derers, around the President, wish to destroy and C. A. Wickliffe, of Kentucky, as the only the reputation of an individual, they use the persons who attended it-as the persons engag name of General Jackson; and when detected ed in this unholy conspiracy, to effect their in their infamy, they attempt to shield them-wicked purposes upon the President and his selves from the obloquy, by exclaiming, that cabinet! the exposure is not intended to effect them, If there are any persons, after reading the but to destroy the Fresident. Even last winter, communication below, weak or wicked enough when the misrepresentations in relation to that to believe, that in getting up this meeting, I meeting were corrected by Mr. Wickliffe, Judge acted as the agent of Mr. Calhoun, and with a Bibb, and others, the editor of the Globe refus design of effecting the purpose wrongfully ined to publish the correction. But that the ob-puted to its action, they must deny to me much ject of that meeting may be known to you, Iless judgment and political sagacity, than have shall give the following statement of Mr. Wick- been accorded to me heretofore, by my worst liffe and Mr. Bibb: enemies. TO THE PUBLIC. The necessity and propriety of this address will be manifested by a reading of the correspondence which accompanies it. I took the earliest, and to me the most fit occasion, to correct the errors into which certain persons had been seduced, upon the subject of an assemblage of eight gentlemen in the room of Judge Bibb, in March, 1830. Editors who have published the articles referred to, will see the obligation imposed upon them, and without hesitation, I hope, give this communication a place in their paper. C. A. WICKLIFFE. WASHINGTON, Dec. 24th, 1831. Gentlemen: During the last summer and fall, when my time and attention were engaged upon topics other than those of newspaper discussion, at this place certain articles appeared in print, some of which had escaped my notice until I met with the late publication of General Robert Desha, since my arrival at Washington. The lapse of time between the date of my let ter and that of some of the answers to it, is no fault of mine. I invited the eight gentlemen, whose names will be given below, to meet at Judge Bibo's room, for the purpose declared in These publications have allusions to a meetmy letter, and for no other. I selected them, ing which was held at the room of Judge Bibb, because of their known and acknowledged some time in the month of March, 1830, which friendship, personal and political, for General mee ing was composed alone of Judges H. L. Jackson, and because I had, and believed the White, Felix Grundy, George M. Bibb, Messrs. President had, confidence in their integrity of Polk, Cave Johnson, and General Desha, of character and soundness of judgment. Tennessee, Mr. Henry Daniel and myself, of Kentucky. If any other person was present, it has escaped my memory. So far from having any object unfriendly to the President, for one, I would have been will ing, and now wish, the President had have been present, and witnessed the action of this meet ing; he could not, he would not, have taken exception to the motives, feelings, or conduct, of any member thereof. The idea of holding this meeting originated with myself. The meeting had for its object a single and specified purpose, made known to the whole of you at the time. In the Globe of the 11th July, 1831, under All who were present united in the propriety the editorial head, I find this statement: “At of respectfully calling the attention of the ex- the succeeding session of Congress, [1829-30] ecutive to the necessity of holding cabinet meetings of the friends of Mr Calhoun took councils, and Judge Bibb was designated to ex- place, with a view of addressing the President, press our opinion to the President upon this to remove Major Eaton from his councils." subject. In the same paper of the 4th August, the To all publications and statements which following language is used in reference to this charge that this assemblage was convened by meeting: "Item second-Mr. Ingham denies "the agents of Mr. Calhoun," or "with a view that Mr. Caihoun's friends held meetings for to request the President to remove Major Ea-the purpose of addressing the President to reton from his cabinet," or that it was convened move Major Eaton. We will prove this fact with the design, or had for its objects the ac- when Mr. Ingham grants our court, by Mess. complishment of any ambitious views imputed Desha, Daniel, Overton, and a dozen other t, Mr. Calhoun, or that any of the persons pre-members of Congress, who were apprised of sent were influenced in their actions, on that the meeting in which this point was discussed; occasion, by any other principle than the pro.. and that Mr. Bibb was requested to broach the motion of the public interest, and the advance- subject to the President, and declined in that ment of the fame of the President of their Mr. Overton next made the suggestion through choice. I give unqualified denial. the Postmaster General, to the Preside t, wao In all future publications, intended to charge repelled the roposition with indignation." this assembly of gentlemen with objects un- The next allusion, of a similar character, to friendly to the administration, with a design to this meeting, I find in the appeal of 31 jor E.. embarrass its operation, and to advance the ton, the late Secretary of War, under