The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1841-09-21
The PRESIDENT.

Treasury Department, Sept. IL, 1S4l.
| SIR:-After the most calm and careful con-
! sideration, and viewing the subject in all the
! aspects in which it presents itself to my mind
have come to the conclusion that ought no
I longer to remain a member of your cabinet.
therefore resign the Office of Secretary of the
Treasury, and beg you to accept this as my
letter of resignation.
| To avoid misunderstanding, | distinctly de-
! clare that do not consider a difference of o.
pinion as to the charter of a National Bank q
sufficient reason for dissolving the ties which
have existed between us. Though | look up
on that measure as one of vast importance to
the prosperity of the country, and though |
should have deeply deplored your inability or
unwiIipgness to accord it to the wishes of the
People and the States, so unequivocally ex-
pressed through their Representatives,still, up
on this, and this alone, uneonnected with 9TH
or controlling circumstances, | should not have
felt bound to resig the place which | hold in
your administration. But those controlling
circumstances do exist, and will, in my own
justification, place them in conneXion before
you.
It is but just 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,
as far as | know or believe, receive at any
time either your express or implied assent
So far as that bill was known to me, or as was
consulted upon it, | endeayored to bring its
provisions as nearly as possible in accordance
with what understood to be your views, and
rather hoped than expected your approval. |
knew the extent to which you were committed
on the question. knew the pertinacy with
which you adhered to your expressed opinions,
and dreaded from the first the most disas-
trous consequences, when the project of CON-
promise which presented at an early day was
rejected.
1t is equally matter of justice 20 you and
to myself to say that the bill which reported
to the two Houses of Congress at the CON-
mencement of the session, in obedience to
their call, was modified SO as to meet your ap-
probation. You may not, it is true, have read
the bill throughout, and examined every part of
it. but the 18th fundamental article, which be-
came the contested question of principle, was
freely discussed between US, and it was under
stood and unequivocallS sanctioned by your
SELF, The last clause in the bill, also, which
contained reservation of power in Congress,
was inserted on the 9th of June, in your pres
ence, and with your appreciation; though you
at one time told me that, in giving your
sanction to the bill, you would accompany it
with an explanation of your understanding of
that first clause.
In this condition of things, though greatly
regretted your veto on the bill as it passed the
two Houses of Congress, and though foresaw
the excitement and agitation which it would
produce among the People, yet considering
the changes which the bill had undergone in
its passage, and its variance from the one you
had agreed to sanction, could not find in that
act enough to disturb the confidential relations
which existed between us. | was disposed to
attribute this act, fraught with mischief as it
was, to pure and honorable motives, and to a
conscientious conviction on your part that the
bill, in some of its provisions, conhicted with
the Constitution. But that opinion of your
course on the bill which has Just been returned
TO congress with your second veto, do not
and cannot entertain. Recur to what has pas.
sed between us with respect to it, and you will
al once perceive that such opinion is impossi-
bic.
On the morning of the 10th of August, |
called at your chamber, and found you pre-
pairing the first veto message, to be despatched
TO the senate. The secretary of War came
in also, and you read a portion of the message
to us. He observed that, though the veto
would create a 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 it would be calmly received, es-
pecially as it did not shut out all hope of
bank. To this you replied, that you really
thought there ought to be no difficulty about
it; that you had sufficiently indicated in your
veto message what kind of bank YOU would
approve, and that Congress might, if they saw
fit, pass such one in three days
The 18th being the day for regular Cabinet
meeting, we assembled, all except Messrs.
Chittenden and Granger, and you told us that
YOU had a long conversation with Messrs. Der.
rien and Sergeant, who professed to come in
behalf of the Wings of the two Houses, to en-,
deavor to strike out some measure which wopld
be generally acceptable. That you had your
doubts about the propriety of conversing with