Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-02-27
To the People of the United States.
LETTER III.
FELLOW CITIZENS:


President spontaneously elevated me to the sta
ton from which was soon afterwards reno
we'd; and that far from taking office to thwart
him. sought to remain in the shade of private
life have also shown, that, rather than not
crafty his vindictive feelings against me, he is
even content to be considered a dupe, for he
saws that | 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 | wgs, much less
have | suspicion that the member of the
cabinet, referred to, in my last letter, did
not state the reasons of the President for Sc
lecting me- of which he had knowledge
Amongst those reasons, the views or wishes OF
the President in relation to the United States
Bank were not enumerated; nor was the sub
iect ever referred to- in the letters or converse
TONS that passed between the member OF the
cabinet and myself In the official paper OF the
10Th November last, however, it was avowed,
that the President selected me, because he sup
nosed accorded with his views in relation to
the bank So that the main motive for my Sc
lection. was not before stated. do not say,
that the President concealed his views, until al
ter nv entrance into office, in order to render
nv accordance more certain, after had made
so serious a change, as that OF private for pubic
ife:'I 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 thWaft nlin
Were fully to admit what the ofhclal paper
alleges. that knew that the removal OF the de-
posts was agitated, that would not affect the
question between the President and me. Ii he
had asked my opinion, would have concurred
in the course which he was pursuing In Deem
ber 1892 namely, an appeal to Congress; 1t was
the same course which advocated whilst was
i'm Office and which offered to pursue myself
could have no suspicion however, that the
President intended to abandon in future the We
ry course which he had himself sanctioned. All
antecedent public acts even the respect then
entertained for him, forbade me to suppose, that
he meant to anticipate the action OF Congress,
evade the Judiciary, and trample on the law It
self / In his veto message, he left the subject
of the United States Bank to the Congress of
1888. 2. When, during the last Congress, he
doubted the safety ofthe public deposits in the
u. S. Bank instead oftaking upon himself the
responsibility of their removal, he appealed to
Congress.
3. His personal and political friend was APP
pointed to enquire into the condition OF the
Bank. and on his report the representatives of
the people. by vote of 100 to 46, directed the
public money to be retained, where the law had
placed it, a. 1t is fair to infer that the President
himself was satisfied with this decision, for he
soon after approved of an act of Congress, au-
tborising the Secretary of the Treasury to lend
to the United States Bank, or upon its stock, Sc
veral millions of dollars trust money receivable
from France for American citizens having
claims upon that country.
Had | ntuitive or prophetic skill? Because
banks and spectators continued to agitate the
deposite question, notwithstanding the decision
of Congress- was to suppose, that the PRESIDENT
would become their prey? Could suspect, that
they would be able to persuade him to consider
CONGRESS corruptible, and the Judiciary alrea-
DIV contaminated? Is it credible, that |, who
sought to avoid Office altogether, wilfully pa
ced myself in such d position, that my removal
4 IL
by the Senate for obeying him. would be newt
able2
When he thought proper to ask the written
oninions of the members of the cabinet upon
whom no responsibility would rest, was it not
due to me then shortly to enter his cabinet, that
he should have frankly informed me that the re-
moyal of the deposits before the meeting ofthe
next Congress. was defntivey fixed upon, and
that should be expected to do the act? Ne
yertbeless had no sort of intimation that the
opinions of the members 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 enquiry by Con-
gress.
When entered upon my official duties, and
found much to my surprise, that the measure
was determined upon, and that would be eX-
pected t. carry it into execution, my charitable
conclusion was, that as really accorded with
the President in opposing the United States
in this case with him. He fancied indeed that
nv hostility was unqualified, thatI would as
sail that institution after the manner of Indian
warfare and it 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 Magistrate. | contem-
Mated some changes which | hoped would be
beneficial to the country, and felt indignant
when found that measures were to be pressed
nnnn me. useful only to those who prey upon It's
yitals; an indignation, which, confess was in
creased by the circumstances, that the duty pre-
had been selected by the President as most
worthy to be his constitutional advisers, but by
irresponsible persons, who possessed the conf
dence, if not the places, properly belonging TO
them.
---l desire that it may be here borne
in mind, Notwithstanding the occurrences con-
nected with my removal from office, actually
desired tolavoid even complaint. Regarded the
President as the victim of unworthy influence and
unhappy passions; and therefore, as well as on
sba ouhlic account was deSironS of