Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-12-06
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED
STATES.

ceding day.
h.so ohviously sanctioned by the President Of the
limited States, such is the character Of the news.
naper under his protection, that should not have
felt myself called upon TO notice It.
In addressing you, ! have besitated between
the adoption Of a general exposition, and OF u
brief defensive address, accompanied by that
part of the correspondence between the fresl'
dent and myself, which the official paper seems
10 have challenged me to produce. adopt the
latter course. In the correspondence you will
hnd ample materials for an accurate comprehen-
sion of INV case-oue Of insult and oppression.
On the 4th Of December, 1882, without any
solicitation on my part, was unexpectedly IN
vited to accept the Office OF Secretary OF the
Treasury. | sought TO shun the station. did not
consent to serve until asked for my decision, on
the SOth of January, and then consented re'uc'
family.
No doubt, subsequently, to, as before, the ad-
iournment of Congress. spectators, for their
own selfish ends. asitated the deposit question,
and kept up an excitement, felt by the Presi.
dent: but IL was never iatmated to me that he
desired 10 concentrate in himself the power to
;udye and execute-to absorb the discretion CIV
en- to the Secretary of the Treasury-and even
20 nullify the law itself. never heard until al
ter INV entry into office, that he meant to remove
the deposits, Hih0ut further Inquiry by Con-
gress, or that he bad asked the opinions OF The
members of the cabinet, on the subject; on the
contrary, when, after having entered the treasu.
nv department. unpiedged, untrammelled. and
unsuspicious. was Informed OF what was medi'
tated, ielt surprise at the intelligence. and NOR
tifioa,lon at the manner in which II was commu'
nicated TO ne.
On the Sd of June, the President himself made
known to what was in contemplation. and
tha, he had taken the opinions Of the meabers OF
the cabinet 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 the four members Of the cabinet, with his own
pte,ps; and that he would expect me to give HIN
nv Opinions frankly and fully. As IL 10 urge
me to avoid all reserve, he assured me. IL let.
ter, dated Boston, J,me GO, transmitting the
opinions aud rie,cS, that ''it was not his inten-
=. ton to interfere with the independent exercise
&" of the discretion committed to me by law over
- this subject"
Ru when, on the 10Th July, | gave my OPT.
Mons frankly aud fully. as an honest minister
and mae should do, there was every return but
that If appreciation. On the contrary, on the
2ad of July. was asked, whether it was my in
tention to refuse to the depostes, it, after
bnet, the President should decide to remove
them, as. in such case, it "9Ould become his
duty. IN frankness and candor, to suggest the
course, which would be necessary on his part"
Not on nv own account. but as an act OF duty
TO the country, | now subjected my pride and
feelings to restraint. by rendering, in order to
avert present hostile breach. a future surrender
of my post, in case | should not ultimately con.
cur with the President. But, before nv concur
renee or non concurrence was made known, and
whist | still held in nv hands 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 q
man, by causing the Off ;ial annunciation, hereto
appended No. /, to be published in the Globe Of
the sOIh September
Yet, after this. when il must have been obvious
that independently Of other considerations Of
great weight, | was absolve ed from all respect for
any past assurance, as letter No. 2, which per-
sonallv presented to the President on the 2isf of
September, according TO INV promise of Sepiem
Der 10. was cOntumeliOusy sent back to me, IN
letter No S, intima,ins the existence OF improper
imputatiuns in mine. No. ., calling my attention
to NV assurance of July %, and inquirlng whe
Their conquered IN removing the deposits. From
this letter. No 5. it must be evident that when
Il was written, nv dismissal was not then deem
ed lostihable, on grounds subsequently suggest
ell: for when the President wrote it, he knew
that refused TO resign; he knew the contents Of
the letter deemed offensive, aud yet he held the
correspondence open.
wnat. then, ask, subsequently, occurreds-
Instead Of treating this new Indgnty, the return
OF my letter, with silence. or evincing any other
mode Of dissatisfact ton, felt that was on duty
At public post, and that ought not to suffer il
TO be taken by surprise. | could not now mis-
take. in concluding that It was intended to in. +,
sult me out of office. to draw from me some |
expression which might form pretext for nv re-
moval on minor point. doubtful was the Pre-. |
sident, after ALL Of the proprie,y Of removing an
officer for not Welding. when desired, the d,scre.
ton given to him BY law
Accordingly, sent letter No. 4, subsequent.
" withdrawn for alteration. and then letters
Nos and 6-No. especially because the
President did not seem to comprehend me, when, |
in my letter No 2, | said. that. after what had
occurred subsequently, to Juty %. felt absoiv.
ohl,,. IN nh the IN