438

REPORTS AND PUBLIC LETTERS.

never intended to intrude on the public, and now state, withgreat reluctance, even in self-defence. When he and Mrs.Eaton made their visit, I was not at home, as he states, anddid not return till after they had retired. When I returned,Mrs. Calhoun mentioned they had been there, and said shewould not have known who Mrs. Eaton was, had she not beenwith Mr. Eaton, as the servant had not announced theirnames. She of course treated them with civility. She couldnot, with propriety, do otherwise. The relation which Mrs.Eaton bore to the society of Washington, became the subjectof some general remarks. The next morning she informedme, that she had made up her mind not to return her visit.She said that she considerd herself in the light of a stran-ger in the place, that she knew nothing of Mrs. Eaton, orthe truth, or falsehood of the imputation on her character ;and that she conceived it to be the duty of Mrs. Eaton, ifinnocent, to open her intercourse with the ladies who residedin the place, and who had the best means of forming a cor-rect opinion of her conduct, and not with those who, likeherself, had no means of forming a correct judgment. Ireplied, that I approved of her decision, though I foresaw thedifficulties in which it would probably involve me ; but thatI viewed the question involved, as paramount to all politicalconsiderations, and was prepared to meet the consequences,as to myself, be they what they might.

So far from political motives having any influence in thecourse adopted, could they have been permitted to have anyweight in the question, the very reverse course would havebeen pursued. The road to favor and patronage lay di-rectly before me, could I have been base enough to tread it.The intimate relation between Gen. Jackson and Major Eatonwas well known, as well as the interest that the former tookin Mrs. Eaton’s case ; but, as degraded as I would have feltmyself, had I sought power in that direction, I would nothaveconsidered the infamy less had we adopted the course we