date of selfish ambition imputed to any man, the pub-September, 1831. Major Eaton, in his narra. lisher is required to give to the world the names tive of events, says: "Shortly after this, about of Hugh L. White, Felix Grundy, Robert De- the 20th March, (1830,) a preparatory meeting sha, Cave Johnson, and James K. Polk, of of a few members of Congress was held, with Tennessee, George M. Bibb, Henry Daniel, a view to request the President to remove me (Major Eaton) from the cabinet; being satisfied WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 1832. of the design, he (the President) made a remark Mr. Wickliffe: In according to you the means which satisfied the leaders in this movement, of just defence against the charges in the pubthat it would expose them to public reproba-lications quoted in your letter of the 26th Dec. tion, and end in fruitless endeavor; according- last, I cannot forget the moral and social duties ly, the project was abandoned, or at least, sus-by which I am bound to those who composed pended." the meeting at the room-to those who then filled, and to those who now fill the legislative and executive departments of the Federal Government. Again. Major Eaton, in another part of his address, says: "One of the members of Congress who attended the preparatory meeting, about the 20th of March, for the purpose of The consultations, admonitions, and moral regulating the President's cabinet, being in-precepts, with illustrations drawn from living quired of if my (Major Eaton's) removal would examples of vice and of virtue, by which pa satisfy them, answered emphatically, 'no; we rents endeavor to regulate their household, are will be satisfied with nothing short of the re necessary and proper-to omit might be highly moval of Van Buren.' But the removal of culpable. These, however appropriate to the these two unrepresented Secretaries at this occasion, and worthy to win public approbameeting, was the only subject probably dis- tion for the parents, are not fit subjects for procussed before it, and which failed of success. mulgation; and he who, violating the sanctua The premier, General Jackson himself, a more ry of private confidence, drags them into pubimportant personage than all, too, was to be lic notice and discussion, with the particular disposed of; and the better to effect it, conver- circumstances and occasions which called them sations were to be held with strangers visit-forth, is a disturber of society, a viper, a mising the city, and private letters were to be written, to prepare the minds of leading politicians at a distance, to support the decisive movement." me. creant. As in private life, so in political society,there is a circle of moral duties from which no man can disengage himself by taking sides with the one or the other of the great political parties which exist in the country. General Desha, in his recent publication, which I presume you have seen, in vindication of his own conduct, gives to these charges a In declining, there, to recite the circumstanpositive denial. He presents your names in ces which conduced to the assemblage at my connection with mine, as the persons who at-room, and the conversations of those who comtended this meeting; states substantially what posed it, I am not actuated by any apprebenhe understood to have been the objects of the sion that such recital would expose those who meeting, and says he was invited to the meet-composed that assemblage, or either of them, ing by me. The fact is, you were all invited by 'to public reprobation. On the contrary, I verily believe, that, so far as they are concernThe Globe of the 1st November, 1831, re-ed, a recital of all the circumstances which fers to this meeting again, after the explanation conduced to that meeting, and of all that was given of it by General Desha, in the following | said or done there, would entitle them to pubterms: "If [the public] has seen that the lic commendation; the fear of public reprobafriends of those individuals (alluding to Messrs. tion' belongs to others. But I do not feel myCalhoun, Ingham, Branch, and Berrien) pro- self authorized to break the seal of private conduced a caucus of members of Congress, to fidence, nor to offend the public ear by the make a direct application to effect this objeet, recital. (viz. the removal of Major Eaton,) the meet- I then believed that every member of that as ing was got up essentially by the agents of Mr. semblage brought into it a sincere desire to Calhoun, for the purpose, as Duff Green and promote the public good, to facilitate the pubGeneral Desha say, of inducing the President lic business, as well legislative as executive, to to hold cabinet councils; but the partisans of protect and enhance the fame of Gen. Jackson Mr. Calhoun seized it to propose that the Pre-and his executive administration; that they sident should be urged to remove Major Eaton brought with them kind personal feelings tofrom the cabinet. Mr. Grundy was present, wards Gen. Jackson and every member of his and opposed it, as we have his letter to show; cabinet. My memory has no contrary impresMr. Bibb was solicited to bear the wishes of sion by any thing done or said in that assemthose who favored this measure, to the Presi-blage. The characters and previous condent, but he declined it. It is true, that some of the sincere friends of the President, were persuaded that this course was necessary, and thst one of them was