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

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% that means no disrespect, q with feeling
such as lately declared them to be, sta
n ted to you why | refuse TO execute wha
e you direct, proceed to perform neces
!. sarily connected act of duty, by announ
v cling TO you, that do not intend volunta
:, rily to leave the post which the law ha
e placed under my charge, and by giving
It you my reasons for SO refusing.
J 1t is true, that on the 22d Of July, yot
signiiied p language sufficiently intelIigi
j BILE, that you would remove me from Office
e unless Would consent 10 remove the de
a posltes on your final decision; it may ais,
0 be true that should then have put it tt
r the test; and it is also true, that under +
IweH grounded assurance that your bank
j plan, the only one then embodied in the
instructions drawn up by me for your al
gent, would be, as It proved, abortive, and
that for this and other causes you would
be content, I did state my willingness 10
retire, if could not concur with you.
Bat | am not afraid to meet the verdict
OF generous men, upon my refusal, Oh re-
Election, and after what has since occurred,
TO do voluntarily what | then believed !
never should be asked to do. If had a
trail reputation, OF had any sinister pur
pose TO answer might be open to censure,
for neglect of punctilious dellcacy; but
can have no impure motives, much less
can attain any selfish end: barely choose
between one mode Of retirement and an.
other; and choose that mode, which
should least Of all have preferred, il ! had
not exalted and redeemiug considerations
in its favor.
have, besides, your own example; I
do not say, that after you had promised
mot to interfere with the independent ex-
erclse of the discretion vested in me by
law" you were wrong in interfering, il
you really thought the public welfare a
tsupcrlor consideration to Il mere obserV-
ance of assurances made to me; nor can
you say that err, when upon IA solemn
sense OF duty, prefer ole mode Of reno
val from this station to another.
The course is due TO my own selfpra
1servallon, as well as TO the public, for YOU
have in all your papers held out an as
surance, that you would not s'nterlere
with the Independent exercise Of tic dis
erection committed to me by law" over the
deposites; AID yet, every thing but actual
removal OF me from office has been done
to effect that end. So that, were to 60
out Of office Voluntarily, you might be
able to point to official papers that would
contradict me-, If said you interfered, and
should thus be helt up as IA weak OF
laithless agent, who regarded delicacy not
shown to himself, more than duty to bis
trust.
Sir, after all, | confess to you. that
have had scruples, for it is the first time
that have ever condescepded to weigh
question of the kind; but | am content
that it shall be said of me, that in July
last | forgot myself, and my duty too, rath-
er than that it should be said. that now
knowing the course that you pursue, | had
in any way favored it; on the contrary, il
| have erred, am willing to be reproyed,
but my motives no man can mpugn.
My refusal to resign cannot keep me-
one moment longer than you please, in al
office that ! never sought, and at a reno
val from which shall not greve on my
own account; it must, on the contrary,
hasten my exit. So that. if you shall pro.
coed in Wrestling from the Secretary of the
Treasury the citadel in his possession, the
act can only be accomplished by man
date, which will be my apology for no
longer standing in the breach.
And now, sir, allow me 10 repeat to-
you, in sincerity OF heart, that in taking
the present course, under solemn sense
of my obligations, / feel sorrow on your
account, far greater than on my own.
have been your early, uniform, and stead
fast friend. can have no unkind dispo-
sition, but shall cherish those OF kind
nature, that feel. You proudly occupy
the hearts of your countrymen; but sill it
is the lot OF humanity, at times, to err. |
do ample justice to your motives, but |
am constrained to regret your present pro-
ceedngs; and devoutiy wish, that you
may live to see all my iorehodings contra
dictcd, and your measures followed by re-
suits beneficial to your conntry, and hon
orable to yourself With the utmost con.
federation, your obedient servant,
W.. DUANE.
No. 8.
The president of the United States to the
Secretary Of the Treasury.
/ IKrebtnrr}n,, Sent Oh 1333