Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-05-07

IN
sent to the pubIica ion of so much Of his ansve
as IS In reply to it. Ifthat is declined, let Il,
letter be shewn to gentlemen of character an
imPartality, and let them say whether il, i'm
port has been misrepresented. Novalid obiec
uon can now be made to the adoption of som
one OF the courses suggested. Had this contro
yersy arisen without the agency of the Pres:
oent, ms refusal to disclose the contents OF tn,
,e..eI' would have been imposed upon him b,
I s. .us'ou' put the Importance of the requir
Gu disclosure, as far as it concerns me has ,ri
sen from communication which Mr.. Kreme,
Hhescs 10 nave been made to him by the Pre-.
siuent' and which has been published. Had Mr.
hremer, when he applied to MIR. Monroe fl,
! Information, with a view to publication and i'm.
parchment, been treated as have been. the
case would have been different But I re,pect.
iuiiy contend that, after the voluntary and nm
! reserved coininunication said to have been made
10 Mr.. hrener, and after the contemplated use
haa been made oft, my application to the Pre-
Sioeht was founded in right, and could not, as il
appears 10 me, be refused with Justice. But it
Is sau that to have complied with nv reo,rest
would nave been s'to commit an act ofbasencss
10y tue publication of q confidential letter from
friend" If there ever was reason for cons;-
uerinS the ietterln question as of too confitlen
'ial character TO permit its contents to DC pro-
mnigated III a suitable manner il was then foo
late to take that ground. What are the facts
That have bearing on this point The letter
was read without reserve to MIR. Roberts on
Two occasions, once in the presence of a third
person. twas read to Gen. Lacuck then a Sc.
nator from Pennsylvania, who, so far from con-
sidering 1t confidential, spoke of it without re-
serve, IN reference to the principles OH which
VIZ. Nionroe had formed his administration.
10 late Senator from Connecticut, the Hon.
Mr.. Boardinan, in the presence of two NOM
bers of the House of Representatives. now in
Congress, the President stated, in substance
that Gen. Jackson had advised him to this
course. IN an interview with the Honorable
niiam "A. Palmer, a Senator of the United
States, the President examined his papers for
ie'ter from Ten. Jackson, in which he said the
same course was recommended. Not finding
the letter at first, and MIR. Palmer being unwii-
ling to delay, the President observed that he
would shew him the letter at any time. That
1t was in part read to Mr.. Findlay and myself, is
not even denied by MIR. Hay and although he
strcnuously contends that it was not "such n
fef.er," he does not pretend there was anv thing
confidential in the transaction. That it was
not so considered at the time by my colleague
q myself, is proved by the accompanying letters
OF two members of the Senate. At that time
surely we could not be suspected of dispositi
on TO injure General Jackson politically or o.
therwse. AS late as the present winter, Mr.
hreiner says that the President, on his applica-
ton, lat once SAID that the charge was false
that he had never received any such letter, and
that General Jackson had never recommend ed
TO him but one person for any Officer After
all this, and after the charactero of third per
son, and a member OF the government is brought
m question III consequence of those very acts,
II Is with Difference submitted, whether II is al
lowabe for the President to set I'D the conf
dental character OF the letter, as a reason for
refusing disclosure of its contents.
Inc only remaining part of Mr.. HAYS publ
cation which will notice, is the ungenerous in
situation, that my object in requesting pubIi
cation of Gen. JaCkson's letter, is to cause the
President to degrade himself BY an acknowl-
edgmcnt that his declaration to Nir. Ilremcr was
not true" Nothing could be more unjust than
to attribute want offrienlslip or want of respect
tor the President The statement made in re-
gard to General Jackson's letter, was made at n
time, and under circumstances, which preclude
the possibility Of my having been actuated
by unfrendly feelings towards him; and the
manner and occasion shew that none were in
tended againt the President. He had dischar-
ged his duty as he tho't right, and mine. We
were alike independent of each other, and both
responsible to our constituents. 1t is not pre-
tended that have had the least agency in the
recent publication of the fact to which circum-
stances, then surely not anticipated, have since,
as is supposed, given Importance. l submitted
In silence to the yilest impuations of the presses
OF the day, and IT was not until my veracity was
,mpeached on the alleged authority of the Pre-
sident himself, that was induced to take mea-
sures tor the protection ofmy character. Could
l hayedone less, or could Ihaveadopted,a less ex-
cept,onable mode In private letter to the
President, | respectfully solicited him to do me
justice. 1t was suggested, that, under the in-
iiucnce OF excited feelings, had been wanting
IN respect tor his situation. Anxious to avoid
an imputation, l was not conscious of deser-
wing, waived all discussion as to the fact, and
did every thing IN my power, which supposed a
Just and generous mind could ask, to remove the
Imputation. If any thing could be wanting to
prove my unwillingness to go one step farthe..
than is indispensable to the defence of my cha
racter, or to fail in the respect, which every
good citizen owes to the Chief Magistrate of
the country, trust it will be found in the fact
that that unwiilIngness has not been overcome
by the violent and malignant attack which has
been made upon me by member of the Pre-
sdent's family, nearly allied to him by the ties of
affinity. 1t Is, therefore, rank injustice to inn
putc to me wish to degrade the President. I
am not responsible for the statement of Mr.
hremer. fit shall! be found to conflict with the
letter of Gen. Jackson, the fault, if fault there
be, does not lie at my door. This controversy
IS not of my seeking. My only objects are,
truth and justice; and to these, every man, in
this free aud happy country, is equally entitled,
IN whatever station in society his good or bad
ortune may have placed him.
am, gentlemen, your obedient servant
WALTER LOUVRE.
May 81, 1924.
+. ,. The name Of my colleague, Mr.. Find
lay, IS mentioned in two of the letters here
with published His recollection is not now go
distinct as nine, aud some remarks have been