiicted at the communication made TO him
by Colonel johnson, called, as he states. 10
see the President and when, as he SAYS, ''the
PRESIDENTS feelings were too much enlisted
10 weigh any reasons which might he offer
ed And were Mr.. Branch's feelings too
much enlisted 'to weigh any reasons" Was
he, as we are told was the case with all three
OF the gentlemen, indignant at the outrage
Let the letter speak for ITSELF and show how
deeply, and now like an insulted and wound
ed man he could write at this instant of ex-
element, when honor and feeling, through
the fundamentally Col johnson had been
rudely trodden under foot.
NAVY DEPARTM EMIT, Jan. 30, 1890
"DeGr Srt-I have received your note of
Yesterdays date, and do most cheerfully &C !
"cept your friendly mediation more, how
ever, from desire to give you an addition
al evidence of the friendly feelings which
have actuated my bosom towards yourself,
than from consciousness Of having given |
Ito RlaJ. Eaton just cause for the withdrawal
"of his friendship. A. further manifesto
'tion OF the frankness w HIGH trust will ever
"eharacterize my conduct, agree to meet
chin this day at 2 o'clock, in the presence
"of Major Barry, ut Mr.. Van Buren's, and !
lin his presence also.
Yours, truly,
JOHN BRANCH.
ITO the President ofthe u. States"
This letter, written directly after tho in
dignity complained ofwas offered, bears no !
impress of irsulted feeling on the contrary.
1t breathes spirit OF kindness and friendship
1Oxl ards he