Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-03-06
Political.
FhoA THE PHILADELPHIA PAPERS or FEs. ~.
10 the People of the United States.
LETTER I'LL

spontaneously elevated me TO the station
from which ] was so soon afterwards re
moved, and that. far from taking Office to
ihwart him, | sought TO remain in the
shade Of private life. have also shown,
that. rather than not CRAFTY his vindictive
feelings against ne, he is even content TO
be considered dupe. for he says that I
palmed myself, or was palmed upon him
1t must be evident, however, that If any
one was imposed upon, | was that person
do not aver that ! was imposed upon,
much less have a su.picion, that the
mcmher oil the cabinet, referred 10 in my
last letter, did not state the reasons OF the
President for selecting me, of which he
bad knowledge. Amongst those reasons,
the views or wishes Of the President, in
relation TO the United States Bank, were
not enumerated; nor was the subject ever
referred to. in the letters or conversations
that passed between the member Of the
cabinet and myself. In the official paper
of the 18th November last. however, II
was avowed, that the President select ed
me because he supposed accorded with
his views in relation 10 the Bank So that
the main motive for my selection. was moi
before stated I do not say, that the Pre-
sident concealed his views, until after my
entrance into office, in order 10 render my
accordance more certain, after ] bad made
so serious change, as that Of private Cor
pubic life; do not believe that he did;
but have much more reason to presume,
that such was the case, than the President
has to suspect that entered into office on
purpose TO thwart him.
Were | fully to admit what the official
paper alleges, that knew that the remov
al OF the deposites was agitated, that would
not affect the question between the PIesi-
dent and me. II he had asked my OPT
MON, would have concurred in the course
which he was pursuing in December 1892
namely, an appeal to Congress; it was the
same course which | advocated whilst
was in office, and which profIered tc
pursue myself. | could have had no sus.
picion, however, that the President in
tended TO abandon in future the very
course which he had himself sanctioned
All antecedent public acts, even the re
spect then entertained for him, forbade
me to suppose that be meant to anticipate
the action Of Congress, evade the Judici
lazy, and trample on the law itself. |. In
bis veto message, he left the subject of the
United States Bank TO the Congress oil
1888 a. 9. When, during the last Con
gress, be doubted the safety Of the public
deposites in the U. S. Bank, instead of
taking upon himself the responsibility of
their removal, he appealed 10 Congress
| 8. Ills personal and political friend was
appointed 10 inquire into the condition of
the Bank, and, on his report, the repre-
senia'ives Of the People by vote Of 100
to 46. directed the public money to be
retained, where the law had placed il. 4.
II is fair to infer that the President him
self was satisfied with this decision, for he
soon after approved of an act of Congress
authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury
to lend to the United States Bank, or up
on IFS stock, several millions of dollars,
trust money receivable from France, for
American citizens having claims upon that
country.
Had | intuitive or prophetic skillo Be
cause banks and SPECTATORS continued TO
agitate the deposite question, notwith-
standing the decision Of Congress, was I
to suppose that the President would be.
come their preyp Could | suspect, that
they would be able to persuade him 10
consider Congress corruptible, and the
Judiciary already contaminated? Is it
credible that ], who sought TO avoid office,
altogether, wilfuI!y placed myselfin such
a position. that my removal by the Presi-
dent for disobeying. or my rejection by
the Senate for obeying him, would be in
evitableP
When he thought proper to ask the
written opinions of the members of the
Cabinet, upon whom no responsibility
would rest, was il not due to me, then
shortly TO enter his cabinet, that he should
have frankly informed me tina, the remov
al of the deposites, before the meeting of
the next Congress. was definitely fixed
upon. and that should be expected to do
the act? Nevertheless, | had no sort of
intimatlon that the opinions of the mem
hers of the cabinet had been asked, or
that, whether approved of it or not. the
task of removing the deposites would be
imposed Upon me without inquiry by
Congress.
When entered upon my official duties,
and found, much to my surprise, that the
measure was determined upon, and that
would be expected to carry it into execu
ton, my charitable conclusion was, that.
as really accorded with the President in
opposing the United States Bank, he had
no doubt Of my readiness TO act in this
case with him. He lancied. indeed, that
my hostility was SO unqualified, that
would assail that institution after the man.
ner of Indian warfare, and il was on this
point that all our difficulties arose.
When went into office supposed that
was TO be the agent of the country, and
not the mere instrument Of the Chief Ma
gistrate. contemplated some changes
which hoped would be beneficial to the
country. and felt indignant when | found
that measures were to be pressed upon
me, useful only TO those who nrey upon
its ytals; an Indignation. which confess,
was increased by the circumstance, that
the duty prepared for me was announced
not by those who had been selected by the
President as most worthy to be his con
sttutional advisers, hut by irresponsible
persons, who possessed the confidence, if not the
places, properly belonging TO them.
desire that it may be here borne in |
mind, that notwithstanding the concurrenccs con
nected with my removal from office, ] actually |