Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1834-01-15

No. A.
The Secretary of the Treasury to The
President Of the Uniied States.
IreQ@vu Departnent. }

ne secretary OF the treasury to the
President Of the Uniied States.
Treasury department, !
Sept. 81, 1888.
SRI have The honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your note, returning the
communication that presented to you
this morning; the grounds on which it is
returned are, that further discussion OF
tue deposlte question is unnecessary, and
that there were imputations therein that
could not be admitted into correspon-
deuce betweeu The President and the head
of department.
Allow me respectfully to say, that it
was not with a view to d farther discus
sion, Chat presented my reasons for de-
Iclhing to act, agrecably TO your direction,
in removing The deposies. but to justify
my refusal; nor was it my desire OF lnten-
ton that any matter contained in my
letter shou!J be disrespcctlul, or open TO
such a supposilion; that any thing therein
should be SO construed, very much re-
greet.
My object throughout was to justify the
course, on the two points stated in my
letter, which, under the most solemn i'm
.pressions, felt it to be my duty TO pur-
sue.
To shew you my obligations, present
ed copy of my commission, a copy oil
my oath of office, and copy Of the law
giving the Secretary Of the Treasury the
discretion to change the public deposito.
ry; to shew you upon what relied, in my
course of conduct, quoted your letter OF
June Goth, u your exposition OF the 18Th
inst. In order to justify my refusal to re
sign, described the circumstances under
which your letter of July %, and my re-
ply Of the same date, were written, and
showed the new posture in which | was
placed by subsequent reflection and oc-
currences.
When entered your administration,
had no knowledge that you had come to
any decision on the deposite question, or
that you meditated change OF deposto-
ry without the action of Congress.
As soon as was made acquainted with
your views anxiously sought TO accord
with them, and, as you invited IA full
disclosure OF my thoughts, by assuring me
in your letter Of the 26th OF June, that
you did not intend to interfere with the
independent exercise of the discretion
committed to me by law over the depos-
ites,I opened myself freely to you, against
any change of the depository; at all sub
sequent stages, although have kept my
self open TO explanation, have invaria-
bly, declined TO make thai change, and |
remain in the same resolution still.
Permit me respectfully 10 say, that !
am not aware that my Willingness, or un-
willingness, to afford you an opportunity
to select IA successor, could have any in.
auence or bearing upon any question be
fore the cabinet; but am willing to NEE
that consideration, as we'll as those statet
to you this day in our interview.
| 10 short, sir, as stated to you, at tina
interview, my course is justificatory 10
wards you: | desire no unkind feeling,
have no unkind purpose; however arden
or unusual my language may be, it is a
least sincere.
Allow me, then, very respectfully t.
state, as declared AT our interview, that
under the most serious convictions OF m,
duty, refuse to aid. assist or in any wa
participate in the proposed change OF tn
/, public depository--ihat refuse to relir
rIquish post conferred upon me by tn
Iiaw--and, that, without in the most re