Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-07-25

the PRESIDENT to- see whether any thing could bs
done: who thought that when our Ladies' g,ve ~,
ties they ought to invite Mrs Eaton and n, 81
nad mover returned her CALL if they would leave tho
hrst card, and open q formal intercourse in th,,
way tho President would be satisfied, but unless
something was done of this nature be had mo doubt
indeed he knew, that the President was resolved To
have harmony, and would probably remove Mr.
Branch, Mr.. Berren, and myself repl;ed 70
Col Johnson, that IN all matters of official bust.
ness or having any connection herewith con,;
dcrcd myself bound to maintain an OPEN frank "a
harmonious intercourse with the gentlemen I v,.
associated with. That the President had n r;yht
to expect the EXERT of my bcst faculties. and
the employment of my time, in the public scr
vice. AS to the family of Mr.. Eaton, 1 fot nm
obligation on me not to say any thing To ou
gravate the difficulties which he laborcd undo1
but to observe total silence and neutrality in
relation to the reports about his wife, and 10 incu
cate the same course as to my family, and if any
othcr representations had been made to tho Presi
dent they were false. Having prescribed to myself
inns rule and always acted upon it, had done all
ina! inc PRESIDENT had right to expect. That tho
society OF Washington was literally organized:
there was but one circle, into which every person
OF respectable character disposed to be social wa,
readily admitted, without reference to the c;rcum
stance of BIRTH fortune station. which Operated
IN many other places. That we had no right to
exert official power to regulate its social inter
course. That Mrs. Eaton had never beon received
by the society hero, and it did not become us 10
force her upon it, that my family had therefore not
associated with her, and they had done so with NV
appreciation, and that the President ought not for
the sake OF his own character to in such
matters. But if he chose to exert his power 10
force my family visit any body they did not choose
to visit, he was interfering with that which belong
ed to me, and no human power should regulate the
social intercourse of my family, by means of off,
clal or any other power which could resst TER
could submit to such control should be unwortbv
of my station, and would despise MYSELF That !,
1t was emnently due to the character of the Presi
dent to have 1t known that he did not interfere in
such matters, and that the course we had purauea
was preservave of his honor and political standing
had taken my ground on mature reflection as To-
what was due to my family, to my friends and to
the Administrations without any prejudice against
MAJOR Eaton or his wife, and had fully determined
| not to change, whatever might be the consciousness
Col. }. sud that he had been requested bv the
President TO have Conversation with the Sc
cretary of the Navy and the Attorney General
also; but, from whit had said, he supposed IL
would BE- Of no avail. The President had ex-
pressed hope that Gus families would have be-
come wiling TO invite Mrs Eaton to their large
parties, 10 give the appearance Of an ostens:ble
intercourse, adding that he was so much excited
| that he was like roaring lion. He had heard
that the lady of foreign minister had Joined in
the conspiracy against Mrs. Eaton, and he had
sworn that he would send her and her husband
| home II he could not put an end to such doinos
| replied that it could hardly be possible that
til" President contemplated such a step Col.
J. replied, that he certainly did; and again re-
marked thot It seemed 10 be- useless fol- him To SEQ
Mr.. Branch and Mr.. Berren. | told him that
each of us had taken our course, upon our own
views of proprlrty, without concert; and that be
| ought not to consider me as ring for any
but myself He then propose d that I should
meet him at Mr. Branch's, and invite Mr.. Rer-
| rien, that evening at O'clock; which was a.
greed to. C,l }. came TO my house about 6
and up Mr. Berricn's HAVING FIRST
sent for Mr.. Branch On our way to Mr. Ber.
rlen's, Col. j. remarked that the President had
inform' him that he would invite Mr. Berrisn
and myself to meet him on the next Friday.
| when he would inform u.s. in the presence of
/ DR.. Ely, Of hs determination; and if we did mn,
| agree t" comply with his wishes, he would ex.
pect Us to send IN designations. Upon our
| arrival at MI BerrIen's, Col. J. renewed the
SUBJECT in presence OF him and Gov. BIZ ncl, and
repeated substantially. though. thought rather
more qualified whit he hid said to me- He did
not go so much IN detail. nor do recoilect whc.
Tier he mentioned the Presidents remarks as to
the lacy above mentioned and Dr.. Ely-those
CERT enen will better recoliect MIR Branch
ahG Mr.. be7r."h rcr!l-G- a. unccu'v0cnliy as
30" d"nf ths the. utu na.e CO sent t. nav
me social relations of their fam lies controlled bv
any power wha ever bat theirown. Mir Branch
Air. Berlin. uHd myself, went me sam. ey.nius
"f party at C"i TowsoE's. where r porf was
| cnr'en' that we were 10 b. removed, torthwi. h.
which, bad no doubt at The time.
ht mex morning Coi. }. C! me to nv house
and sa!h mat he ought prhaps to have been
more Track last evening, and told us positiyely
thai the roSident had finally determined on our
| Femo"ai from office unless we agreed at once
tha' our tamliies mould visit Mrs. Eaton, aud
'h'ite.heF to their large parties; and thai he had
maze up his mimi to designate Mr.. Diekins to
take charge of the Treasury Departm Mt and
MT. heudall to take charge of the Navy De-
| Partmeni, and would find an Attorney General
somewhere, observed that my course was fix.
ed, anu cuId TO, be changed, for all the Offices
IN the Presidents {; and it de NO more GIf
| l'fcnce 10 me than any other pc son whom tho
PRESIDENT de: lgnated to take nv place. In the
evening fthe same day, CO.. ]. called agoin,
and informed me hat he had ju-t been with tho
president, who bad drawn up paper explannto5
ny OF what he had intended aud expected of usS
and that some of his Tennessee friends had been
WI tlTn for several hours: that his passion had
subsidized, al he had entirely cha nged his ground;
ne would not insist on our families visit NO Mrs,
Eaton; he only wished US TO assist in putting
down the ISLANDERS against her: that he believed
her innocent, and he thought our families ought
10 40 what they could to sustain her, If they
could not visit hrr and that lie wished TO see me
the next day. Col. ]. added that the presidents
had been exceedingly excited for several DAVIS
out was now perfectly calm and mild. The next
day waited on the Presitent, and opened the
subject by stating that Col. Johnson had informed
me that he wished to see me, TO which he as
ee2ted, and went into a long argument to show
now innocent woman Mrs. Eaton was and how
much she had been prosecuted, and mentioned
the name of a number of ladies' who had been &C.
i've IN this persecution, and that the lady of a