Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-08-23
POLITICAL.
From the Boston Advertiser s. Patriot.

\ 1HE PRESIDENTS CONVERSATIoNs.-
The Alexandria Gazette of the 9th inst.
contains an account of very cxtraor-
dnary conversation, said TO have been
held by. the President of the United
States, at n fapern, in Virginia, while on
his way to Tennessee. lie thought that
time and that place proper, it would
seem, if this account is to be believed,
to undertake the defence Of his Bank
Bill Veto, and to calumnate those who
had supported the Bill in Congress, n
gainst his wishes. Both the sentiments
and the languag2 ascribed to the Presi-
dent ON this occasion, are such, not only
as no public man could utter who felt a
common degree Of regard for his own
character, but such, also, as could not
have escaped from any private person,
who processes to recognize, in his inter-
course with others, the authority Of truth
and the restraints Of ordinary good maa-
ners. 1t would be altogether incredible
that the President Of the United States
should have been guilty Of such an out
rage upoa proprIety, if this case stood,
alone, upon the authority Of a single wit
ness. But unfortunately there arc other
well attested instances Of his indulging
in passionate declamations against in
dviduals which render the present state
ment the more probable. On the occa-
sion now reforred to, members Of Con-
gress and particularly, members Of the
Senate, rs is usual with him, more dis
tinguisheQ objects of his ealumny. He
is reported TO have said, among other
things that he had no doubt it would be
discovered, if sufficient Investigation
were made, that many Of the prominent
advocates Of the Bank Bill, were bribed
for their support; and particularly that
the Bank had recently leaned Mr.. Web
ste r ten thousand d6llhrs, and had ac-
cepted him also, as endorser for Messrs.
Gales and Seaton, for a like sum-
The purpose, for which these state
mcnts were made, is sufficiently appa-
rent.
In answer to this SANDER, and in ad-
dition to the mere scorn and contempt
which it excites, and which is deepened
by the high public situation Of the au-
thor, we are authorized to say that since
Mr.. Webster's residence in Boston, bills,
acceptanccs and other paper bearing his
name, have been discounted at the
Bank of the United States, more or less
frequently, every year, in the ordinary
way ofbusiness. as at other Banks, and
never otherwise; and that no special
lban, or accommodation, was ever made
to him, at any time, by the Bank, or any
Of its Offices, to the amount Of a single
dollar. We are authorized further to-
state, that Mr.. Webster is not cndorser
for Messrs. Gales & Seaton, at the
Bank of the United States or elsewhere,
for any sum whatever, and that he has
no pecuniary conneXion with those gen.
tlemen of any kind. And we are au-
thorized and requested to add, that there
exists no one single circumstance, calcu-
lated, in the slightest degree to soften
the aspect Of this falsehood, or to apollo
gize for its uttcrance:
If the report of the Presidents con-
versation be correct, the people of the
United States have now the mortifica-
ton of seeing, that their chief magistrate,
having already made himself notoriousIy
an object of mirth and scorn by his
habitual tone of conversation in his own
house, cannot travel so miles from home
without degrading his office, and dis
gracing his country, by his exhibitions
of rudeness and vulgarity; subjectlng
himself, at the same time, chief magis-
trate of the nation though he be, to the
anmadversion of those laws, civil or
criminal, which are designed to maintain
the peace of society, and to protect the
reputation, Of individuals, against the
wantonncss of slander, and the malgnity
of falschood.