Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-06-08

communicate to me whether you ever
did write such letter or not.
Accept the assurance of my high con-
sideration and regard. Very respectful
Is, your fellow ciiisen,
Gen. ANDREW JACKSON,
Guy Of Washington.
DEAR SIR,
have received your letter Of yester-
| day; and with much cheertulness and
eandor, shall reply to your inquiry.
1t has been repeatedly pressed before
the public that | had written letter to
Mr.. Monroe, recommending him to Sc
ect for his cabinet, "two distinguished
republicans and two distinguished fede-
ralists !" and that to MIR. Lowrie and Mr..
Findlay, Senators from the state OF Penn
sylvania, the letter had been read. l
have not been able TO persuade myself
that the fact was so, inasmuch as our
correspondence was private and conh-
dential--becausc MIR. Findlay, who was
present, has no recollection OF il--be.
cause no such letter was ever written by
me-and, because the President denies
that he read any such letter, or, indeed,
any letter at all. regret that Mr.. Low
rte, in presenting this matter, should not
re collect one material circumstance.
When first it was spoken Of, he stated to
me, and to others, that letter purport-
ing, and declared to be mine, had been
read to himself and Mr.. Findlay, by tho
President, which advised that his Cabi-
net should be formed of "two distin-
guished republicans, and two distinguish
ed federsists." My reply to him was,
that no such letter had ever been written
| by me; that so far as could recollect,
only one person, Col. Drayton, OF South
Caro- lima, had been recommended 10 him;
that | had suggested TO the President the
lpropriety of appointing him Secretary of
War; for the reason that he was a man
OF high and honorable feelings, honest,
virtuous, and of energetic character.
Personally, knew not Col. Drayton
but, from information of bis general cha
racter, cit satisfied he could do more TO
correct the leuds which unhappily pre-
vailed in the army, than any other man OF
whom had any knowledge. The con-
tents OF my letter, as read to him by the
. President, that two distinguished fedora lists
andtwo distinguished republicans, should
be selected, was not only stated by MIR.
Lowrie to me, but TO yourself, and to
Mr.. Eaton, OF the Senate, and TO others.
He has changed, however, his ground,
and now says, it was recommendation
J to the President, TO form bis Cabinet
from the two great leading parties of tho
country. Both statements are alike I'M
founded; no such letter was ever writ
ten by me; on the contrary, my advice
TO the President was, that, in the selec-
ton OF his Cabinet, he should act upon
principles like these: consider himself
the head OF the nation, not of party tina,
he should have around him the best ta-
= Tents the country could afford, without
: regard TO sectional divisions; and should
p IN his selection, seek after men of probity,
/ virtue, capacity, and Grmness; and, in
2 this way, he would go far to eradicate
those feelings, which, on former occa-
sions, threw so many obstacles in the
perhaps, to unite people heretofore po-
liticslly divided. gave it as my OPT
Mon, that the best evidence OF devotion
to the government, its constitution, and
laws, which any could afford, was, when
these were assailed, to venture forth IN
their defence, and maintain them amidst
priva,ions, and al the sacrifice OF domes-
tic quiet. That names were mere noo-