The Massachusetts Spy, And Worcester County Advertiser

MR. BRANCH'S EXPOSITION.

From the Roanoke Advocate.

Enfield. Aug. 22, 1831.

Dear Sir:—Of the causes which led to the.

Dissolution of the late Cabinet, I have never.

Entertained a doubt. I will briefly state the.

Reasons I have for my opinion, and leave you.

To judge of them,as well or illfounded. Before.

The President had nominated Major Eaton for.

The War Department, and while the subject.

Might be supposed to be under consideration. I.

Took the liberty of stating to Gen Jackson can-.

didly my reasons for believing the selection.

Would be unpopular and unfortunate. I re-.

minded the President that he knew I was the.

Friend of Major Eaton,and personally preferred.

Him to either of the others proposed for his cab-.

inet, and, of course, nothing I should say on.

The subject ought to be construed into an in-.

tention to injure him, (Major Eaton) but, on.

The contrary, to save him from infinite vexa-.

tion and annoyance; which, it was too plain,.

Were in store for him, if he took a seat in the.

Cabinet under the circumstances in which he.

Was placed. The President admitted that charg-.

es had been made against the character of.

Mrs. Eaton, but insisted on it they were slan-.

ders, and that he ought not to notice them. I.

Did not perceive, at that time. that he was hurt.

By the frankness or nature of my communica-.

tion, though I afterwards learned that he had.

Become offended with. and had discarded from.

His acquaintance, several of his old and best.

Friends who had used the like freedom of speech.

On this subject. My remonstrances, it is known,.

Were without effect, and Major Eaton was soon.

After formally appointed Secretary of War.

Before this was done, however, I made an ap-.

peal to Major Eaton himself, and without re-.

serve disclosed my apprehensions to him ad-.

ding that I did not pretend to intimate that.

There was the least truth in these reports, but,.

If utterly false, they would still have an effect.

On the President's peace and quiet, as he must.

Know what use the opposition would make of it:.

That I believed it was impossible he could be.

Willing to subject General Jackson to such a.

State of things :—that he could not have forgot-.

ten how much Gen. Jackson had been distress-.

ed by the calumnies and ill reports which had.

Been formerly circulated against Mrs Jackson :.

—That, since the death of that lady, those re-.

ports had subsided, and would soon be heard.

Of no more :—that Gen Jackson knew the same.

Kind of reports and imputations had prevailed.

With respect to Mrs. Eaton :—that if he (Maj. .

Eaton) entered into the cabinet, the enemies.

Of the President would not fail to make a han-.

dle of it, and thus revive, in the General's bo-.

som, recollections which could not but be pain-.

ful and distressing, and which could not fail to.

Disturb the tranquillity and usefulness of his.

Administration. My remarks were received.

Apparently with the same kindness and courie-.

sy which characterised my manner; but they.

No doubt laid the foundation of that hostility.

Which afterwards became active and unextin-.

guishable. From the moment of Maj. Eaton's.

Appointment, Gen. Jackson began to use his.

Utmost efforts to bring Mrs. Eaton into public.

Favor and distinction. He frequently spoke of.

The neglect Mrs. Eaton received when she at-.

tempted to appear at public places. He did.

Not fail to intimate that it would be a most ac-.

ceptible service rendered him, if the members.

Of his Cabinet would aid in promoting this ob-.

ject. I felt greatly embarrassed by such ap-.

peals to myself. It was impossible for me to.

Comply with his wishes on this point, but it.

Is nevertheless painful for me to say so. In any.

Other matter [in] which I could, with a proper.

Respect for myself and the feelings of my fam-.

ily, have complied with an intimation of his de-.

sire, no one would have done so more cheerfully.

Than myself. By way of diverting his mind, I.

Several times spoke of the difficulty he would.

Experience in attempting to regulate the inter-.

course of the ladies; that they were, in matters.

Of that kind, uncontrollable and omnipotent,.

That he would find less difficulty in fighting.

Over again the battle of New Orleans. Soon.

After it was ascertained that Mrs Eaton could.

