Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1841-10-02
the frs. notice | had Of its contents was de-

the frs. notice had Of its contents was de-
rived from rumor. N
And TO me, at least, you have done moth
ing to wipe away the personal indignity arr
sing out Of the act. gathered, it is true,
from your conversation, shortly after the
bill had passed the House, that you had a
strong purpose to reject it j; but nothing was
said like softening or apology to me, either
in reference 10 myself or 10 those with
whom had communicated at your request,
and who had acted themselves and induced
the two Houses TO act upon the faith oI
that communication. And, strange as il
nav seem, the Veto Message attacks in an
especial manner the very provisions which
we've inserted at your request; and even the
name OF the corporation, which was not
only agreed to by you, but especially chang
ed to meet your expressed wishes. is made
the subject of your criticism. Different
men might view this transaction in differ
ent points Of light, but, under these circum-
stances, as matter OF personal honor. Il
would be hard for me to remain OF YOU
counsel, to seal my lips and leave unex.
planned and undiScIosed where lies in this
transaction the departure from strai ghttor
wardnnss and candor. SO far indeed from
admitting the encouragement which you
gave 10 this bill in its inception, and explain
ing and excusing your sudden and violent
hostility towards ii, you throw into your
Veto Message an interrogatory equivalent
to an assertion that it was such a bill as on
| had already declared could not receive your
sanction. Such is the obvious effect Of the
! first nterrogatory clause on the second
poge. 1t has all the force Of an assertion
without its open fairness. have met and
reluted this. the necessary inference from
your language, in my preceding statement,
! the correctness of which you am sure will
not call in question.
Your veto to the first bill you rested on
constitutional ground and the high convic
tons Of conscience; and no man, in my
opinion, had right to question your SINGER
| ilv. so said, and so acted, Tor through
I'll the contest and collision that arose out
Of that act, you had nv adherence and sup
port. But how is 1t with respect to this
! The subject of bank is not new to you;
It is more than twenty years that you have
made it an object OF consideration and OF
study, especial in its connection with the
constitutional powers of the General Gov
eminent. You, therefore, could not be,
and YOU were not taken unprepared ON this
question. The bil! which | reported to
Congress, with your APPROPRIATION, at the
commencement of the session, had the
clause relating TO agencies. and the power
10 deal in exchanges, as strongly developed
as the one YOU have now rejected, and
equally without the assent of the States.
You referred specially and with appreciation
To that clause, manv days after, in con-
versation held in the Department Of State
You sanctioned it in this particular bill as
detailed above. And no doubt was thrown
out on the subject by you, in my hearing
or within my knowledge, until the letter oil
Mr.. Boris came to your hands. Soon al
'er the reading of that letter, you thre W
vat strong limitations that you would veto
the bill if it were not poned. That
letter did and do most unequivecally con-
denim; but it did not affect the constitu
,ionaIity of the bill, or justify you in re-
jecting it on that ground; it could aflec,
only the expedency of your action; and
whatever you may now believe as TO the
scruples existing in your mind, in this anC
IN a kindred source there is strong grounc
to believe they have their origin.
! If be right in this, and doubt not am
here is great public measure demanded by
the country, passed upon and approved by
the Representatives of the States and tn,
People. rejected by you as President OF
grounds having no origin in conscience, ant
no reference to the public good. The re
lection Of this measure, too, continues tn,
purse with The sword in the hands Of tn
Executive, from which we strove to wres
it in the contest which elevated your pred
ecessor and you to power. cannot con
cur in this your course OF policy. In o
out of office my opinions remain unclang
ed. | cannot abandon the principles 10
which, during MI my political career. have
struggled; especially cannot he one of tn
instruments by which the Executive WELD
these Combined, accommodated, and dan
gerous powers.
These, sir. are the reasons for the i'm Dor
tant step which | have felt it my duty t,
take. and | submit them as its justification
am, very respectfully, yours.
T. EWING.
To the PRESIDENT.
WASHINGTON, SEPTEMBER 3.l94I