The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-09-18
THE LETTERS OF RESIGNATION.


spectiye trusts, have been placed in our hands for
publication MAJ. intel. u. .fss 7
N WAsHINaroN, September II, 1871.
SR: Circumstances have occurred in the course
of your Administration and chiefly in the exercise by
you of the Veto power which consrain me to believe
that my longer continuance in Office as member Of
your Cabinet will neither be agreeable to you, useful
90 the country, nor honorable 10 myself
Do me the justice, Mr.. President TO believe that
this conclusion has been adopted neither caprciousy
in any spirit of party feeling personal hostility
but from a sense Of duty, which, mistaken though II
may be, is yet sincerely entertained, that cheer
fully sacrifice to il the advantages and distinctions OF
Office l.....-t. .....-ag .arr35 .a.a ~. .
Be pleased therefore to accept this as my resigna
ton of the Office Of Attorney General of the United
States. saa #9.. ...t. 'r"s.. n~E 4#f, 80
Very respectfully, yours, &C.,
The PREsIDENr.
a4 TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Sept. II, lS4l.
Sin: After the most calm and careful consideration
and viewing the subject in all the aspects in which il
presents itself to my mind, have to the oonclu
sion that ought no longer to remain member of
your Cabinet. therefore resign the office Of Secre
tary Of the Treasury, and beg you to accept this
my letter of resignation. #ta a- 5g.,, EaHl
TO avoid misunderstanding distinctly declare that
do consider difference of opinion to the char
ter of National Bank sufficient reason for dis
solving the ties which have existed between u.s.
Though look upon that measure as one of vast I'M
porance to the prosperity of the country, and though
should have deeply deplored your inability or un,
willingness TO accord il to the wishes of the people and
the States so unequivocay expressed though their
representatives STILL upon this and this alone, uncon-
nected with other controlling circumstances, should
not have felt bound to resign the place which hold
in your Administration. But those controlling cir
cumstances do exist and will, in my own justifica-
ton, place them in connexion before you, l.. ia.
1t is but just to you TO say that the bill which first
passed the two Houses of Congress, and which was
returned with your objections on the 10th OF August
did never in its progress far know believe
receive at any time either your express or implied as
sent. So far as that bill was known to me, or as l
consulted upon it, endeavored to bring its prov
sons as nearly as possible in accordance with what
understood to be your views and rather hoped than
expected your approval. knew the extent 10 which
you committed on the question. knew the per-
tinacty with which you adhered to your expressed
opinions and dreaded from the first the most disas-
trous consequences, when the project Of compromise
which presented at an early day was rejected.
1t is equally matter of justice you and to myself
say that the bill which reported TO the two Houses
of Congress at the commencement of the session, in
obedience to their call, modified SO as to meet
your appreciation. You may not il 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, freely discussed
between u.s. and it understood and unequivocaliy
sanctioned by yourself The last clause in the bill,
also, which contained reservation of power in Con-
sence, and with your appreciation though you at one
time told me that in giving your sanction to the BILL
you would accompany ii with explanation of your
understanding of that first clause l,g s,l .fg. ",
In this condition ofthngs, though greatly regret
ted your Veto on the bill il passed the two Houses
Of Congress, and though j foresaw the excitement
and agitation which it would produce among the Pe
pie, yet, considering the changes which the bill had
undergone in its passage and its variance from the
you had agreed to sanction, / could not find in
that act enough to disturb the confidential relations
which existed between US. was disposed to attr-
butte this act fraught with mischief it was to pure
and honorable motives, and to conscientious convic
ton your part that the BILL in of provisions,
conficted with the Constitution. But that opinion
of your course the bill which has Just heen return
ed to Congress with your second Veto, do not and
cannot entertain. Recur to what has passed between
US with respect to it. and you will at perceive that
On the morning of the 10th Of August, called at
your chamber and found you preparing the first Veto
message, to be despatched to the Senate. The Sc
cretary of War came in also, and you read portion
of the message to He observed that, though the
Veto would create great sensation in Congress- yet
he thought the minds Of our friends better prepared
for it than they were some days ago. and he hoped 1t
would be calmly received especially as it did not shut
out all hope Of bank. To this you replied, that you
really thought there ought to be difficulty about il
that you had sufficiently indicated in your Veto mes
sage what kind of bank you would approve and that
Congress might, if they saw fit, pass such one in
three days ar
The 18th being the day for our regular Cabinet
meeting, we assembled all except Messrs. CRIrTEN-
DEN and GRANGER, and you told that you had had
long conversation with Messfs. BERRIEN and SER
sEANT who protested to in behalf Of the Wings
of the two Houses to endeavor to strike out some mea
which would be generally acceptable. That you
had your doubts about the proprieiy of conversng
with them yourself and thought it more proper that
you should commune with them through your consti-
tutional advisers. You expressed a 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 ex-
pressed anxiety to the tone and temper which
the debate would assume. -a sF ro' IA n ~
Mr.. BADGER said that on inquiry he was happy to
find that the best temper prevailed in the two Houses
He believed they 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 MIR
EwlNa's bill it contains that odious feature of loca
discounts which have repudiated in my message
having ascertained your views, will pass bill in con-
formity othem, provided they can be satisfied that il
would answer the purposes OF the Treasury, and re-
( lieve the country You then said Cannot my Cab
net that this is brought about? You must stand by
| me in this emergency. Cannot you see that bill
passes Congress such as can approve without incon.
sistency2' declared again my belief that such bill
might be passed. And you then said to me, What
do you understand 10 be my opinion State them, 81
that may see that there is no msappreension about
| them
| then said that understood you to be Of opinion
that Congress might charter bank in the District
Columbia giving it its location here. To this you as
sented That they might authorize such hank to es
ablish Offices Of discount and deposite in the seyera
States, with the assent Of the States. To this yot
replied, Don't name diocounts: they have been thu
source of the most abominable corruptions, and arr
wholly unnecessary to enable the bank to discharge
| its duties to the country and the Government
observed in reply that was proposing nothing
but simply endeavorng to state what had under
stood to be your opinion IL the powers which Con
gress might coDsttuonaly confer on bank; that OF
that point stood corrected then proceeded TO say
that understood yoa to be Of opinion that Conges
might authorize such bank to establish agencies in thu
several States with power to deal in bills of exchange
without the OF the States to which you replied
Yes, if they be foreign bills, bills drawn in on
State and payablein another. That is all the powe
necessary for transmitting the public funds and regu
| latinp exchanges and the curIency'