The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-09-01
HERMITAGE, Aug. ls, 1910.
TO THE PUBLIC.

Your surprise, | am quite sure, will be great as
mine was, on the perusa of note, signed ANDREW
JACKSON, addressed to the editor of the Nashville
u non, and bearing date on the 18th instant.
The circumstances of my present visit to Nashville
are well known here. declined repeated invitations
to attend the Convention holden the 18th instant
and finally yielded to an unusual appeal, with which
was honored and which it would be difficult for any
man TO resist.
was called upon to address the Convention. In
what terms of respect and for his military service of
praise spoke of the distinguished individual who is
the occasion of this note all who heard testify
Among the subjects which discussed that of the
degeneracy in public virtue, and especially the delin-
quency and infidelty in public officers of which with
in the last few years we have had such lamentabc
proof In assigning causes for this depoable state OF
things stated, among them, the subverson of the
rule laid down by Mr. Jefferson of honesty capaci y,
and fidelity TO the Constitution ard the substitution
for it of founded on devotion and subserviency,
not to the country, but to the chief of party that
persons appointed to office too often considered them
selves as being only put in possession of their egt-
mate share of the spois of victory instead OF feeling
bound by the obligations of sacred trust coniided for
the benefit of the People In respect to deaulters,
referred the of Mr. Livingston OF whose attain
ments urst, not more consistent with truth than
my feelings, spoke in the highest terms. Hewas one
of the earliest and of the greatest defaulters.
His case occurred under Mr. Jeflersons admnstra-
ton The records both of the Executive and Judi
cal Departments established his default He remained
defauer about quarter OF century, II not more.
How he finally liquidated the balance against him,
and when do not certainly know, but | believe it
was by property, and under the first term of General
Jackson But whenever and however il was, tardy
payment composition of the debt could not and did
not expunge the fact his original default.
In arguing from TO effect, conlended that the
appointment of Mr.. Livingston was perncious pre-
cedent; that it virtual proclamation to all who
were or might be defauters that their infdelity in
public constituted nsuperabe barrier to pro-
| r.l.- -. a.. ~.
ment did not attribute to General Jackson know
ledge ofthc default went even so far ms TO say that
he might not have reflected upon the consequences of
the appointment of an individual SO situated ! must
now say that until General Jackson otherwise asserts
am constrained to believe that he could not have been
ignorant of fact conspicuous in the annals of
country that of the default of Edward Livingston,
Esq, Attorney of the United States in the District
of New York, during the administration of Mr. Jctier
son. to the amount of about 100000.
II was in the train of the same thought and argu
ment that adduced the appointment of Mr. S, Swart
won't to the office of Collector of the most important
port in the United States, Of most unforu
nate and injurious example, His participation in the
schemes Of Colonel Burr a fact of such universal
notoriety that ! supposed, and yet suppose that
man the least conversant with the history Of the
try could be ignorant oft. But it not upon Gen
Jacksons knowledge of that fact il upon the fact
itself that dwc
1t is now said that the appointment Of MIR Swari
won't was recommended by citizens of New York |
know nothing of these recommendations. Whether
they were cause or effect whether they were gotten
up to produce to give color and To the appoint
mcnt previously determined to be made, their secret
history only could disclose. The appointment coca
stoned general surprise among the friends and foes of
the Administration at the time and the sequel demon
stracs how unwisc il was.
These topics of my address to the Convention on
Monday last have been selected by General Jackson
for comment and animadversion. He was not present
the occasion. He has made apple to me
for correct Of what actually said but has
been contented to rely upon being informed, by
whom, with what motives and with what objects,
have no means Of conecturng. Whether his inform
er may not be SINE friend OF Mr. Van Buren,, who, in
the present desperate state Of his political fortunes
wishes to bring the General into the field and turn the
tide Of Just Indignation on the part ofthe People from