induced to make this known to the President, through Major Barry." I am, respectfully, gentlemen, Your obedient servant, C. A. WICKLIFFE. Messrs. Hugh L. White, Felix Grundy, George M. Bibb, Cave Johnson, James K. Polk, Henry Daniel. duct of the gentlemen who were invited to my room, fully impressed me with that belief; otherwise I would not have consented to invite them to such consultation, nor have entered into consultation with them. This assemblage and consultation was held at my room in March, eighteen hundred and thirty. I was present at no other; I have no knowledge nor information of any other, to which the quotations in your letter can have al|lusion. The sable colors employed, the distorted features and angry countenances depict ed in those extracts, are very unfaithful to the still further on the people, a new charge was mild features and friendly character of the as- necessary-hence he was accused of having semblage at which I was present and an actor. formed a coalition with Mr. Clay: time willtest But for the part which those extracts have spe- this charge also. And I will here remark that cially assigned to me as one of the persons of the meeting, which is charged with a design of the drama, I should not have conjectured a driving Maj. Eaton from the cabinet, and de representation of the meeting at which I was posing of General Jackson, was held before my present was intended. The ostensible authors vote for his Maysville veto, in which I was cen of those publications, from which your extracts sured for being too much of a Jackson man. I are taken, are certainly indebted to the imagi- likewise subsequently voted for the Indian bill, nation of themselves or others for their facts. a measure in which this administration maniThe assemblage at my room was composed fested a very sensible interest; but while I was of the eight persons designated in your letter, honest'y engaged in supporting the leading and no athers-five from Tennessee, and three measures of the administration, an irresponsible from Kentucky. band of Van Buren sycophants around the President, were endeavoring to destroy me in the confidence of my constituents. During the last spring and summer the same policy was purseed; I was attacked in distant newspapers by It is not true that it had for its object, or its letter writers residing in Washington city. By deliberations, the promotion of Mr. Calhoun, this mode of operation, the Van Buren dynasty nor that it was seized upon by those present to intends to relieve the people from the labor of effect, or to endeavor to effect, such a purpose; thinking for themselves, and in future, should nor to 'dispose of' Mr. Van Buren, or General this influence succeed, the people will be Jackson. The tale is of a conspiracy, compos-merely required to go through the forms of an ed of the five gentlemen from Tennessee, with election; while those, whom they shall or shall Judge White at the head, to dispose of not support, will have been determined on by Gen. Jackson !!! Who would have thought it? those who surround the throne of the Presi Who can believe it? It is not true that this meeting was got up by :the agents of Mr. Calhoun. It is not true that it was attended by his partisans. It is not true that I was requested by that meeting to broach to the President the subject of Maj. Eaton's removal from his cabinet. It is not true that I was prevented, by any remark made by the President to me, from saying to him all that I was requested by that assemblage to say. dent. Such, I regret to see, is measurably their condition at present; for the Baltimore Convention was brought together by the pstronage of the Government, and the nomination of Van Buren made in pursuance of the Exe cutive will; and whenever the great body of the people shall consent to delegate to a few individuals a right to control or give direction About the 20th of March, 1830, (being the to the exercise of their suffrage, that moment second day next succeeding the meeting,), 1 they destroy one of the great conservative priacommunicated to the President all that I was ciples of a representative government; and the requested or authorized by that meeting to do; citizen becomes degraded to a mere automaton, being neither more nor less than a recommen- to carry into effect the orders of his master. dation to hold councils, composed of all the When those publications were made against me heads of the Executive Departments. This re- in the public prints, it was not pretended that commendation was not adopted by the Presi-I had violated any principle for which I had dent at the time. But I rejoice to know, from formerly contended, or sacrificed any interest the most authentic sources, that, since the re- of my country. No; they were designed as a organization of the cabinet, councils have been proclamation to political aspirants, saying, preheld weekly, at which all the heads of the De-pare yourselves for the sacrifice! He will not partments are expected. bend to our intrigues; and, with the patronage I regret that you should have been driven to of the Government, we will assist you to supthe necessity of defending yourself against the plant him. We must have a Congress comaccusation contained in those publications-an posed of materials that we can mould to our accusation founded on a total perversion and purpose. Cromwell had a Parliament of simidistortion of your motives and conduct. This lar materials; it