Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-09-18

CntruStc,
the task Of defending him against the charges in NJ
Ewing's letter. We have looked to that defence a
ofkeial-as such we publish it in full. 1t is presum
cd, Of course, to contain whatever may be state,
by way OF fact or argument to parry the blow ne
cessarily directed by that letter agains, the fame
Mr. Tyler. Here is the whole plea, and VIC ear
nes,ly call attention to it,
From the Madisonian.
THE LETTERS OF RESIGNATION.
We have copied from the lnte,l iseneer the letters
Of Messrs. Crlttenjen and Ewing. That of the for.
MGR is in good taste, and characteristic OF a high
toned and honorable gentleman. The letter OF Mr.
Ewing is of a very different order, being n second
edition OF Captain Bolts.
MIR Ewing, in our opinion, has for himself COM
mitted lenst two fatal First by rescning
his Office and secondly, by writing and publishing
attack upon the President divuging the confidential
counsels of the Cabinet The first evinces a lack
Of Judgment and good sense, and the second mis-
conception OF or n want Of those honorable princi-
pies which ought TO characterize the conduc, of gem
temen in such high and delicate confidential reli
tons. We have not yet seen, do we believe
there exists any sufficient for the resignation
of any member of the Cabinet. The conduct OF
the retiring members, seems to TO be based up
on erroneous views of their official characters and
relations. From the tenor of Mr. Esng's letter,
would think that they Withdrew because they
could control the President, because the Pie
sdent had not in thing acted in manner a.
greeOblo TO them. Such view places them wholly
in the wrong. They had no right To suppose W,
the President should consult '6om as TO the ,ro.
priey oil his own conduct, farther than he hose
And, therefore, II is perfectly ridiculous and ab
surd, for MIR Ewing to affect TO be personally in
suited because the President did no, show him his
Veto Message. Ii is great pity that MIR Ewing
had not studied and better understood his own off
cisl rights and duties, well those of the Prcs-
dent.
The PRONUNCIATION in the public press of Cabine
secrets, by retiring Secretary, urjusuhahle and
NIL but unprcceden ed. he who does 1t, proves by
the act that he unworthy TO sit AZ the Cabinet
board. Ii is OF itself sufficient throw the whole
statement into discredu 1t IS unfair advantage
taken OF the President which cannot but involve its
author in small share OF disgrace. We know
the merits of the opposite side, and the public
cannot know them, for the reason that the Prcsi.
dent OF the nation cannot condcscend to enter the
lists OF personal controversy with an individual
instrument OF faction. MIR Ewing knew this. he
seems To have kept daily record OF lis CONVERSE
tons, perhaps anticipating, II not pTeneditalins,
their possible for himself favorte in an
olectoBscring campaign, for which, unfortunately
too many persons seem TO have been preparing.
There Is hut one example that we know Of in
the history of the Government, OF retiring Secre-
tlry, who has undertaken to assall and Tevle the
President by means Of the publication Of the conf
Dental conversations and acts which had passed
between him and the Presdo't. In the year Isl |,
Robert Smith, then Secretary of State under MIR
Madison, pursued that course. HesSued elab-
crate address TO the public detailing the causes Of
differences betwoen himself md Mr. Madison, which
had grown up m their official private intercourse;
and there l. much analogy between some Of hi,
grounds Of complaint and those Of Mr. Ewing. The
whole country c,ied out against the gross breach
of Official dtcOrun the violation Of the sacred
hdence, which the highest interests OF the Govern
ment require to S. IN the bosom OF the Cabinet.
IL was seen that ri such mode Of attack on the
President, mo matter what its merits) toeTa-
ted, there would be an end of that free and unre.
strained intercourse in the Cabinet, without which
the public bushes. could not go Ii was
thing beyond all personal, and above oil party
sderaton. Ii was seen to be an act, only fatal
TO the proper conduct OF the business of the coun.