Not be received into the society of the families.

Of the members of the cabinet, Major Eaton's.

Conduct to me discovered an evident change.

In his friendly feelings, and became cold, for-.

mal, and repulsive. I repeatedly threw myself.

Into his company, and endeavored to assure him.

That I still had the most sincere desire to be on.

Friendly terms with him, and wished for oppor-.

tunities to convince him of the sincerity of my.

Professions. In this course there was no guile.

—No view but that which my words fairly im-.

ported. I most sincerely regretted the state of.

Public feeling towards Mrs. Eaton, but it was.

Not within my power to control or soften it..

It was a sentiment resting in the breast of the.

Female community of Washington City and.

The nation, which was not to be suppressed or.

Obliterated. After this, Major Eaton's enmity.

To myself became every day more and more.

Apparent I could hear frequently of declara-.

tions to this effect, and of his determination to.

Be revenged. It is true these reports came to.

Me circuitously and indirectly, but I could not,.

From circumstances, doubt their truth..

At length came the mission by Col. Johnson,.

The substance of which has already been given.

To the public by Messrs. Ingham and Berrien..

I will only add to their statements, that I dis-.

tinctly understood Col Johnson to say, that he.

Came to us from the President of the United.

States, authorized by him to hold the interview;.

And unless our difficulties in reference to Mrs. .

Eaton could be adjusted, that Mr. Ingham,.

Judge Berrien, and myself, must expect to re-.

tire. When he closed his remarks, I well rec-.

ollect rising from my seat, and with an earnest-.

ness of manner which the extraordinary char-.

acter of the communication was so well calcu-.

lated to produce, observed, among other things,.

That no man had a right to dictate to me and.

My family in their domestic relations, and that.

I would submit to no control of the kind. The.

Colonel undertook to reason the matter with us..

By observing, that, although it might be im-.

practicable to establish intimate and social re-.

lations between our families and Mrs Eaton, he.

Could see no reason why she should not be in-.

vited to our large parties, to which everybody.

Was usually invited, Tom. Dick, Harry, &c..

With this concession. he said, the President.

Would be satisfied. We protested against the.

Interference of the President in any manner or.

Form whatever, as it was a matter which did.

Not belong to our official connection with him..

Soon after which, Col. Johnson expressed his.

Deep regret at the failure of his mission, and we.

Separated..

I waited until Friday, a day having interven-.

ed, in expectation of hearing from the Presi-.

dent, but, receiving no message, I walked over,.

In hopes that an opportunity would offer to put.

An end to my unpleasant state of feeling. I.

Found the President alone. He received me.

With his wonted courtesy, though evidently but.

Ill at ease. In a few minutes the all-absorbing.

Subject was introduced. Among other things,.

He spoke in strong language of the purity of.

Mrs. Eaton's character and the baseness of her.

Slanderers, and presently mentioned a rumor.

Which he said had been in circulation, of a coim-.

bination to exclude her from society. Several.

Parties, he said, had been recently given, among.

Others, three by Mr. Ingham, Judge Berrien,.

And myself, to which she had not been invited;.

And from this it was strongly inferred that we.

Had combined to keep her out of society. I told.

Him, that, so far as I was concerned, I believed.

My family were doing no more than the mem-.

bers of Congress, the citizens of Washington,.

And visitors to the seat of government, had a.

Right to expect from me as a member of his.

Cabinet. It was certainly in accordance with.

Universal custom; and that as to a combination.

I knew of none.; that I could never acknowl-.

edge the right of any one to interfere in mat-.

ters affecting the private and social arrange-.

ments of my family; and that, before I would.

Be dictated to, or controlled, in such matters, I.

Would abandon his cabinet, and was ready to do.

So whenever he desired it, and added several.

Other strong remarks of a similar character..

He assured me, in reply, that he did not desire.

It : that he was entirely satisfied with the man-.

ner in which I had discharged my official duty,.

And that he did not claim the right to dictate to.

Us in our social relations, but that he felt himself.

Bound to protect the family of Maj Eaton, as.

