Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-09-24
Very respectfully, yours, &c.
J. JCRlTTEN DEN.
The PRESIDENT.


SIN After the most calm and careful con-
sderaion, and viewing the subject in all the
| aspects in which it presents tselfto my mind,
have come to the conclusion that ought no
longer to remain member of your Cabinet
therefore resign the office of Secretary of the
Treasury, and beg you to accept this as my let
ter of resignation.
To avoid misunderstanding, l distinctly de-
clare that do not consider difference of OPT
Mon as TO the character of a National Bank
sufficient reason for dissoving the tics which
have existed between lis. Though look upon
that measure as one of vast importance to the
prosperity of the country, and though should
have deeply deplored your inability or unwilling
ness to accord it 10 the wishes OF the people and
the States, so uncquivocay expressed through
| their representatives, still, upon this and this
| alone unconnccted with other controlling cir
cumsanccs,l should not have felt bound to resign
the place which hold in your administrations
But those controlling circumstances do exist,
| and will, in my own justification, place them
| in cOnneXon before YOU.
| 1t i, bat just to you to say that the bill winch
frs. passed tie two Houses of Congress, and
which vas returned with your objections on the
10Th Of August, did never, in It's progress, far
as know or believe, receive at any time either
your express or implied assent. So far as that
upon it, cndeavored to bring its provisions as
nearly as possible in accordance with what |
understood TO be your views, and rather hopcd
| than erpcctd your approval. knew the extent
to which You were committed on the question.
, knew the pertlnacity with which you adhered
| to your expressed opinions, and dreaded from
the first the most disastrous consequences,
when the project of compromise which | pre-
scented at an early day was rejected.
| Ii is equally matter of Justice to YOU and to
myself TO say that the bill which reported to
! the two Houses Of Congress at the commence
ment of the session. in obedience TO their call.
was modified 50 as to meet your approbation.--
! You may not, it is true, have read the bill
| throughout, and examined every part of it but
! the 10Th fundamental article, which became the
contested question OF principle, was freely dis
cussed between Us, and il was understood and
unequvocally sanctioned by yourself The last
clause in the bill also, which contained a reser-
walton of power in Congress. was inserted on
the 9th Of June, in your presence, 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 ofthngs, though I 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, vet, considering the
! changes which the bill had undergone in its
! passa~e, and lis 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 ,fraurht with mischief as it was
| to pure and honorable motives, and TO a con-
scentIous conviction ON your part that the bill,
! IN some OF Its provisions, contllctch with the
Constitution. Bat that opinion of your course
on the bill which has Just been returned TO Con.
gress with your second veto, do not and cannot
Us with respect to it, and you will at once per-
cicve that such opinion is impossible.
| On the morning of the 10Th of August, call.
! ed AZ your chamber, and found YOU PREPARING
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
lie observed that, though the veto would create
a great scnsltionn Congress, yet he thought the
minds OF our friends better prepared foo it than
, they were some days ago and he hoped it would
be calmly received, especially as it did not shut
out all hope OF bank. TothIs you replied that
You really thought there ought TO be 10 dItfi-
Guilty about II that you had sufficiently indica-
ted, IN your veto message, what kind OF bank
YOU NOuIu dIORt. lIIdl congress lllIuilI, IL
they saw tit, pass such a one in three days.
The 18Th being the day for our regular Cab
met meeting, we assembled, all except Messrs
Crtlcuden and Granger, and you told lis that
you had long conversation with Nessrs. Ber-
rcn and Sergeant, who protested to come in
behalf OF the Wings OF the two Houses to ell
dcayor to strike out some measures which. would
be generally acceptable. That you had your
doubts about the proprcty OF conVersng with
them yourself, and thought it more proper tina,
YOU should commune with them through your
constitutional advisers. You expressed wish
tina, the whole subject should be postponed Til
the next session ui Congress. You spoke OF
the delay in the senate OF the consideration OF
your veto message, and expressed anxiety as To
the tone aud temper which the debate would
assume,
Mr. Badger said that Oh inquiry he was hap
py to find that the best temper prevailed in the
tNo Houses. He believed they were perfectly
ready to take up the bill reported by the Sec.
rotary of the Treasury, and pass it at once
You replied Talk not to me of ..r Ewing's bill;
it contains that odious feature Of local discounts
which have repud,ated IN my message |
then said to YOU, i have no doubt. sir, that the
House, having ascertalned your views, will pass
a bill in conformity to them, provided they can
be satisfied that it would answer the purposes OF
the Treasury, and relieve the country You
then said, Cannot my cabinet see that this is
brought about You must stand by the in tins
emergency, Cannot you see that bill passes
Congress such as can approve without neon
sis,encyr declared again my beleithat such
bill might be passed, Aud you then said to
me, w hat do you understand to be my opinions!
State them, 50 that may see that there is no
miSapprehenson about them
| then SAID tha, | understood you to be of
opinion that Congress might charter bank in
! the District Of Columbia, giving It its location
here. 10 this you assen,ed. That they nigh,
authorize such bank to establish offices OF dis
count and deposte in the several States, with
| the assent OF the States. o this you replied
/ Don't name discounts they have been the
source of the most abominabic corruptons, and
are wholly unnecessary to enable the bank to
discharge It's duties TO the country and the Gov
| crnmen,.'
] observed in reply that was proposing no.
thing, but simply endeayorlng TO state what
had understood to be your opinion as to the
powers which Congress might consttutionaty