Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-03-27
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE o. STATES

tatlon, OBVIOUSLY sanctioned by the President Q
the United States And if had made no oihc
defence than the letter, which ! addressed L
him on the 10th of July, am satisfied it would
have protected me from the false aud malignant
aspers ons Of his official paper
In submitting tbatlstte 10 you, have defend
ed myself against the Presidents assaults and
at the same time removed the doubt which APP
peared TO have been entertained by some Of IN,
members Of the Senate of the United States
VIII Their the Presidtnt had been duly warned Al
TO the consequences of his proceedings. So thai
OF all my objects in addressing you, so far as til,
public are concerned, but one remains to be ex
ecutcd; that OF explaining the circumstances con
nectcd with the mission of an agent to make in
quiFes as to the substitution Of state banks or the
Bank Of the United States, for conducting the
fiscal operations Of the Government In giving
this explain alton, ! shall remove another doubt
expressed in the Senate or the United States
whether an effort has been made TO ascertain the
consequences Of the removal Of the deposites
upon the relations Of the United States Bank
and the Stale banks towards each other. ! shall
show that, important such an Inquiry was, the
President would not consent that it should be
made.
But before I proceed to these explanations
you may desire to know the incidents which fol
lowed the delivery Of my letter of the 10th o.
July; desire on your part which may be more
readily gratifed a narrative of those incidents
which have just referred 10,
] delivered to the President on the 10Th Of
July, my letter on the 10Th of that month. II
he had been disposed TO respect the franl,ness
on my part, which he had moi only invited bu,
required, no sort of dissatisfaction weuld have
been felt by him, when he read my Letter. On
the contrary, as il was his boasted rule of con-
duct always to do what he thought right himse II,
he should have commended 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 discretion com :
mittsd to the Secretary of the Treasury over the
daposites, he would have considered our cores
pond nee closed by the letter before him.
But rumour, particularly agile at w Washington,
soon removed suspense my part; and its re-
port was confirmed by a cold and almost queru-
lous note from the President himself, which, in
effect, announced that he would no. respect my
sincerity or his own promise. He inquired 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 Interview
on the subject on the 18th Of July.
Accordingly, on that day waited on the Pre-
sIdcnt; but il IS not nccdful to my d. fence TO
mention the particulars Of our conversation, will
barely say, that as TO fiscal az sncy, ] referred
to my letter Of the 10th Of July. In that letter
] had represented, that the adoption Ct fscal
agency a legislative duty, and that the
eholS subject ofthe cnrreHey must be considered
by Congress, in providing fer The safety and trans
mission Of the public funds. Consequently, as
the mere agent Of Congress, would not venture
beyond my own sphere, however inclined might
b. respectfully TO make suggestions thereafter.
The President finally said, he would send me an
answer to my letter Of the 10th Of Jaly, and he
accordingly did so on the 18th Of that month.
This reply was explanatory, and perhaps ! may
add cxcuipatory also. AS soon as J received
il, wrote commentary dated the 10th Of duly,
aad would have delivered it but for the conside-
atoms which / shall now mention.
When the President at Boston he ncces-
sarily addressed me by letter; but, when he re-
turned, although his letter to me claimed writ
ten reply, perceived no necessity for the con
tinuance Of a formal correspondence. On the
contrary, it seemed TO me 10 be incorrect, that
two agents OF the same people, who met every
day for the common good, should act as If they
were the representatives of antagonist powers
On other subj. cts the President and heads Of de-
partments had no such formal intercourse; and /
considered it my duty not TO encourage it, al
though by Withholding this letter l did violence
to my personal feelings.
Besides, il was perfectly obvious that il was
not with the President was measuring weapons
of argument, but that was thrust at from behind
the tapestry, without any power on my part to
return the blow, except upon the President, who
really seemed TO be unconscious that il had been
struck. By this mean, that in writing the Pre-
sidcnt was made TO insinuatc what was at vari-
ance with his own declaration; so that | was
COMPEL I'd 10 believe either that he was uncon-
scious Of what written for him, or else that he
was deceitful to me. | adopted the former CT
these alternatives as the most charitable conclu-
sion, especially as became more and more sat
isfied that the President was not guided, as &c
the deposite question at least, by his constitu-
tional advisers, but impclled by persons who had
sinister views.
Accordingly, concluded TO promote personal
intercourse only, and even flattered myself that
if communication by letters could be terminated
the President would adhere to his assurance no.
TO ''interfere with the independent exercise o
the discretion committed TO the Secretary Of tho
Treasury by law over subject Of the depo
sites. Under the influence Of these feelings, anC
TO avoid suspense, / waited upon the PFesiden
twice on the 10Th, and again on the goth Of July
AT these interviews he said h an inqui
~ ONLY; and, Oh my saying that his letter o
June Goth indicated an actual removal by The
18th of September, he remarked that the bank
might not agree 10 the only plan he thought safe
that Of mutual guarantee; that iaformat ough
TO be obtained, even for the use of lungrcss
that he conceived ] ought to cooperate in col
lcctine it; that he was DESTROYS thar Mr.. Kendall
should make inquiries and that he might remai
uncommitted, until after a consideration of tn
questions that were connected a a change O
the depository.
Well disposed TO obtain information, which
believed would undeccve the President, and &C
sidering that knowledge Of the facts to be col
lected must be useful, in any event, consented
a ministerial act, to prepare letter Of instrut
ton for the Presidents agent Whc. ] 70
written it, ! waited upon the President IN
ODD Of July, not doub ing but that he we con
fer with me as TO the Jini. # inquiry embrace
in it, and indicate any .mperfecton or omission
But in this was greatly disappointed, for h
desired me to leave the letter of st :tion 70
his examination, adding, that he would see m
, after he had considered it.
! will here lay that letter before you. TIL
paragraphs z, r, G, II, I, X, L, were embrace
in the Presidents plan of State hank agency
quoted from his letters from Boston, dated Jun
26th. The remaining paragraphs were intro
duced by myself.
INSTRUCTION.
! (A) "Sir-The operations Of the Bank Of tn
( United States, excepting such as NAV be nece'
sary for winding up its affairs, will cease on I'll
4Ih of March, 1896 If, in the opinion of til
/ Secretary Of the Treasury, adequate reason
/ shall Justify the measure, he may at any tim
B ~, ,xl