He would mine under similar circumstances I.

Then informed him that Col Johnson had for-.

mally announced to Mr. Ingham. Judge Berri-.

en, and myself, that it was his intention to re-.

move us from office for the cause mentioned..

And had learned from Mr I. the evening before,.

Who derived his information from the Colonel,.

That he had gone so far as to make temporary.

Arrangements for the management of the De-.

partments, viz: Mr Dickins for the Treasury,.

Mr. Kendall for the Navy, and some one else.

For Attorney General. This the President de-.

nied. and said he would send for Col Johnson,.

And for that purpose called for a servant When.

The servant came, I observed it was unnecessa-.

ry to send for Col. J—his word was sufficient..

Well, said he, if you are satisfied I told him I.

Was. We continued our conversation for some.

Time I attempted on that occasion. as I had.

Several times before, to convince him of the im-.

propriety of his interfering at all: in a question.

Of such a delicate character, but his feelings.

Were evidently too much enlisted to weigh any.

Reasons which might be offered..

I have already informed the public that no.

Paper was presented to me, or read to me, or.

Alluded to, having reference to the future con-.

duct of the members of the cabinet. On this.

Head I cannot be mistaken. I may add, that.

The President constantly insisted on the neces-.

sity of harmony among the members of the cab-.

inet. Here I cannot refrain from a remark up.

On this injunction of the President, that Major.

Eaton was the only dissatisfied member of the.

Cabinet—the only one who carried complaints.

To the President of the conduct of others—the.

Only one who employed his efforts to bring us.

Into discredit with the public or the President..

Among the others the utmost civility and so-.

ciability prevailed. No one annoyed him, (Ma-.

jor Eaton,) or made any effort to embarrass the.

Operations of his department, or in any manner.

Acted towards him as inimical, or deficient in.

Respect; and yet, we are to be punished for the.

Discordance of the cabinet. Can any decision.

Be more arbitrary and unjust!.

A few days after this interview with the Pres-.

ident, Colonel Johnson came into the Navy De-.

partment, and as he entered I rose to receive.

Him. With his wonted cordiality of manner he.

Expressed his satisfaction at the pacific aspect.

Of our relations. I observed to him, with a.

Smile, that the President denied having author-.

ized him to make such a communication as he.

Had made. He good humoredly replied, " Let.

It pass; I represented it to you in the most fa-.

vorable light;" and, as he was hurried, here the.

Conversation ended..

About the same time I had an interview with.

Major Eaton, in the presence of Judge Berrien.

And Major Barry. This was brought about by.

The President. Major Eaton. it seems, had.

Complained to him either directly or indirectly,.

That at a party given by my family, the last of.

September or the first of October, 1829, to the.

Family of a most estimable friend and relation.

Of mine, from Nashville, Tennessee, who was.

On a visit to Washington City, the Rev. J. N. .

Campbell, then of that place now of Albany,.

N. Y., was among the invited guests. The cir-.

cumstances were these: Mr. Campbell, who.

Had resided in the city for some years previous.

To Gen. Jackson's inauguration, was the Pastor.

Of a church, and such was his reputation, that.

The President and three members of his cabinet..

Viz. Mr. Ingham, Judge Berrien, and myself..

Took pews, and became regular attendants at.

His church. In the course of his ministry he.

Formed an acquaintance with my family,and.

Occasionally visited them. He happened there.

While my friend Hill and his family were with.

Us, contracted an acquaintance with them, and.

When the party above alluded to was given, my.

Daughters invited him. He attended, and took.

The liberty of carrying with him his friend Dr. .

Ely of Philadelphia, who had just arrived. I.

Knew no more of his being invited than of any.

Other person who happened to be present. He.

Was, however, not the less welcome, nor was.

His friend, Dr. Ely. Neither of these gentle-.

men require a recommendation where they re-.

side. Mr. Campbell is known to be a learned,.

Pious, and most eloquent divine. Some short.

Time after the party, I heard, very much to my.

Surprise, that Major Eaton and some of his par-.

tisans were enraged with me, and threatened.

