Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1841-10-12
NAsHINGToN, Sept. 10, 1911.
CAUSE OF THE CABINET BLOW UP-THE
CLAY PLOr-HISrORY OF MR.. CLAY'S
I\IRiGT- Is

nation To- force bank bill upon Pre-, :dent Tyler
such AZ he could not sanction without personal dis
honor, and thus make an issue the currency cues
tion before the people. Recent Developments Ia
ken IN connection with the course of Mr.. Clay dur
~ the late session Of Congress, demonstrate this
act ith almost mathematical certainty.
Before leaving Kentucky. Mr. Clay made his ar
rang, mens 10 secure the advantages TO be derived
from the organization OF the House IN oil its details
Of the SpcaRer officers, and committees. He pro-
cured the appointment of an incompetent man as
Speaker. by means OF an open bargain, by which
New York TO have the Chairman of the Ways
and Means, and every committee constituted 80 as
give him the absolute, undsputed control OF the
action otthe popular branch OF the national legisla-
ture. On some occasions the wings went through
the formal.iy Of caucus, but even then the inhu-
ence of the dictator ali powerful.
IN tie Senate his sway was supreme, and M the
early part of the session he conceived plan for
producing a rupture between the Pres dent and his
Cabinet, and of driving Mr. Tyler from his posi-
ton as the actual well Official head OF the par
-. The second week Of the session, before the call
for a Dr0jef tor fiscal agent" was made upon the
Treasury Department. Mr.. Clay had long confer
ence with President Tyler, and obtained from him,
both ora Is and IN writing. bis sentiments the
ia i-ct at a bank. The President told him, with
ms usu1l rankness, that although lac desired to con-
form has views and actions To those Of the parts
IS hch mad elected him, still he could not sanction
ii principles aud TO the opinions " hch he had uni
formly expressed throughout his political life. Tins
conference was amicable and friendly, ami on NJ
part of the Pres dent sincere and cOnfding. Mr.
Clay kgew, therefore, before any movement was
made the bank question either House, precise
~ what tne determination OF the President was,
and |what provisions We're necessary 10 ensure the
executive sanction. lie acted throughout with a
full knowledge OF the position and sentiments OF the
President. ami all his pretended hopes or eXpecta-
tons OF the passage of his bank oil through all the
branches of the government, sheer, unmit gated
hypocrisy. There was never moment that he an
tcipated the concurrence OF Slr. Tyler, tor he had
ms positive, unequvocal assurance to me contrary
Win show OF Difference to the opinions If the
President, and in consequence OF an Intmation IN
the report of the Secretary, Mr.. Clay made a call
upon the department for plan for "FIscal Agent >
Inc President suggested that the assent principle
should be engraited upon the scheme, but the call
had been made directly the head OF the Ireasu-
~ and hc did not interfere with or examine the de-
tails OF the bill. The Treasury plan was sent to
the Senate, and referred 70 Mr.. Clay's committee
on finance. But It spurncd with studied con
tempt, aud Mr. Clay presented PrQjc OF hls own,
which he knew would be killed by the lnterpostion
oil the executive veto.
Mr.. Rive, presented amendment TO require the
of the respective states, and ii was rejected
By NJ. Clay, knowing, he did, that the bill could
not become law without 1t.
On asccrtainng that tins bill could not be carried
through the Senate in It's then shape, Mr.. Clay, in
conjunction with Gen. Porter, Of New York, who
then IN this city, concocted ms subteriuge,
which he called i compromise. This humOug Mr..
Clay submitted to the President through Mr.. Bolts.
This latter individual told the President that II the
proposition not satisfactory, he would burn the
paper and nothing more should be said the sub
Ject. The President replied that he regarded 1t as
more Objectionable that the bold, manly, Ineligible
assertion of the branching power IN Mr. Ciays orr
gInal bill. Bolts destroyed the paper accordingly
assuring the President that he should hear nothing
more about 1t.
This was precisely what Mr.. Clay had expected
and desired. lie had ascertalned that the PresI-
dent not to be deluded by the shallow artIhce,
and nothing further necessary but TO present
some pretextupon which rs.PFeston and MerrIck
could rerace thersteps, and his designs were accom-
plished. .te made up his mind to carry his bank
bill through Congress, without yielding one inch oil
substantial ground without concedlng one particle
OF power claimed in his original BILL without sacrl-
clng one ota to the principles preludIces OF the
Pres dent his friends lie had determined TO force
the President a veto, and he now discovered mode
TO carry bill through Congress, which he knew
could not meet the executive sanction. lie knew
1t from the Presidents own lips - he knew 1t iron
the representations of his instruments, who had pu
tue question directly to Mr. Tyler The subter
luge otfered-Alessrs. Preston and MerrIcl
stultfed themselves, and the bill was carried
through the Senate. But tins not all OF The
sinister management OF Mr.. Clay. He contrved It
commit majority OF the cabinet IN favor OF his mum
bug amendment. lie told them they would be com
PEELED 10 resign a veto he persuaded them tina
they could overrule the President and they persuad
ed themselves that he could be deceived INTO be
lief that this absurd and contradictory amendment
ought to satisfy and obyiate his constitutional scru
pies TINS portion Of the cabinet, overreached b,
Mr. Clay. and stimulated by anxiety to retain then
mia l,h, wit all tUhf i,
adoption OF the amendment, and then moved heav
EN- and earth, to induce the President to sign th(
bill. 1t was known to Mr.. Clay and all the friend,
of the President that the action OF the Cabinet wa
not only Unauthorized, and separate, and dlstlnc
from the Executive, but that 1t IN opposition Il
his wishes. and in contrayentOn of his opinions ant
sentiments. Nevertheless the plan was successful
Mr.. CLAW had accomplished all ne contemplated o.
= expected. lie had displayed ms omnpotence II
Congress, and laid the foundation of "a schism be
: tween the President and his cabinet Mr.. Cal
never hoped or intended that the bill should be -
modified : 10 receive the executive sanction.
2 speak upon knowledge derived from the solemn de
claration of one Of MIR Clays most devoted part
+ sans IN the Senate. by God" said he, Il neve
could have voted for the compromise, If had though
: it yielded one inch OF ground, or If | had not beer
positively assured that the President would vet
the bill
1t was Mr. CIays del berate, well considered pur
pose to break up the cabinet, anu separate Presi
dent Tyler from the entire wing party. In the frs
: he succeeded. The latter he Wi find to De NOR
difficult task. Finding the cabinet would not read
ly be dismehbered on the first veto, he refused /
permit the bank question to be postponed. ali
drove matters To extremity, with clear perceptIo
of all the Immediate consequences, but with fas
notion OF the Interior results OF his headong course
II has been the misfortune OF tins great man nev
, er to appreciate the feelings Of the masses Sur
rounded by politicians and ardent personal admir-
p no py,r routoundS their devotion with Dopul