was formed at the point of the you may look upon as springing from that curse bayonet; and no member was permitted to en to which men in power are incident-to be at-ter the halls of legislation, who did not first ac tended by those who seek to ingratiate them- knowledge the authority of the Protector. He, selves by selfish aims, may thrive by falsehood too, professed to govern on republican princ> and the passions, but sicken and die in the sun-ples, but the sycophants who surrounded lum, shine of truth and reason. Very respectfully, your fellow-citizen, soon offered him a crown. I have no serious apprehensions of such a result in our Government; but to avoid it, requires virtue and vigilance in the people. But the prostration of Mr. Calhoun had been determined on, and little regard was paid to Gen. Jackson came into power on the princithe means used for that purpose. He was first ple of ECONOMY AND REPORM; and it was genecharged with being a candidate against Jack-rally expected that he would considerably reson; but, as I predicted, that turns out to be trench the expenditures of the Government, and false. To keep up the delusion and impose correct the abuses which brought the patron age of the Federal Government into conflict officers, under his administration, to interfere with the freedom of elections; and that he in State elections, and declared that the "conwould select for office men whose talents, abi-stitutional remedy by the elective principle belity, and industry would ensure an 'able and comes nothing, if it may be smothered by the faithful co-operation-depending, for the ad- enormous patronage of the Government." But vancement of the public service, more on the o show the palpable inconsistencies of those integrity and zeal of the public officers, than who surround and control the Presiden', I give on their numbers!' He was supported on the another extract from a letter of the same Fourth principle, that no man ought to serve more Auditor, written shortly after his appointment. than one term. And in the circular of Judge The interest of the country demands that Richard French, one of the Jackson electors, the Fourth Auditor's office shall be filled with addressed to the people of Kentucky, he says: men of business, and not with babbling politi"I sincerely believe we ought never to make cians. Partisan feeling shall not enter here, if any one man President for a longer term than I can keep them out. To others belongs the four years; because the temptation during the whole business of electioneering; to me and first four years is so great, that he is in danger my clerks other duties are assigned Them I of administering the Government with an eye shall endeavor to discharge in the spirit of reto his re-election, and of making the whole pa- form which has made Gen. Jackson President. tronage of the Government bend to that ob- Vain I may be, proud I am, that the President ject." Adhering to the principle, the Presi- has given me an opportunity to aid him in dent recommended, in his first message to Con-proving that reform is not an empty sound, and gress, an amendment of the Constitution, by is not to apply merely to change of mer. which to render any person ineligible for more Henceforth assiduously devoted to my official than one term; and in pursuance of his recom-duties, I shall leave my enemies and his to their mendation, and to carry into practical effect the freedom of speech and the press, resting my principle avowed by the party, a resolution was claims to public confidence on my acts." introduced into Congress, with a view to the The above letter from Mr. Kendall to Mr. attainment of that object. At the session suc- Monroe avows the principle on which General ceeding is introduction, the resolution was Jackson commenced his administration. But likely to pass, when, to the astonishment and his declining years soon gave evidence to the mortification of those who were honestly sup-band of unprincipled office-holders, who had porting General Jackson on what they conceiv-his confidence, that he could be used for their ed to be correct principles, the administration personal advancement, and believing, as they suddenly threw its whole weight against the do, that his popularity can stand any thing, passage of the measure which caused it to be determined to make the experiment. The redefeated-having thereby, in twelve months, sult has been an open violation of the princicompletely and openly abandoned one of the ples on which he was elected, and a marked reading principles of the party. I have shown inconsistency through his whole administration. that the patronage of the Government has been For the advancement of the public interest, we used to promote the elevation of Van Buren, were told that he was to rely more on the zeal and that the cabinet was dissolved with an eye and integrity of his public officers, than on their single to that effect. And the political com- numbers; from which we had a right to expect plexion of the appointments, made by the Pre- that the number of officers and agents of the sident, to fill the vacancies occasioned by that federal government would be diminished on the event shows, upon his part, an active interfe- coming in of this administration; and that those rence in the election of his successor. Here retained would be required to attend strictly is another principle violated. And that a third and rightly to the duties of their