Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-07-07

Work SO Tar US II depenus OH tHt Ueusury uePHrt-
ment, has now boon committed, L trust, to ADLER
hands, and dcvoutly hope it may meet with the
Stention and success it so well deserves
If in the desire to discharge with fidelity to the
country, and satisfaction to those more immediately
concerned and under the pressure of great anxiety
to pre- pare for the high objects have Just referred
to, have not mingled i'll the partizan operations
which, whether intended for good or for evil, arc
usually found about the sources of power and pat
ronagc shall be excused for having no leisure Tor
such e,nploymcnt even if l had had taste for the
associations OF this nature, which existed at the
metropolis. Nor l engaged. as has been III
simulated by some who seem to speak by authority
in arranging plans for selection of Il successor To
the Presidential chair. My correspondence with
you my friends, limited as it was, will bear strong
negative testimony at least TO this iactbut 1t he
not satisfactory, L take this occasion to absolvc
every person to whom have written letter, from
the date of my appointment TO that ofny removal
from every obligation OF confidence that sub
ject, which is usually deemed TO belong to private
correspondence, that the proofs of this charge may
be given TO the world, if any exist.
You must not suppose that am about to pour
out complaints for private gricfs. have no prl-
vate griefs My Judgment has never wavcred for
i moment, to the course which duty and honor
prescribed, in the relation | bore TO the President
and the other members of the administration: and
sustained by an approving conscience well as by
many evidences of public opinion, and most espe
cialiy by your generous and kind countcnance on
this occasion, L should be untaithtul to my own
tain, much less express, sentiment OF private
grief Although stripped of the attractions of
power, and cxcd from the public service by the
chief magistrate, for whose character you and
had entertained so high opinion-to be thus
met and greeted by such crowd of my fellow citi-
zcns, among whom 1 see, attended by their sons
the companions of my CHILDHOOD the associates
friends and confidans of my ripper years, and more
than all these, some venerable relics of the revolu
ton, of whom, God be praised there are yet IL few
among US; say, such Il meeting as this; is reward
infinitely valuable, than the possession of any
favor IN the power of the chief magistrate to
fer. But even without these consolatory evidences
of the good opinion of those whose good opinion
value more than that of all the world beside, be-
cause You know me best,-I say, without these,
would be deeply mortified If any friend of mine
should suppose that L object of sympathy
for private grief. On the contrary, l regard the
moment in which my separation from the public
service was determined on, the most propitious
moment OF my life; and although it might now be
difficult to persuade those who partake deeply of
the prevailing passion for office, of the sincerity
of this declaration, yet perfectly know that the
time will come when it will he readily believed.
As to pecuniary loss, Of any think of this) much
less labor than should have bestowed on official
business, we'll directed will easily procure some
thing moro than bare subsistence, which all
know is scarcely afforded by the salaries Wash
ington. can have cause of resentment there
fore, on this account 1t will not be thought pro-
family; hope, to say that tho President is but
mortal; subcct to all the infirmaties incident to hu
man nature; his dspleasure denunciations are
| not directed by omniscient eye, nor do they
carry with them political corporal death--and
even, IT, as he suggested in his correspondence with
me of the goth of April last, l was intended as Il
sacrifice to proptiate public opinion for others
whom he loved, and whom it had severely threat
ened, that of itself is not good for resent
ment. 1t was not the ancient custom even in idol
atrous sacrifices select the worst of the flock for
those purposes. But whatever may have been the
motive Tor my removal, shall enjoy the effect &
feel like mariner who has safely returned from n
| long, toilsome, and somewhat perilous voyage to
receive ejoyous greetings OF his old companions
and friends.
Among the American people, the public iudg
ment alone can fix lasting disrepute on a public
man-Ihcre is too much independence in the press
Tor truth TO be successfully perverted or the public
mind to be permanently deceived by the arts of
the servile and mercenary part of that BODY
cannot be mistaken, however, in the indications
nave seen, that whatever may have been the motive
Tor dlssolvlng the cabinet, that object is not deem
ed to have been fully accomplished by it; and it is
very apparent that corps editorial has been orpa
nized, ready to let Off their poisoned shafts ut
Whomsoever, and whenever directed by the master
of the siguals.-Some of these, perhaps too eager
for the chase, perhaps in obedience to some pri
vate signal, have some timo since commenced their
attacks on mel could not mistake their connec-
ton, but heed them not. The foremost of our
temporal duties is that which we owe to our coun-
try and with this guide for polar star, whoever
makes careful observations, can never mistake his
way. The treatment L to receive from the
corpse have advcrtcd to will depend not upon the
character OF my service to the country on their
benefit injury to the administration but upon the
Weakness and silence with which I shall submit to
what they deem the greatest of all grievances the
loss 81 office. But, as they and place different
estimate on these things and this loss s deemed to
DC gam shall have no opportunity of making
merit OF my meekHess, commencing myself to
their favor by self-denying silence. / shall there
tore, pursue the course which duty to the country
snail seem to prescribe, perfectly convinced that all
patriotic minds, when fully informed to the his
tory OF the last two years, will to the same
concluslon-until then, it is due to prudence, as
well as justice, to forbear defnitve Judgment
\ on have been pleased to express strong de-
sire tor some explanation of the extraordinary
measure which has shocked the public mind, and
brokon up the elements of party throughout the
country" abiding, | understand, to the dissou
ton OF the cabinet. 1t is reasonable to suppose
that there was an adequate cause for a proceeding
so unexampled in the annals of our country:S
measures of this kind are not very uncommon in
those governments where it is held that the chief
magistrate ''can do wrong" but this doctrine
does not belong to Our system, and it must he an
extraordinary case which could render such sep
eXpodIcnt Of this, however, the people must be
the judges IN the last resort; and before IL is drawn
INTO precedent which might be used for underlined
and dangerous purposes, they have right to be
fully informed. | do not therefore object To vour
request, improper but when it is considered that
the proceeding, so far AZ | am concerned was ex
clusively the act Of the President, who alone can
perfectly explain his motives it MIGHT seen,
improper Tor me now to anticipate the explanation
winch, as none is above the reach of public opip
ion, he will no doubt think it his duty to make of
these transactions TO the American people-But if
II be thought that have incurred any responsible
lty in this proceeding, / have only to saw let the
iacts be investigated, and the veil which now crve