Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-09-29
1 am respectfully, Sir,
Your Obdt. servant
in. MACPHERSON BERRIEN.
To General ALEXANDER HUNTER.
az. Berrien'- Ans'rer to Mr.. Eaton, Challenge


WAsuINGToS, Goth July. 1891
SIR: Your note of yesterdays date was delivered
to me by Gen. Hunter.
viii waive at this time any obsc tons on the
language and style of that note, or upon any state
mcnt not necessarily connected with your prescr.
demand, which IL contains. / maks two c1cep.
tons to this waiver, and remark first, that in
your account of the interview between us on the
occasion OF rendering to me the office of Attorney
General, you have omitted to state that vour com
munlcation was confined TO that single point: that
neither the names of the members of the Cabinet
nor the principles on which General Jackson in
tended to administer the Government, were men.
TONED to nc, but that for these and all other mat
terS whic. might influence my decision upon the
invitation which had teen given to me, | was re-
tcrrcd to the President himself. / take the occa-
SION to add also, with reference your present
demand, however, that do not acquiescc in vour
Interpretation OF that sentence in my address to the
public IN which 1T ~ stated that the annunciation
of the names Of the Cabinet seemed to ME s.to pre
sent an insupcrable bar to my acceptance of the
office, which had been rendered to me-"
And now, Sir, will reply to the residue of your
note. You rest the demand which YOU have made.
as understand II, upon the allegation, that have
gITcr continuance and sanction to what YOU de-
nominate the base SANDERS, which have been prop
aGatcd against you in your domestic relations and
you say that this has been done i'll nv address to
tie public, by speaking o. these rumors, as evils
winch presented am inSupcrablc bar TO my entering
tho cabinet and stating that my assent was finally
gwen under tho persuasion that the President
would speedily see and correct tho evil Tho
wrong then OF which you complain, consists in
my having stated to the public, as Won srpDosc
that your introduction into the cabinet was an evil
III consequence OF Tie reports which were i'm cir
culatlon III relation to your fanny, md that for this
cause, mad hcsltaicd 10 take place in IT, ana hud
finally acquiesced, under n belief that this evi
would DC speedily removed. | state the groursf
which you have taken, thus distinctly not for the
purpose OF discussing it with you, but that sthC
American People," to whom You refer as arhitcrs
OF the proPrety of your conduct, may be enabled
ut once 10 see tho principle which you rest youI
claim +" demand satisfaction from me, and having
done this, will proceed to explain to YOU why vii
not reply to it.
You took an carly occasion after my return tc
this place, to make the demand which gave rise tc
our former correspondence. That was a demand
for the ayowal disavowal of statement thai
my family had refused to associate with YOURS
L met tins by the avowal which you called for; sta
ted the occasion on which had given this refusal
and the determination which | expressed to leave
the Cabinet, rather than yield to it, l held myse
ready at that time to answer any just demand which
You should make upon me, founded upon this rcfu
sal, or the avowal of it, Y on made none. On the
contrary, after having my answer four days in youI
REPRESENTATIVE having as you tell me, given to il
"a tu and calm consideration" YOU replied to il In
the spirit of peace, and terminated the corrcspon
Gcnco by note, written in the same spirit Up tC
that period your claims upon me were then at an
end. SINCE that time, the letter of Col. johnson
the misrepresentation of Il paper published under
thccye of the President, & finalyn statement in re
la;ion to myself personally, have compelled me to
appeal 10 the public. That appeal is now pending
1t places me in new position, and imposes upor
me new duties.
Under the alcdgcd authority Of the President
OF the United States, an issue has been rendered to
me-, the decision of which is vitality important Ia
my own character and to the public interest 1T i,
at such moment, ana under such circumstances
that your demand is presented 10 me. The Amer
can people 10 whom you appeal will not fail tc
perceive and to note, both the time and the crcum
stances under winch ii is made. My answer is
that have higher duties TO perform both to myself
and 10 the country, than any which your demand,
oven conccdng it to be rghtful, ION which subject
express no oPnion,l can impose. J will not be
diverted from the fulilment of these duties When
that purpose shall have been accomplished, will
attend to your demand. with disposition prompt
y to raPnir any wrong which have inflicted.
am, Sir, your obdt servant,
in. MACPHERSON BERRIFS