office, instead principle of the party has been abandoned by of travelling through the country, and writing the administration, in bringing the patronage electioneering letters to individuals in every of the Federal Government into conflict with section of the United States. In this expectathe freedom of elections,' I have positive proof tion the country has been deceived. Instead in the following extract of a letter from the of a diminution, the number of federal agents fourth Auditor, to a gentleman near Mount- and officers has been increased under General sterling: Jackson at least four hundred. And, through "I take the liberty to enclose you certain the Secretary of the Treasury, he has recomproposals which speak for themselves. The mended an increase of the pay and emoluments people need only correct information, and the of many of them-the pay of the officers of proposed paper will give it on the cheapest the customs, and the salaries of public ministerms. It is intended to reach every neighbor-ters. [See his report of last year, page 11.] hood in the Union, and it is peculiarly desira- This is not the kind of retrenchment we had a ble that it should be circulated through all Ken- right to expect. And as a necessary consetucky. It will render essential service in all quence of this state things, the expenditures your elections. Will you take the troubles for apart from the public debt of the Government the sake of the good cause, to raise a subacrip. for the three first years of the present administion in your quarter, and make a speedy re-tration, greatly exceed the three last years of turn of names and money? The time for action Mr. Adams' administration, which General is at hand." Jackson and his friends condemned as extravaThe illustrious Jefferson forbade the federal gant and profuse; but to the record: Balance against the pre sent administration 2,165,562 18 378,442 37 Balance against the former period, This balance is more than accounted for, by I have seen in the Louisville Public Adver- an increase of expenditure for certain objects tiser, of the 22d September last, in which is over which General Jackson has no control, published the address of the Harrodsburgh viz. Jackson Convention, a statement of the nation. Increased expenses of Judiciary Department al expenditures, said to have been procured My calculation will be seen to differ from the statement of the Register, which appears to have been artfully drawn to avoid detection. it will be seen, instead of setting out the expenditures of each year, he has given, in the aggregate, the amount of the three years, under each administration-intending to deceive by the caution with which he avoids a state ment for each year separately. But the following is from the Advertiser, with the remarks of the editor: 143,917 16 327,781 14 471,698 30 The above statement shows, apart from the public debt, a balance against the present administration of 1,020,671 91 How is this accounted for? It is attempted, by showing an increased expenditure of the Judiciary Department 143,917 16 And the expenses of taking Fifth $27,781 14 471,698 30 This would still leave a balance against the present administration of 543,973 61. But I have examined the detailed expenditures of the Government, as furnished in the public doenmen's now in my possession, and find that upon the National Expenditures.-The bank party same principle that the Editor and Register have asserted that General Jackson, instead of claim a credit in favor of Gen. Jackson's ad diminishing the expenses of the Government, ministration for the increased expenditure of has actually increased them since the com- the judiciary, and the expenses of taking Fifth mencement of his administration. We now Census-Mr. Adams' administration should be proceed to put down this slander. The fol. entitled to a credit for the amount paid over lowing statement is procured from the Register that of General Jackson's administration, for of the Treasury at Washington. ten sloops of war, and for the gradual increase Payments on 1826-7-8 1829-30-31 of the navy, in the years 1826-7-8 account of na tional debt 33,208,188 65 39,913,994 22 By Gen. Jackson, 1829-30-31 Civil list and miscellaneous 8,983,726 51 9,362,168 88 15,439,107.87 17,855,238 47 Military ment Navy 2,208,891 95 2,151,084 74 12,428,603 12 10,711,509 27 Total, $72,267,518 10 79,993,995 58 Apparent balance agains! Jack son $7,726,477 48 We suppose it will not be seriously urged as an objection to General Jackson, that he has paid more of the public debt than Mr. Adams; yet almost the whole of this balance against him is made up of these payments. In 1829-30-31, Gen. J. paid In 1826-7-8, Mr. Adams paid More paid by Gen. Jackson Expended by Mr. Adams under the first article of the treaty of Ghent 1,249,112 65 more than did Gen. Jackson. This, added to the amount for the gradual increase of the navy, and the ten sloops of war, makes the amount 3,394,778 71. To this add the balance in f vor of Mr. Adams' administration, as shown by the Register, 548,973 61, and it will produce a balance against the present administration of 3,943,752 32. It further appears, from the statement of the Register, that the State Department, over which Van Buren presided, expended more money in 39,913,994 22 the years 1829-30-31, than did Mr. Clay in the 33,208,188 65 three last years of his stewardship, 97,813 54 From the same statement, it appears that the |