Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1837-02-13
vol. l5-NO. sc.
THE PRESIDENTS LETTER.

Sir received on the evening of the gath
lust your letter, covering copy Of certain RESP
lunons puputilns 10 have been adopted ~
committee OF the House ot Representatives, oil
which you are chairman, & request that YOU viii
my before that committee this, my reply, which
la stem 10 make.
II appears, by the published proceedings Of tho
Hou. u OF Representatives., that the committee, OF
winch you are chairman, was appointed on your
motion. The rcsolutlon Offered by you aud IL
nally adopted 10y the House, raised n direct issue
with that part OF my annual message III "hch !
hid the following language: before concluding
this paper | think II due 10 the various Execu-
tive Departments, 10 bar testimony oil lhe'r rio'-
pef5us condition, and 10 the ability aud INTEGRITY
with winch they have heen conducted, II hns
becn my ann To enforce IN all OF them aVigiIant
aud faithful d ,charge fthe public business ana
II Is gratifying To mr IL believe that there ~ no
lusi cause ot complaint from any quarter, az 'he
manner IN which they have iulhllea The oolec'
oi their creation \ orr resolution Is IN the iol-
oylng words "Resuycd. That much of the
Pfesdeur. message asrelatcs 10 the condition
OF the various Executive Departments, the abili-
" aud integrity with which they have been con-
Quoted. the visllnnl aud faithful discharge ui the
public business IN all OF them, aud the causes 81
compliant from ANY quarter at the manner IN
which they have fulfilled the objects oi their ere
atlon. he referred 10 select committee, 10 con-
iist oil nine mrmhers vi power 10 send Tor per-
IONS and papers, and With instructions Ia inquire
/ Ito the condition ot The various Executive De
parlments the ability aud integrity with which
they have been conducted, lnlo the manner IN
winch the public business has been discharged
in all of them aud llto all causes Of complaint
from any quarter, nj the manner III which said
departments, or then bureaus orotheers oragens
oi every description whtlrycr, directly or nut
rccily connected with them IN any manner, OH
clnliy unolhcially, IN duties pertaining 10 the
public interest hive fulfilled OF laiied 10 accom-
pllsh the objects OF Their creation, or have VIOLA
ted their duties, on have injured aud impaired me
public service and interest, and that SAID commit
Tee, In lis inquiries, may refer to such periods Of
une ~ To them ma, seem cSpcdleht and proper"
1t also appcats, from the published proceedings
oi the House, that thu resolution was arcompa-
med aud supported by speech OF considerable
length. III which you preferred many severe tnt
vague changes OF corrupt N aud abuse III The
Executive Departments, The resolution adopt-
ed by The committee as we'll az that adopted by
the House itself, must be taken IN connec-
ton with your introductory speech, which gives
II character To The whole proceeding. When thus
regarded, it Is obvious that by the resolution OF
the House, an issue Is made with the frcsldent
of The tullcd States as hc had alleged, IN LIS
annual message, that the heads Of The Exccu-
tive Departments had performed then oihclaI du-
ties with ability and integrity. In your speech
Won denied this yen charged them with mani
fold eonupilOus. aud abuses OF trust, as yoa
had done IN former speeches, TO Which You refer
red and YOU demanded an Investigation through
The medium OF II committee teiialn othef
members If Congress. us appears by the publish
ed hates, united with you IN these accusations;
and for the purpose oi ascctnnng ther truth or
fllsebood the committee you demanded was OF
delrd To be raised, aud you were placed At ITS
head The fist proceeding Of the investigating
committee IS 10 pass series OF resolutions,
which, though amended IN Their passage, were, hs
understood, introduced by you, calling on the
President and the heads of the departments
mol 10 answer 10 any specific charge not TO cx-
PLAN any alleged abnsc , not 10 give Information
as 10 any paItlcular transaction lut, assuming
that they have been gully OF the charges alleged,
calls upon them 10 furnish evidence against
themselves
Alter the reiterated charges you made, II was
10 have been expected that You would have
Leen prepared to reduce them TO specifications,
aud that The committee would then proceed 10 in
yeslaaie the matters alleged. but instead OF this,
Won resort To grneraltles even more vague man
your original accusations and IN open violation OF
the Constitution, aud OF thar well established
and WIZ maxim, =" that all men are presumed TO
b. innocent until proven guilty, according TO the
csfab.Is he'd rules ~ law you request myself and
the heads of the departments To become our own
nrrusars and to furnish the evidence 10 convict
;aud this call purports 10 fe founded on
the authority Of that body in which alone by the
Constitution, the power Of impeaehing us is
vested Thc head oi departments may answer
such a request IS they please, provided they do
moi w,ihdrov their own Tune and that Of the
pn,eers under Their direction, from The public bu
,,neSs. 20 the injury thereof To that business
shall direct them 10 devote themselves, IN pre-
ference 10 any illegal and unconstitutional calls
FOR information. no matter from what source it
may come. or however anxious they may be 10
nee, il For myself hall repel all such nj
empts ns an invasion OF the principles Of JUS
ice n. we'll AS of the Constitution and shall