Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-09-29
4 Bcrrien's Reply to Major Eaton.
rRoS Thr NArIoNAL INrELLIuExcER.
TO THE PUBLIC


this duty 10 myself, and TO the public. viii c1noso
mo TO Il repetition OF the wanton abuse OF a press
wmch Processes TO speak i'll thus matter by the an.
thOriiy of the Chief Magistrates No man would
voluntarily enter into such n coutrovorsv If 7
do not shrink from it, it is because feel that am
sNllcd to tins act of necessary srlEccfcrcc Inv,
disregard. "
From the pressure of circumstances which did
not con'ri'utc TO produce and had not the power
TO control, was sometime since under IN, ncccs
sIty OF addressing you. Let mo for moment :, n
your attention 10 tho state Of things ut that time
that You may more distinctly understand NV pre-
scnt position l had no agency in bringing about
the dissolution of tho late Cabinet and was dos;
rous of avoiding the controversies which !, v,s
hut too probable would follow in tho train of that
event. was not weak enough to suppose that
tho public would attach paramount Importance
10 Inc retirement from office of my coca rucs and
myself but was equally assured. and tho result
has conhrcled my conviction, that their Just inlitt-
nation would be excited by kh0,ricdc Of tho causes
which led to that event. Whatever sycopbancv
might assert in relation the right of The Prrs;
dent to exercise his own ahsoutc ana! uncontrolled
wIIi IN the selection and dismissal Of his Cabinet .
the American People would practically rccoouzc
tho principle. that the power TO confer Office or to
reclaim It, is but trust delegated by themselves
10 DC used Tor tho common benefit, not under tho
impulse OF personal, End still less OF unworthy
motives 1t was highly improbable, moreover
tAat tho true nature of this transaction could bc
concealed from tho scrutiny of an intrllircnt Poo
pie. The Immediate community of Washington
private citizens from various parts Of the Union
who had mingled in society here. from the time Of
tho organization of that Cabinet down to the nc
Rod of its dissolution had seen enough to awaken
spirit of enquiry, which would aturaIv extend
TO tho People at large. While however, held
myself bound to answer any proper call for expla-
nation, was most anxious to avoid intrusion upon
the puHHc, ana equally determined to shun, far
as Just setrcsrcct would permit, any of tho con-
trovorstcs which might grow out Of it.
W hen shrinking from the justly arprehcnded in
dgnatIon of the American People, it ,ras resolved
to put the defence of this measure upon tho bold
and reckless denial of facts, which were notorious
in this com nunty, and beyond t-,vhal the Off
clal paper OF the Government, protesting to act
by the authority Of the President had nvoucbed
my name to give sanction to a statement: which
knew to be untrue felt mysclfcallcd upon ty CON
alterations, which no honorable man could disrc
gard, to bear my humble Testimony to the truth
In the performance Of tli:s unwelco7nc duty H.
mited myself TO narrative OF facts which had bee,
drawn into controversy, and 10 a brief vindic.ton
OF my own conduct in tlIoso lSrtcuIars. in which
II had been arraiCncd. knew to whist Subjected
rrysct, by this act of necessary sclf-deccnco All
sorcd s'y the limited range Of ny official duties
from participation IN most of the exciting occur
FENCES OF tho day--standjnr nloof from the in
tr'Gucs which we're represented to exist and having
nomotve to misrcprescut the truth it was forosccn
and such has been the result that this statement
woui receive the confidence of lust and intclIi
CONT community. The consequences were obviop,
even TO those who rC,icd most implicitly n The NOR
son0l popularity of tho President What then va.
70 be donc2 In its essential facts the statement
was boyond the reach Of controversy Ttwos onl,,
tho more confirmed by every effort 10 contradict l.
An unpotcnt attempt made to represent the
transactions which it detailed, uninl portart insi
nltcant unworthy thc attention of the American
Peap!H- S4c effort TO Dcrvcrt Tic moral sense,
Of such people, could not succeed The sacred
ness OF social lntercourSe-thc sanctity of tic do
rncstic frcsidc, had been ru,lcly asaacd and they
could not deem lightly Of dcspotisln like this.
The alternative was to silence the ;cincs,, or 30
desfr1y tAr effect Of his testimony, In n*saihnn hi:
reputation. To accomplish this, series of inca
S!T"s, having the end in view, have been stca
dill pursued towards INC. have been thc object OF 4
system OF Bullying and vitupcratjon, alike npocnt
IN relation TO myself, and dsgracetul 20 the immc
diatc actors, and TO those who having the power
have not iutcrrosed 10 rcprces it.
Retiring from responsible station in tho Gov
crnmcnt, under the assurance of the continued con-
hdcacc Of the President, and with an expression
o his regret cr The necessity, which demanded oar
cparatiou--aCQlttcd by him of all iruputation of
inpfoP-icty, ci.hcr official, Northumberland Al
the seat of the National Governrncnt-after having
been dragged before Che pubic to maintain an is
sue involving my private honor-one which had
been forced upon me, under The avoyUd an
thority Of the Chief Magistrate, have been calum
mated and Tcruced By those who speak at his bid
ding, and si,cnccd by his nod If excited by
feelings which no man may rcPress have at any
tlmo been tempted to inGu &c them, little rcGcc-
ton has s'Ifiiccd To convcc ne, what il that my
duty TO myself and to the pubiic requires at my
hands. That duty consists simply liz minimizing
and, uninfu"uccd by ribaldry, and unayycd by ME
in exposing to them tic real condition of;h.
community, in which tic reign Of terror is cmpha-
tically established. l not Indifferent to concc-
quomccs; but whatever they may be, tho voice Of
warning shall not be withheld.
shall be compelled to speak Of M. Eaton, the
late Secretary OF War, whose multiplied nisrcprc-
Ecntutions have made it necessary for 10 address
you. | shz DO this however, from corsdcra-
ton of his official connection Yth the late Cabinet.
and from the Lelicf, that, although retired from
Office his SITUATION TOR all tile purposes Of this dis
c!ssion remains unchanged. As i pr vatc indYid-
ual, lac has placed himself beyond the pale Of hon
orable controversy. He has sought znh cvaded it,
when tho opportunity afforded 10 him OF graft
flying his resentment. If | employ noH;ct in The
exposure Of his conduct, it is not because de-
rive pleasure from contemplating tho humiliation
which he has voluntarily sought and still less to
vindcatc myself from Che Billiagsgata s5use, with
which he has filed the columns of the Globe. No
Il have u better purpose. In tho discharge Of my
duty n citizen, [ would exhibit 10 the Amcri-
can Pt upc that system OF calunny, and menace,
which prcvai!sa Of Che Sea! Of the National Govern
mcnt under tho rmcdutc view of It's high"gt func-
tionary, aud in which liz most confidential friend
If ttu I-.--.:---..e -.t fr;roiIat ~etor.
Very soon Hfer my return from Georgia in June
last, when, FROM the tenor ofmy resignation, it was
asccrtaincd that would not JOIN in the attempt to
conceal the real causes of The dissolution or the late
Cabinet, the movements o. the ca6al at this place
directed against nc, ] did not feel tirtl it
my duty 10 enter into exposition of those
causes, and I abstained from doing go; but !
NOT 70 br~ to frc Of, ri