Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1840-04-23

to The succession of Mr.. Calhoun To The Pre-
sidency. 1t seems that Isaac Hill had
managed to get an order from Mr.. Eaton, the
Secretary Of War, for the removal OF the
pension agency from Portsmouth to Concord,
and the pension fund hitherto constituting
part Of the public deposiies in the u. States
Bank was ordered to be Withdrawn and dc
posted in a Bank nt Concord, of which Isaac
Hill had been president a short time before,
and until he accepted an appointment al
Washington. The correspondence with re-
gard TO this arrangement was mostly carried
on by Mr.. James l.. Edwards, who took the
responsibility to order the public money about,
seemingly as he chose, under his simple sig
nature, and who was probably clerk or pen
sion agent under Mr. Eaton in the War de
partment. Mr.. Henshaw (of Commonwealth
Bank memory had also adopted the same
course and made deposites IN State Bank
in which he was Interested, which had been
ordered by law to be deposited in the U
States Bank. From New York also large
sum had been ordered by the same Mr. Ed
wards to be placed in Mr.. Van Buren's re-
gency Bank in Albany, In justice, however,
To- Mr. Cass, the subsequent Secretary at War,
il is but right to that he restored these dc.
poslies TO the q. S. Bank, & declared that they
Hhu UttH lIlF2ullf IflHbNCu lIbin HS
Ii is perhaps altogether impossible 10 trace
the secret movements Of Mr.. Van Buren, for
some time after the refusal of the u. States
Bank to become his tool. lie however proba
bly, still retained hope that 1t might eventu-
ally be corrupted-in case renewal Of its
charter should be found to depend on the will
cfPresidcnt Jackson--who it was well known
he at that time almost exclusively controlled;
hpt in 4 xynulI nvnptual1y uinl1 rs
destruction was decided upon.
The organization of President Jackson's
Cabinet did not at all suit Mr.. Van Buren,
The men who composed it, were most Of them
either inimca to his designs in regard 10 the
succession, or hkewarm in their advocacy ol
his claims. The friends of Mr.. Calhoun, then
Vice President, were disposed to push his
nomination as candidate for the next term
after President Jackson's four years had eX
pred-and Mr. Ingham was perhaps dlspo-
sed TO second them. Major Eaton knew but
little about politics or any thing else, and
cared for no one but Jackson-whlle Bcrrlan
and Branch were much too high toned IN
their characters to suit Mr.. Van Buren's pnr-
poses. IN short, he decided upon an "erplo-
sion" OF the Cabinet. The first step to be
taken was 10 render Mr. Calhoun (Mr. Van
Buren's rival) obnoxious to the President
For this purpose a MIR. Hamilton of \. York,
u conspicuous character in Tanmany Hall.
wns employed to ferret out proof of MIR. Cal
houn's conduct whllo secretary of war under
MIR. MonrOe's administration, and by dint Of
travel and inquiry, enough facts were coiIcc-
ted to give colorlng TO the charge that Mr..
Calhoun had while "A member OF Mr.. Mon
roe's Cabinet urged the proprlcty OF arresilDg
and trying Gen. Jackson for his conduct IN
the Seminole war. Whether this was true or
not Is not essential, as 1t was sufficient to-
entirely alienatc the old General from real
houD, to whom he felt under much Obligation
III consequence of Mr.. Calhoun's having with
drawn himself as candidate for the Presidency
IN 1894, and had given his aid TO the election
OF Gen. Jackson. This preliminary step beng
taken, on the lth day of April, 1881, Mr..
Van Buren, rendered his resignation as Sec
rctary Of state, and in his letter of resignation
made 1t to be distinctly understood, that II
was in consequence Of It's being expected OF
bun to become q candidate for the Preslden-
tlal chair after the retirement of General
Jackson, when his second term should expire
and stated that under those circumstances
he did not wish 10 embarrass the present adj
mInlslratlon by his continuance in office at
Washington. Ii is well known that a preju
dice existed, in the minds of the people, uD-
favorable To the accession of a secretary OF
state to the Prcsidcncy,as it had been Of such
common occurrence that it began 10 assume
the aspect of q regular succession, and Mr..
Van Buren probably supposed, among other
things, It might lnJure his future prospects,
About the same time Maj Eaton resigned
his situation as Secretary of War, giving as
his reason that he never wished the station,
aud that he had always intended to resign
the first favorable opportunity. On the 18th
OF April Gen. Jackson gave Mr.. Ingham "A
gentle hint TO remind him Of his wishes, by |
communicating to him the resignation of Mr..
Van Buren, and of Mr.. Eaton, two of his bro
ther "uniiS." Mr. lngham being himself
satisfied with his situation could not fully |
understand what was wanted, and according |
ly he addressed note To the President re-
questlng more explicit nformation-th the
old General readily furnished, and Mr. Ing II
ham agreed 10 resign as soon as he should
have perfected report Oh Vughts and Meas
uns he was then engaged IN. Gen. Jackson
hnding his letter to Mr.. lngham SO efficient
10 explaining his views and wishes, despatch
I'd copies OF the same 10 Mr.. Branch of the II
Navy department, aud also to Mr.. Berrlen
Attorney General, who forthwith resigned
their places. The unit" was now dissolved |
with the exception Of Mr. Barry the Post
NJ aster General, whose services could not
be dispensed with in that department at the
approach OF Residential election, especially |
as that officer had already run his depart
meDt IN debt 10 The amount ot several hun
dred thousand dollars IN his endeavors to
bring abou, a"Jackson rejorm." In this dis
posal Of the unit" Colonel Johnson, our
present Vice President, was the principal
agent Tor go-between) employed and was
very useful IN producing the results desired
by Mr.. Van Buren,. For reasons, generally Il
well known, the families of Messrs. Branch,
lngham, and Bcrrlen refused TO associate
with Mrs. Eaton, who was tavorlte with Il
Gen. Jackson aud who was probably innocent
OF the charges made against her character,
but which, nevertheless, were the cause OF II
her being denied access to the solrees and
parties usually given by the members Of the
Cabinet at Washington. OF this clrcum.
stance much use was made by Mr.. Van Bu-
ron. In an exposition OF MIR. Branch pub.
Iishcd IN the Roanoke Advocate, and dated
E"ueld, Aug. ~, 1881, 10 speaking OF his
lorced resignation Dir. Branch says" Mr..
Van Buren,, also, have reason to believe,
urged the adoption of this measure. This
gentleman had discovered that the three mem-
bets OF tho Cabinet, afterwards cJccted) dis.
daincd to become tools 10 subserve his amb-