Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1841-09-30
LETTERS OF REsIGNATION.
From the Na,ionn! iniegencsr Of the 2l.t.
MR.. BADGERS LETTER.


proper to oiler . public explanation OF
some Of the reasons which led 10 my
resignation, on the I lth instant, Of the
Office of Secretary of the Navy, and,
for that purpose, ask small space in
the National lntelligencer.
At the Cabinet meeting held on the
l8Ib August last, (the Attorney Cen
eral and the Postmaster General being
absent the subject Of an Exchange
Bank, or institution, was brought for
ward by the President himself, and was
fully considered. Into the particulars
oi what passed do not propose now 10
enter. 1t will be sufficient to say that
il was then distinctly stated and UNDER
stood that such an institution met the ap-
probation Of the President, and was
deemed by him free Of constitutional OH
jec,ions; that he desired (if Congress
should deem it necessary 10 act upon
the subject during the SESSION. that
such an institution should be adopted
by that body, and that the members Of
his Cabinet should aid in bringing about
that result; and Messrs. WERsFER ap5
EWING were specially requested by the
President TO have a commune alton up
on thc subject with certain members of
Congress. The institution then spoken
Of was to be located in the District of
ColAmbia; so be authorised to establish
agencies in the States and Territories
with power to deal IN bills Of exchange
between the United States and foreign
countries, and in bills of exchange
drawn in one State or Territory and
payable in another State or Territory;
and the exercise Of this power was not
to depend on any assent, expressed or
implied, oithe States within which such
agencies Highi be established.
In consequence Of what passed at This
meeting, saw such friends in Congress
as deemed it proper TO approach. and
urged upoH them the passage of bill
to establish such an institution, assuring
them that | did not doubt it would re-
ceive the appreciation of the Pres hiels,
The bill passed, as the public know,
and was met by the Veto. Now, il the
PresidoIt, at tue meeting of the 18Th af
August, had changed Afs Sts& ~ TO the
constitutional power of Congress, aSa
had come to doubt or deny what he had
admitted IN that Eee,ias, fwhteA is the
most favorable Interpretation that cam
be put upon his conduct) il was IN say
opinion, plain duty on his part 10 have
made known to the gentlemen c0pcerpc
ed this change of seItimc Rt---to have
offered them an apology Wv the unpleass
ant sItHa.IoR IN which tfey were placed
by bis agency--og, NJ least, 10 haye
sn(tened, by q full expfanation 81 hgs
/ motives, his intended Veto of H,e:s-
! sure in promoting the success Of which
they, ut his request, had rendered theig
q assistancc.
But this the Presiden, did not do.
I Never, from the Laotpent Of my leaving
\ his house on the 18th, did be opep his
I lips 10 me on the subject. Ii WAS oply
from the newspapers, from rumor, from
+. hearsay, learned that he had denied
! the constii utionality Of the proposed in
sttulion. and had ypade the most sp,c WV.
I, ,assevsps.ons that he would never APP
| prove a measure which knew was sug-
gested by himself, and which had becp,
| at his own instance introduced into Con-
gress. 1t was still in the President s.
power, by proper stateinept IN tho
message containing hi4 objections 10 tho
hill, to haye supplied these owissIons,
and in some degree at least 10 have rs@
I paired hJs goymer neglect; but when
|, that paper came to be read, it was found
that, so far from saying frankly that ss
once favored and had been willing To
sanction the bill, but had been led &c
such was the fact by sNhse9HeM re-
hection to ADOPT different views upon
the subject, he treated the measure Ga
, one evidently inconsistent with his pie-
viously expressed opinions, and which
i, ought not for moment to have becp
supposed kc could ABbyeya,
B. Whether this conduct Of the Presr-
: dent is susceptible Of just defence or
reasonable excuse is not necessary now
to inquire. have not heard, Re1aer
can | Imagine any ground tor either,
Whether an explanation OF II has been
offered to any ops Of the gentemen
concerned know not, but none was al
any time offered to me; aud while
4 lorbsar TO make tho remarks, obvious
a and painful az th2y are, ghich the tren-
. saotion suggests, | declare tho convic-
. ton that this conduct Of the President
standing without known defence, es
cUse or explanation, constituted (it NJ
. other reasons had existed ample Sropnd
!. for u withdrawal from his Cabinet with
out delay.
q II IL scarcely Secessgry 70 say that
. have not supposed, and do NOT nov sup
! pose, that difference merely bctweer
the President and his Cabinet, either o.
to the constitutionality or Iho expedfen.
cy Of u bank, necessarily interRos''
any obstacles to n iull aud cordial 90,
- opcrat,on between them in the genera
conduct Of bis Administration an'
therefore deeply ns regret the ,et'
of the srst bill, | did not feel myself n
liberty to retire on that account iron
q INV situation. But tho facts attending
a, the initiation and disapproval Of tho laS
hill made case totally different iron
thaf-one il is believed without n pnr
i,llcl in the history of our Cabinets
presenting, to say nnihing more. mea
W sure embraced aud then fepudiaied-