Litchfield enquirer., 1841-09-23
MR.. EWING'S LETTER TO THE PRES
IDENT.
Treasury Department, Sept. ii, 1871.

IDENT.
Treasury Department, Sept. IL, lS4l.
Sir-Atier the most calm and careful con-
sideration,, and viewing the subject in all the
aspects in which ii presents itself to my
mind, have came to the conclusion that
ought no longer to remain member of your
Cabinet. therefore resign the Office of Sc
cretary of the Treasury, and beg you 10 ac-
cept this as my letter of resignation.
TO avoid misunderstanding, | distinctly
declare that do not consider a difference Of
opinion as to the charter of a National Bank
a sufficient reason for dissolving the ties
which have existed between us. Though
look upon that measure rs one of vast impor-
lance to the prosperity of the country, and
though should have deeply deplored your
inability or unwillingnesS to accord 1t to the
wishes of the People and the States, so une-
quivocally expressed through their Repre-
sentatives, still, upon this and this alone, I'M
connected with other controlling circumstan-
ces, should not have felt bound to, resign
the place which hold in your administra-
ton. But those controlling circumstances
do exist, and will, in my own Justification,
place them in connection before you.
It is but just to you TO say that the bill
which first passed the two Houses OF Con-
gress, and which was returned with your OBJ
iections on the 18th of August, did never, in
its progress as far asI know or believe, re-
ceive at any time your express or implied
assent. So far as the bill was known to me,
or as was consulted upon it, l endeavored
10 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 subject. knew
the pertinacity 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.
1t is equally q matter of justice to you and
myself to say, that the bill which reported
to the two Houses of Congress at the COM
mencement Of the session, in obedience to
their call, was modified so as to meet your
appreciation. You may rot, it is true, have
read the bill through, and examined every
part of it; but the 10Th fundamental article,
which became the contested question ofprin-
ciple, was freely discussed between us, and
it was understood and unequivocally sane
toned by yourself. The last clause in the
bill, also, which contained q reservation of
power in Congress, was inserted on the 9th
of June, in your presence, and with your ap-
probation, 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 great
ly 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, con-
sidering the changes which the bill had I'M
dergone 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 q conscientious
conviction on your part that the bill, in some
of its provisions, conficted with the Consti-
tuition. But that opinion of your course on
the bill which has just returned to Congress
with your second veto, do not and cannot
entertain. Recur to what has passed be-
tween US with respect to ii, and you will at
once perceive that such opinion is inipossi-
BILE.
On the morning of the 10th of August,
called at your chamber, and found you pre-
pairing the first veto message, to be despatch
cd to the Senate. The Secretary Of War
came in also, and you read portion Of the
message 10 US. He observed that, though
the veto would create great sensation in
Congress, yet he thought the minds of our
friends were better prepared for 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 a bank. To this you re-
piled, that you really thought there ought to
be no difficulty about it; that you had suffi
ciently indicated in your veto message what
kind Of bank you would approve, and that
Congl ess might, fthcy saw iii, pass such an
one in three days.
ho 40 g. ,lor
Cabinet meeting, we assembled, all except
Messrs. Crittenden and Granger, and you
told us that you had had a long conversation
with Messrs. Berren and Sergeant, who pro-
fessed to come in behalf of the Wings of the
two Houses to endeavor to strike out some
measure which would be generally accepta-
BILE. That you had your doubts about the
propriety of conversing with them yourself,
and thought it more proper to commune with
them through your constitutional advisers
You expressed wish that the whole subject
should be postponed till the next session of
Congress. You spoke of the delay in the
Senate of the consideration of your veto
message, and expressed anxiety as to the
tone and temper which the debate would as
sumo.
Mr.. Badger said that on inquiry he was
happy to find that the best temper prevailed
in the two Houses. He believed they were
perfectly ready to take up the bill reported
by the Secretary of the Treasury, and pass
it at once. You replied, Talk not TO me of
Mr.. Ewing's bill it contains that odious
feature of local discounts, which have re.
pudiated in my message l then said to
you, Il have no doubt, sir, that the House,
having uscertained your views, will pass a
bill in conformity to them, provided, they
could be satisfied that it would answer the