Try, but dishonorebie and uneenemanly 10 the last
degree. Accordingly, the effect of this act Of MIR
Smith was that he Tel. TO the ground, dead in pub.
lie reputation, and passed from the eyes of
men, or remained only like a stranded wreck on
the beach, n beacon and warning TO all Cabinet
Ministers never TO allow their personal reSentments
or purposes OF party warfare, 10 betray them into
the violation OF the sacred confidence of the Cabinet
Mr. Madison taking no notice OF Mr. Smiths publ.
cation, allowed II and him to sink into des Dsed OBJ
security. Regardless Of this great lesson, unmndful
OF the obvious dictates of common honor, MIR Ew-
ing has undertaken TO lift the veil from the most
confidential proceedings OF the Cabinet OF which he
Wis late a member.
The whole letter of MIR Ewing proceeds upon
the assumption that the President had deceived him
that he made promises in relation to the benk
bill which he refused TO perform. MIR Ewing fails
to establish this, his principal assumption. He is
obliged TO TO hoarsay testimony, and TO his
own inferences and these last, especially those he
connects with the effect of MIR Bots letter, were
gratuIous. ltwas unbecoming, 10 say the leist in
MIR Ewing TO wander thus out OF his record in
search Of means to render his hostility more eec-
tive than his own facts would warrant. But so far
from establishing his assumption, he clearly show
by the repeated conversations OF the President that
the President never encouraged his Cabinet 10 eX-
pect that he would approve bill recognizing the
'odious feature Of local discounts" in any form or
disguise. The letter, therefore, is a failure in its
chief purpose.
In his conclusion, MIR Ewing adopts language
which is plainly intended for other purposes than
properly belong to justification for abandoning
his Department. IL is intended for popular effect,
mere claptup, which, as Il IS meant for the cOun-
try content shall by Judged by that triOuna!
When the rage Of party resentment shall have
time TO cool, there will he but one sentiment con
cerEing MIR Ewing's conduc, in the counlry-that
of unmlliga.ed repToha:Ion.-The Administration
will lose nothing by such resignnton-thc Pres.
dent will have noting to fear from such attacks.
We give the editor OF the Madisonian credit for
his endeavors TO defend the Executive Of which hs
is the mouIh-piece, and more we canno, say in his
favor.-Lame and impoient indeed, are all the con.
illusions Of this argument. 1.-TWO fatal errors, says
the writer, "has Mr.. Ewing commit,cd.-Frsl by
resgning his Office.
Secondly, by writing and publishing an attack
upon the President. divu'ging the confidential cUun-
sells Of the Cabinet"
The force Of the first OF these reasons depends
wholly upon the correctness of Mr.. Ewng's state
mens. If true, he could do nothing less than resign
And ore they disputed Does the Madisonian
venture to deny one single assertion Of Mr. Ewing7
Does it shew that the President did not sanction
Mr.. Ewing's own first plan Of a bank Does il
dispute the testimony ajdueed that the bin drawn
by Mr.. Sergeant, from its title to its tail COM
posed and particularly altered suit the Presidents
expressed wishesl Is a word Of these plain aver.
menis disproven or con,radicted7 Not word. Not
n syllable.
The second reason Of the Madisonian in favor Of
the President IS, that Mr. Ewing divulged confdsn.
tia counses Of the Cabinet. The assertion is un.
true IN its naked form. The President himself first
dvuged those counses; or r,ther, permitted SO
much Of them TO leak out and be poured io,o H.
thy vessel, as would suit the purposes Of the low
eonjurors and miserable dupes who mixed the in
gradients and compounded the charm de signed 10
destroy him. Is II denied tina, the same individual
who lately was busy day after day with Robinson
the murderer, IN conversation with him Tor tho pur.
pose Of pamperng the depraved taste Of rabbe read
crs was the same individual who consorted with func-
tIonares IN the executive mansion, and obtained in
manuscript the Presidents Message TO Congress
even before that body had received ~ Isit denied