New-York tribune., 1841-09-15


publication; w.....-o. Co... :, ,.u
s,e Circumstances have occurred in the course
IS your Administration, and chiefly in the exercise
he Won of the Veto Power which constran me TO
bclieve that my longer continuance in office as
member of your Cabinet will be neither agreeable
10 you useful TO the country, nor honorable to my
self.
Do me the Justice, Mr. President, to believe that
his conclusion has been adopted neither capr'.
ccusy. nor in any spirit Of party feeling or personal
hostility, but from sense of d"fy, winch instance
though it may be, is ye, so siHcerely eiei'd'"eu,
that | checrfuy sacrifice 10 1t the advantages anu
distinctions of Office
Be pleased. therefore, TO accept this as my re-
.ignaon of the offise of .Attorney-G OF The
United States. Very respectfully, yours, &c.
Tue President. J. J. CRlTTENDEN
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Sept IL, 1871.
SIR: After the most calm and careful consldcra-
hon, and viewing the subject in all the aspects IN
which it presents itself TO my mind, have come TO
the conclusion that | ought longer to remain
member of your Cabinet. | therefore resign the
,5ce of Secretary of the Treasury, and beg you TO
accept this as my letter OF resignation.
To avoid misunderstanding, | distinctly declare
that do not consider difference Of opinion As to
lie charter of II National Bank sufficient reason
for dissolving the ties which have existed between
u.-Thoush look upon that measure one OF
vast importance to the prosperity of the country
add though should have deeply doplored your in
ability or unwillingncss accord it TO the wishes
the People and the States, anequivocalIy ex-
rre.sed through their Representatives. STILL upon
this and this alone, uncOnnected with other control
ing circumstances, should not have felt bound to
resign the place which | hold in your administra
lion But those controlling circumstances do exist
and will, in my own justification, place them in
connection before you.
1t is but iust to YOU to say that the bill which
FIRST passed the two Houses OF Congress, and which
was returned with your objections on the 10th OF
August, did never, in its progress, far Us Know
or believe receive at any time either your express
or implied assent. So far as that bill was known
10 me- or was consulted upon it, | endeavored to
bring Its provisions near possible in accord
ance with what | understood to bc your views, and
rather hoped than expected your approval. | knew
the extent which you were committed on the ques-
rOa. knew the pertinacity with which you ad
hcred 10 your expressed opinions, and dreaded
from the first the most destructive consequences,
when the project of compromise which presented
ut an early day was rejected.
1t is equally matter of justice to you and to
myself to say tina, the bill which reported TO the
two Houses of Congress at the commencement of
the session. in obedience to their CALI was modified
so as TO meet YOUR appreciation. You may not, it
is true, have read the bill throug lieut. and examined
every part of it; but the 10th fundamental article
which became the contested question OF principle,
was freely discussed between us, and 1t was under
stood and unequivocnlly sanctioned by yourself.
The last clause in the bill, also, which contained
reservation of power in Congress, was inserted on
the 9th Of June, in your presence and with your APP
81, oh untp mo n
giving YOUR sanction to the bill, you would accom-
pany it with az explanation of your understanding
Of that first clause.
In this condition OF things, though greatly re-
GREETED your veto on the bill it passed the TWO
Houses of Congress, and thought foresaw the ex-
element and agitation which 1t would produce
among the People, yet, considering the changes
which the bill had undergone in it, passage, and its
variance from the one you had agreed 10 sanction,
| could not find in that act enough TO disturb the
confidential relations which existed between us. l
disposed to attribute this act, Taught with mis-
chief as i, was to pure and honorable motives, and
a conscientious conviction on your part that the
BILL in some of its provisions, coniicted with the
Constitution But that opinion ut your course ON the
bill which has Just been returned to Congress with
YOUR second veto, | do not and cannot entcrtain.-
Recur TO what has passed between us with respect
10 ii, and YOU will at once perceive that such opn-
Ion is impossible.
On the morning OF The 10th of August, called
Your chamber, and found you preparing the first
veto message TO be despatched 10 the Senate.
The Secretary of War came in also and You read
portion of the message TO US. he observed that,
though the veto would create great sensation in
Congress, YET he thought the minds of our friends
better prepared for it than they were some days
ago, and he hoped il would be calmly received
especially us it did shut oct all hope OF bank
10 this YOU replied that you really thought there
ought to be no difficulty about ii; that yeu had su
hcieutly Indicated in your message what kind
OF bank you would approve, and that Congress
might il they fit, pass such IA one in three days
The 18th being the day for our regular Cabinet
meeting, we assembled, all except Messrs. Crit
tenden and Granger, and YOU told Us that you had
had a long conversation with MesSrS. Berrcn and
Sergeant, who protested to come IN behalf ct the
Wings of the two Houses to endcavor TO strike out
some measure which would be generally acceptable
hat you had yeur doubts about the propriety OF
converSlnS with them yourself. and thought 1t more
proper that yca should commune with them through
your constitutional advisers. You expressed wish
that the whole subject should be postponed till the
mex, session of Congress. You SPOKE of the DELAY
IN The Senate OF the consideration of your veto
message and expressed anxiety AS to tb, tone and
temper which the debate would assume.
Mr.. Badger said that on enquiry he was happy 10
End that the best temper prevailed in the Two
Houses He believed they were perfectly ready 10
take up the bill reported by the Secretary of the
Treasury, and pass il at once. You replied, Talk
not TO me of Mr.. Ewing's bill; it contains that
odiOus feature of local discounts which have
5ePudiaied in my message then said to YOU, /
have no dcubt sir thar the House, having asccr-
tanned yonr views, will pass bill in conformity TO
them. provided they can be satisfied that it would
answer the purposes of the Treasury. and relieve