Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1834-04-10
PUBLISHED WEEKLY.
WILLIAM j. DUANE
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED
STATES.
l. f Il Il Z X V.

FELLow-CIrIzENs:-- My prnci pal OBJ
ject in addressing these Letters to you,
has been TO repel attacks upon my repu-
sdent of the United States. And if |
had made no other defence than the let
ter, which / addressed to him en- the 10Th
Of July, am satisfied it would have pro-
tected me from the false and malignant
aspersons of his official paper.
In submitting that letter to you, have
defended myself against the Presidents
assaults, and at the same time removed
the doubt, which appeared to have been
entertained by some of the members of
the Senate of the u. States, whether the
President had been duly warned as TO
the consequences of his proceedings.
S" that Of all my objects in addressing
you, so far as the public are concerned,
hnt one remains to be executed {; that Of
explaining the circumstances connected
with the mission of an agent to make in
quries rs TO the substitution of State
banks, for the Bank Of the United States,
for conducting the fiscal operations Of
the government. In giving this eXpla-
nation, l shall remove another doubt,
expressed in the Senate the u. States,
whether an effort had been made to as
certain the consequences of the removal
of the deposites upon the relations of
the United States Bank, and the State
banks towards each other. i shall show
that, important as such an inquiry was,
the President would not consent that il
should be made.
But before l proceed to these expla-
nations, you may desire to know the in
cidents which.lollowed the delivery of
my letter oc the 10th ofJuly; desire on
your part which may be the more readi-
ly gratihed, as narrative Of those in
sta es will naturally lead to the sub ject
ofthe mission, which have just referred
delivered to the President, on the
18th of July, my letter of :he 10Th ofthat
month. II he had been disposed to re-
spect the tranl<ness on my part, which he
had not only invited bCt required, no sort
of dissatisfaction would have been felt
by him, when he read my letter. On
the contrary, as it was his boasted rule
of conduct always to do what he thou9 Int
right himself, he should have commen-
ded me for following his own example,
And if he meant TO respect the promise,
which he gave me, not to interfere with
the independent exercise Of the discre-
ton committed to the Secretary Of the
Treasury over the deposites, he would
have considered our correspondence
closed by the letter before him.
But rumor, particularly agile at Wash
inSton, soon removed suspense on my
part; and its report was confirmed by a
cold and almost querulous note from the
President himself, which, in effect, an
nounced that he would not respect my
sincerity, or his own promise. He in
quired what fiscal agent ! proposed in
lieu Of the Bank Of the United States,
since | objected to that Bank and the
State banks also; and desired an inter-
view on the subject, on the 18th Of July.
Accordingly, on that day'I waited on
the President; but as it is not needful to
my defence to mention the particulars Of
our conversation, l will barely say, that
as to fiscal agency, referred to my
letter of the 10Th Of July. In that let
ter | had represented, that the adoption
Of fiscal agency was legislative duty,
and that the whole subject Of the cur
rency, must be considered by Congress,
in providing for the safety and transmits
sion Of the public funds. Consequently,
as the mere agent of Congress, | would
not venture beyond my own sphere,
however inclined might be respectful
ly to make suggestions thereafter. The
President finally said, he would send me
an answer to my letter of the 10th ofJu-
Iy, and he accordingly did so on the 18th
Of that month. This reply was explana-
tory, and perhaps may add exculpato-
~ also. As soon as ] received it,
wrote commentary, dated the 10Th OF
July. and would have delivered it but
for the considerations which shall now
mention.
When the President was at Boston, he
necessarily addressed me by letter; but,
when he returned, although his letter to
me claimed written reply, perceived
no necessity for the continuance ot
formal correspondence. On the contra