Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1841-09-28

time it's name was so modified as to meet
your appreciation; and the bill was reported
and passed, in all essential particulars, as il
was when It came through our hands.
You asked Mr.. Webster and myself each
to prepare and present you an argument touch
ing the constitutionality of the bill; and before
those arguments could be prepared and read
by you. you declared, as / heard and believe,
to gentlemen, members of the House, that you
would cut ofyour right hand rather than APP
prove it. After this new resolution was t..
ken, you asked and earnestly urged the men,
bers of your Cabinet to postpone the bill; but
you would neither give yourself nor suffer
them to give, any assurance Of your future
course, in case Of such postponement. By
some of US, and was myself one, the effort
was made to crafty your wishes in the only
way in which il could be done with propriety;
that is, by obtaining the general concurrence
of the Wing members Of the two Houses In
the postpCnement. Il failed, as ] have reason
to believe, because you would give no assur-
ance that the delay was not sougl as a means
and occasion for hostile movements. During
this season of deep feeling and earnest ex-
erti0n upon our part, while we we're zealously
devoting our talents and influence to serve
and sustain you, the very secrets of our Ca.
binet councils made their appearance in a
infamous paper printed in Deighboring city,
the columns of which were daily charged with
fiattery of YOURSELF and foul abuse Of your
Cabinet. All this bore, for felt that my
services, so long as they could avail, were
due to the hation-to that great and magnani.
nous People whose suffrages elevated your
predecessor to the station which you now all
and whose united voices approved his act
when he summoned us around him, TO be
his counsellors; and felt that what was due
to his memory, to the njunctions which be
left US. in bis last dying words, and to the
People, whose servants we were, had not al
been performed until every means was tried,
and every hope had failed, OF carrying out
the true principles upon which the mighty
movement was founded that elevated him
and you to power.
This BIZ, framed and fashioned according
to your own suggestions, IN the intimatlons
of which am another member Of your CABS
net were made by you the agents and the
negotiators, was passed by large malorities
through the two houses of Congress, and sen
10 you, and you rejected it. Important 1s
was the part which ! had taken, at your re-
quest, in the organization of this BILL and deep"
" as was committed for your action upon
it, YOU never consulted me on the subject ct
the veto message. You did NOT even refer
to it in conversation, and the first notice had
Gifts contents was derived from rumor.
And to me, at least, you have done nothing
to wipe away the personal Indignity arising
out ofthe act. ! gathered,it is sure, from your
conversation, shortly after the bill had passed
the House, that you had strong purpose to
reject it; but nothing was said like softening or
apology to me, either in reference to myself or
to those with whom ! had communicated At
your r, quest, and who had acted themselves
and induced the two houses to act upon the
faith ofthat communication. And; strange a.
it may seem, the veto message attacks in an
especial manner the provisions which were in
serted at your request; and even the name OF
the corporation, which was not only agreed to
by you, but especially changed to meet your
expressed wishes, is made the subject of your
criticism Different men might view this
transaction in different points OF light, but, un-
der these circumstances, as matter Of per-
sonal honor, it would be hard for me 10 re-
main of your counsel. to seal my lips and leave
unexplained and undisclosed where lies in this
transaction the departure from straightforward.
ness and candor. Sc far indeed froeI admit
ting the encouragement which you gave to this
bill In its inception, and explaining and excu.
sing your sudden and viOlenI hostility towards
it. you throw into your veto message an inter-
rogatory equivalent to an assertion that it wa
such bill as you had already declared could
not receive your sanction. Such is fhe oOYi.
GUS effect of the first interrogatory clause on
the second page. 1t has all the force of ~
assertion witirOut IT'S open fdtrIIers. have
met and refuted this,the necessary interference
from your language, in my proceeding state.
ment, the correctness of which you am SURF
will not call in question.
Your veto to the first bill you rested on con-
sttutlonal ground, and the high conviction o
conscience; and no man in my op ui ,n,had a
night toquestlon your sincerity. so said, anC
| so acted, for through all the contest and col
hslon that arose out OF that act, you had my
adherence and supper. But how IL il will
respect 10 this! The subject of a A,nk Is mo-
new to you; it is more than twenty wears tba
you have made it an object of ccnsidera,ioI
and study, in itsconnexion with the CON
stIiutional powers of the General Govenmep,
You, therefore could not be, and were not "a
; ken nnprepared on the question. The bill
winch reported to congress, with your ap
PROBATION, at the commencement of the sessioI
had the clause relating to agencies. and N,
2 power to deal in exchanges, as strongly deyel
oped as the one you have now rejected. ana
equally without the assent ofthe States. Yol
3 referred especially and with appreciation 4
that clause, many days after in a conyersatio
held IN the department of State. You sane
TONED 1t IN this particular bill as detailed ahov
and no doubt was thrown out on The sub;e.
by you, IN my hearing, or within nv know
D edge, until the letter of Mr.. Bolts came 4
0 hour hands. Soon after the reading of that LET
.er' you threw Out strong Intimatione that vol
I would veto the bill if it were not postnoned =
!, That letter did and do most uneanivocaIl,
condemn, but 1t did not effect the constitu.io1
It ahty OF the BILL or justify you IN reivctinO Il 3
that ground: it could effect only the exnedieu
cy OF your action; and whatever yov NAV noy
oeneve as to the scruples existing in your min
G IN TINS and IN kindred source there is stron
d ground to believe that they have their origiI
d be right in this, and doubt not am
mere Is great public measure demanded b
4 the country, passed upon and approved by tn
Representative of the States and the peoplt
n rejected by you as President on grounds hav
Il ing no origin in conscience, and no referenc
d TO the public good. The rejection Of this me.
i. ure too, continues the purse with the sword
: IN the hands of the Executive, from which y.
strove to wrest it in the contest which elevate
Il your predecessor and you to power. Ic.nnC
It concur IN this your course of policy. In {
II out of0f6ce, my opinions remained nnch.pgej
: cannot abandon the principle for whieh
during all my political career. ! have struC
:. gled; especially, cannot be one Of the n