My destruction, because Mr. Campbell and Dr. .

Ely were at my house as above stated. I could.

Scarcely credit the report, until it was mention-.

ed to me by the President, when I emphatical-.

ly asked him who questioned my right to invite.

Whom I pleased to my house. He testily ob-.

served, no person : but as there was some mis-.

understanding between Major Eaton, Mrs. E.,.

And Mr Campbell, that he, (Major E.) thought.

It evinced hostility to him. At the interview.

Above alluded to. between Major Eaton. Judge.

Berrien, Major Barry, and myself, Major Eaton.

Mentioned the circumstances of Mr. Campbell.

And Dr. Ely being at my house on the occasion.

Referred to. I asked Major Eaton, in the most.

Frank and friendly manner, if this was his only.

Complaint, and if he would be satisfied provided.

I convinced him that he was in error, assuring.

Him at the same time, that he had no right to.

Consider me as being under the influence of un-.

friendly feelings towards him; that, on the con-.

trary, he ought to know, my personal attach-.

ment for him. before the cabinet was formed;.

And. further, if he would obtain the consent of.

His brother in law, Major Lewis, to read a con-.

fidential correspondence which passed between.

Major L. and myself, in the winter of 1827, '28.

On this disturbing subject, he would then be.

Convinced of the disinterestedness and correct-.

ness of my course, and of its entire conformity.

To that friendship and good will which had so.

Long subsisted between us. I might have gone.

Further and said, that Major Lewis, in the win-.

ter of 1827 '28, when there could be no unwor-.

thy motive to mislead either of us, considered.

Mrs. Eaton an unsafe associate for his daughter,.

Although he was now endeavoring to induce.

Gen. Jackson to drive me out of the cabinet, be-.

cause I would not compel my daughters to as-.

sociate with her. Major Eaton would not say.

Whether he would be satisfied or not and the.

Explanation was withheld. But as we were.

About to separate, he offered me his hand in a.

More cordial manner than he had done for some.

Months previous. I have no doubt that Major.

Eaton, in tendering his resignation, stipulated.

For the dismissal of the three offensive members.

Of the Cabinet. Mr. Van Buren, also, I have rea-.

sons to believe, urged the adoption of this meas-.

ure..

This gentleman had discovered that the three.

Members of the Cabinet (afterwards ejected,).

Disdained to become tools to subserve his ambi-.

tious aspirings, and he determined to leave them.

As little power to defeat his machinations as pos-.

sible. It is said to be a part of his character to.

Tolerate politically no one, who will not enter.

Heart and soul into measures for promoting his.

Own aggrandizement. He had become latterly.

The almost sole confidant and adviser of the Pres-.

ident. How he obtained. this influence might.

Be a subject of curious and entertaining inquiry..

But I shall not pursue it. I may add, however,.

That amongst the means employed, were the.

Most devoted and assiduous attention to Mrs. .

Eaton, and unceasing efforts to bring her into.

Notice, especially with the families of the for-.

eign ministers..

Finally, when the President found that his ef-.

forts to introduce Mrs. Eaton into society prov-.

ed abortive, he became, every day, less commu-.

nicative, and more and more formal in his hos-.

pitalities, until, there could be no doubt, that, as.

To myself, an unfriendly influence had obtained.

An ascendency in his private councils, and the.

Result shows that he had determined to sacrifice.

Me to gratify the feelings of those whom I had.

Offended, as stated above..

I may at some future time add to these views..

At present I take my leave, with assurances of.

Great respect and esteem. Yours, &c..

JOHN BRANCH..

To Edmund B Freeman, Esq. Halifax Town..

P. S.—I have not considered it necessary to.

Notice a charge, made in the Globe, against.

Judge Berrien, of suppressing a material part.

Of a letter which I wrote to him, and substitut-.

ing another in its stead. If any person has been.

Misled by this bold accusation of the editor of.

The Globe, and is desirous of obtaining correct.

Information, he has my permission to read the.

Whole letter, although it was not intended to be.

Made public..