Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1833-12-12
Mr.. Duane's Exposition.
From the Commercial Intelligence,
To the People of the United States.

FELLOW CITlZENss l aDnonhceu on Tue
goth uItimo, that, at an early day,
would appear before you, at least to repel
impu'ations cast upon my character. con
tanned in publication in the Globe, the
official paper Of the Executive, Of the pre-
ceding day.
If the calumnious attack referred to had
not been obviously sanctioned by the Pre-
sident Of The United States, such is the
character Of the newspaper under his pro
lection, that should not have felt myself
called upon TO notice it.
In addressing you. have hesitated be
tween the adoption ola general exposition,
and Of brief defensive address, accom-
panied by that part of the correspondence
between the President and myself. which
the official paper seems TO have challenged
me to produce. adopt the latter course.
In the correspondence you will find ample
materials for an accurate comprehension
Of my case-one Of insult and oppression.
On the 4th of December, 1882. with
out any solicitation on my part, was IN
expectedly invited to accept the office OF
the Secretary Of the Treasury. sought
TO shun the station, did not consent to
serve unit! asked for my decision on the
3Oth of January, and then consented re
luctanily.
No doubt, subsequently, to. as before,
the adjournment Of Con gress, Spectators,
for their own selfish ends, agitated the de-
posite question, and kept up an excite
ment, felt by the President; but it was
never intimated to me that he desired to
concentrate in himself the power 10 judge
and cxecute-to absorb the discretion
given 10 the Secretary Of the Treasury
and even to nullify the law itself never
heard until after my entry into Office, that
he meant to remove the deposites, with
out further inquiry by Congress, or that
he had asked the opinion ofthe members
of the Cabinet on the SUBJECT; on The con
trary, when. after having entered the
Treasury Department, unpledged, un.
trammelled, and unsuspicious, | was in.
formed Of what was meditated, felt sur
prise at the intelligence, and modification
at the manner in which it was communi
Gated to me.
On the Sd of June, the President him
self made known to me what was in con.
temptation, and that he had taken the
opinions Of the members Of the Cabi
net on the point; two of whom concurred
with him. two Of whom did not concur,
and the fifth had not yet given written
opinion. He said he would submit to me
the written opinions Of tho four members
OF the Cabinet, with his own pietcs, and
that he would expect me to give him my
opinions frankly and fully. AS if TO urge
me to avoid all reserve, he assured me, in
letter, dated Boston, June &c, transmit
ting the opinions and vie,cs, that ait was
not his intention to interfere with the in.
dependent exercise Of the discretion com
mitted to me by law over this subject
But, when, on the 10Th July, gave my
opinions frankly and fully, as an honest
minister and man should do, there was
every return but that of appreciation. On
The contrary. on the Cad Of July,I was ask
ed whether it was my intention to refuse
to remove the depostes, if. after inquiry
by an agent, and advisemen mt with the Ca
binet, the President should decide to re-
move them, as, in such case, it "would
become his duty, in lrankness and candor,
to suggest the course which would be ne
cessary on his part"
Not on my own account, but as an act
OF duty to my country, now subjected
my pride and feelings to restraint, by ten
dering, IN order to avert a present hostile
breach, future surrender Of my post, in
case should not ultimately concur with
the President. But, before my concur.
renee or non concurrence was made
known, and whilst still held in my bands
the manuscript exposition which was read
in the Cabinet on the 18th September, and
then delivered to me by the President for
my consideration, he virtually dismissed
me as an officer, and insulted me as
man, by causing the official annunciation,
hereto appended, No. |, to he published
in the Globe of the Goth September.
Yet, after this, when it must have been
obvious that, independently Of other con-
alterations Of great weight, was absolved
from all respect for any past assurance,
my letter No. Q. which personally pre-
sented to the President on the 2lst of Sep,
TENDER, according to my promise Of Sep
TENDER 10 was contumelIously sent back
to me, in letter No. 8, intimating the ex-
istence of improper imputations in mine,
No, Q, calling my attention to my assn
rance of July %, and inquiring whether |
could concur in removing the deposites.
From this letter. No. 8, it must be eviden,
that when 1t was written, my dismissal
was not then deemed justiiable on grounds
subsequently suggested; for, when the
President wrote it, he knew the contents
of the letter deemed offensive, and yet he
held the correspondence open.
What, then, ask, subsequently occur
redo Instead Of treating this new indgni.
~, the return of my letter, with silence,
or evincing any ether mode Of dissatisfac
ton, felt that was on duty at public
post, and that | ought not to suffer it to
be taken by surprise. I could not now
mistake. in concluding that il was intend
ed to insult me out Of office, or TO draw
from me some expression. which might
form pretext for my removal on minor
point, so doubtful was the President, after
all, Of the propriety Of removing an officer
Tor not yielding, when desired, the discre.
ton given TO him by law.
Accordingly sa,t Io,,a. NJ .,,Lao