Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-09-28
from the National httuigineis.l
To The Editors.

From the .Na,Oaal Ineiiirtne's.l
To the Editors. 90,
WAsulNGToE, Sept ~, 1871.
Gentlemen: Doubts have been attempted 10 DC cast
upon the correctness of Mr.. Ewing s'ate''e". - ~
,,;on IN the part taken by the President III gehS w
Io FISCAL Coronation Bill, by arguing that there was
on ;mnronriety in making IL which ought 10 c'Prse
Il If credit There are circumstances III 'ns ease us
,rr,;sb;nr il from all others that fecoiecl vi Tue
kind. 1t grows out of matter oil othciai business
ans,cted between high public fnnconaries and Is
~ nublc and general concern The public and open
conduct of Que Of these high fnnctonares IN direct
opposi,ion what the other had, by ms express u
rection and authority, affirmed as to hs inenlichs
and nprnoses There can, | humbly submit, oe no
ops oues,,un in such case upon the point OF per-
sonal proprety when the injured party seeks 10 VIM
d;cate his honor By disclosing the truth. Inc CD
gations arising Of confidential relations, ID pr
vste or public AFFAIRS founded IN mutual trust. ne
that dsrcgards his own cohhdentai P'e9s Gu
gagemens cannot allegc The obligation OF confidence,
N the same transaction, against the natural r,ght OF
self defence belonging 10 The injured party. TOT a'.
thing that can ever be kaown 10 lne eon"aJ, !"
have been the object of the original peoge OF en-
oagemen TO sacrifice those who were trusted ana were
s;s,d h, !, For these reasons, do not hesitate 10
tu h;os sona"s all the within
nv know ledge that occur TO me as oeng iha,ei'ai'
connected with the subject of difference 90 inns as
an of Justice not oHis '" ~. A@"'"6' "'Ae Ni
| Cd il lut to myself and the fuoilc.
ayon myself of thisoccasion TO say that have, at
- ,;n,e rerarded difference of opinion between the
President and myself in relation to Bank, however
imnor,an the subject, sufficient Of itself TO Justify
| f:,,;on If the office which lately held III the
| pen,;ve administration of the Government. Nor
yas !, because the President thought proper TO trfe
with or mslead his Cabinet as there is but too mucn
reason TO believe he intended TO do, in the affair oil
| The Inst Fiscal Bank bill that ] resigned my place
| thaf c.py sllu U uses
for such course, which many will regard as sum
cent of themselves and which could not have been
overlooked Rut it possible to explain or remove
them, and therefore they were not promptly acted up
on The last act Of the President, however, wos con-
elusive of the true character all the other occurrences
or circumstances which had previously a"aheHeu wv
osity exced disgust ,,,.
shall at my leisure, state the reasons more al i"i
which mpeed me TO the course have thought proper
TO adopt and at the same time furnish narrative OF
all the causes so far they fell under my
which have resulted in the separation OF MI yei
tho ,r,v which brought him into power, and breaking
up OF the Wing Administration.
/ am. respectfully, your obedent servant,
STATEMENT.
called ia see the President on oHiciai nus ness Oh
Tho nornino MONDAY, 10th AugusD before the first
Va,o Mes.age WINS sent in. ] found him reading The
MESSAGE 10 The Secretary OF the Treasury. de ana
me The honor 10 read the material passages 10 me
pon reading that part OF II which treats OF Inc supe
or importance and value of the business done by the
I,e Rank of the u. S. in furnishing exchanges be-
tween the different States and sections OF the Union,
| was so strongly impressed with the ioea mat ne
mean, 10 intimate that he would have no objection 10
Bank which should be restricted 10 dealing IN tx,
cb,nces that interrupted him in the reading, and
asked was understand, by what ne had just read
that he was prepared 10 give his assent TO BANK IN
the District of Columbia, with Offices agencies IN the
States having the privilege, without their assent TO
deal in exchanges between them, and IN iore'gn DIS
He promptly replied that he thought experience
had show the necessity Of such power IN the TO-
vernment. could not restrain The immediate expires.
sion Of my qualification upon hearing this avowa J
said the President at once, that what had ieared
would lead to fatal dssensions among our trends, now
regarded as rather fortunate than otherwise; that his
veto of the bill then before him would lead TO The adop-
ton of much better ore ! also congratulated him
upon the happy circumstance OF The delay winch had
taken place in sending in his Veto Message The heat
and violence which might have been expected II the
Veto had been sent in Immediately upon the passage
of the BILL would be avoided. Time had been
given for cool reflection and as the Message did not
exclude the idea of bank in some form, no unpiea-
SAINT consequences would be likely 10 follow lie ex-
pressed his great surprise that there should be so much
excitement upon the subject; said that he had had
his mind made up the bull before him from the hst,
but had delayed his Message that there should be time
for the excitement 10 wear OH that nothing could be
more easy than 10 pass bill which would answer all
I
The next day, having occasion to see the President,
again. he requested TO furnish him with such nfor
ton ms the War Department afforded OF the embaf-
easements attending the transfer and disbursement OF
the public 10 distant points on the frontier, IN
Florida &C. He al the time requested ire TO
draw up n brief statement Of my views upon the sub
iect showing The practical advantages and necessity
of such fiscal institution he had thought Of pro-
posing. Such information as ! could hastily collect
from the heads Of the principal dbursing bureaus oil
| 4 rIaAt 70 Ia fbaa NJ
the same day, knowing that time was of the utmost
importance in The state in which the question then
was lie received the statements gave him with ma
nies Indifference, and alarmed me by remarking that
he began 10 doubt whether he would give his assent las
| | understood him) TO any Bank
| The next day (Wecnesday, 18th AugusD was the
stated time for the weekly meeting of the Cabinet
with the President. Mr. Webster, Mr.. Ewing and my
pef, went at clock in the morning. and were in
formed that the President engaged with Messrs.
Berrien Sergeant, and think, Mr. Dawson, Of Gcor-
gia. We waited until they retired, and the President
made his appearance about three quarters of hour
afterwards. MIR. Badger came in soon after The Presi-
dent Joined u.s. Messrs Crlttenden and Granger did
not attend. The conference which cnsned was a
long one-lasting two hours at least, according to
nv recollection. i cannot pretend to detail all that
was Said neither undertake to give the language
employed by the President upon every point nor oil The
members OF the Cabinet. | only state the sub.
stance of what said upon those points which most
attracted my attention.
The President commenced by stating that he had
been waited upon that morning by committee Of mem
bers Of Congress- who desired 10 know his views upon
the subject Of a Bank-such one as he could sane
ton lie had given them no satisfaction upon that
subject, but had informed them that he would first con-
suit with his constitutional advsers-his Cabinet
through whom he thought 1t most regular that his views
should be communicated. He asked the opinion cfhis
Cabinet upon the correctness of the ground he had
taken; remarking at the same time, that the habit Of
expressing his views TO members of Congress upon
subjects Of 60 much interest subjected him to great
embarrassment and much misrepresentation That
question beng disposed OF, the President adverted
briefly, but without much connexon, TO The relation in
which he stood TO The Bank question, and his dspos
ton TO go far MS he could to comply with the wishes
of his friends lie spoke of the relation that existed
between him and his Cabinet and how necessary il
was that he should have their support. Would they
stand by him? lie much preferred that the whole sub
ject should be postponed until the next session; hut
i. was necessary 10 act now he thought plan might
be devised which, with their cooperation, might be