Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1842-11-12

LETTER OF THE Hon. JOHN T.. SPENCER, |
SECRETARY OF WAR.--fnoiher battery er-
p1osion III tile Wing ranks.-Mr. Spencer
has written long letter in answer to one
from Commute Of Monroe county, N.
Y, asking his opinions upon public mat
tcrs. Tie letter is lengthy, and is an
able vindication Of Mr.. Tyler and his
acts as President; and at the same time
takes strong ground against Mr.. Clay
and the movements Of his friends to force
him upon the Wing party as their candi-
date for the Presidency. Mr.. Spencer
declares himself! opposed TO United
States Bank, Wing tariff, the distribu-
sion scheme, to abo:isbing the veto powell
and to Wing Juggling generally.
We make the following interesting ex-
tracts:
..You have had the Kindness gentlemen. to al
lude to my position and to say that 'thas oeen
the subject Of Misrepresentation aud OF 'n'sreprc'
.entation. Reluctant as am q prolong COM
m,unication already too extended. have no right
to disregard that reputation which IL the property
Of nv children. and to some extent IF my country;
and am therefore compelled to speak OF myself
With respect tony acceptance Of seat IN the
Cabinet, it is proper TO state TINT it was made a-
ter consultation with the prominent men OF the
state OF New-York, then my political associates.
comprising the state officers, with one exception
all the members Of the senate to whom access
& ouid he had many members OF the assembly, ana
a large number of our most esteemed citizens. and
upon their advice. without single dissenting
opinion. The press throughout the country. par
ticulary the wing press. spoke favoraby OF the
appointment. and furnished evidence Of the gen
era sentiment Of that party. Nothing has &C.
Cured 10 change my own convictions OF the pro-
priety Of accepting an office which was rendered
without solicitation, nor to render the
motives which induced that course. less obl'ga'o-
!. ry in requiring continuance in the same station.
Facts which came TO my knowledge. before con-
cluded TO accept the offer Of the President. ana
some Of which have been stated IN this comlnunl-
cation, satisfied me that the impressions produced
oy the mam.festo Of certain whig members OF con.
gress which did not receive the sanction, and was
unknown 10 very many Of those whose views IT
, appeared to express. were erroneous and UNJUST
low the President, aud that motives and OBJ
, iecls had been ascribed to him. with the SEM
blaucc. but without the reality, Of truth. And
!, between hi. principles as explained to me. aud
nv own, found no incongruity that could prevent
. hearty cooperation. We had co-operated In
. congress on all important occasions. and on me
same committee that conducted the n'orab'c IN
in 1919. into the affairs OF the hank OF
Of the United States. tcere zoe had stood shoulder
to shoulder. battling against the frauds, the corrup-
lion aud the po,cer Of that institution, on common
g,ounds and congeninl principles. We had to-.
yethcr been republicans Of the old school, MAIN
tanning che same doctrines. and combating the
same political enemy, long previous t",luring, and
after the war Of 1872 In 1928 and 1929. we had
made common cause against the administration OF
: john Quincy Adams. and had united our efforts to
bring General Jackson imo power. When the
measures Of his administration, in our judgment
cvinccd departure from what conceived the
principles upon which he had been elected, how
cvcrpurc aud upright may have been his intentions.
we together avowed our opposition TO those meas
urc., and wentinto minority against rhe strong
est party and the mos: popular leader Of it, that
has existed in this country since the days Of
Washing ton.-Durng these scenes there had been
~ of views. Nth him / denied that in tie con
test Of 1910. a National Bank hal been the tes
Of political orthodoxy; and although the occasion:
for presenting my views had not not been SO ire
qecnt or 50 public us those which the Presi!en
had pos sessod yet were they we'll known to pol't
ical iricuds aud opponents. There were. there.
fore, between the presden, aud myself. politica
aiinitics strong and as numerous as could vel
exist between two persons living SO remote from
eace other.
..,rhc.e views and sentiments are presented to
you. gentlemen, in explanation OF my position
and III defence against the rcproaches which have
been cast upon me. for not rcsISnlnS the olhce
hold ! cannot lend myself TO the vindict've feel
ings which they and their associates entertain to-
wards The President: lg cannot be party to the
orient OF yiiuperation which has been poured out
upon kim. i cannot consent to aid. in any man
ner, the success Of party ,chich goes before the
people, demanding that IL may be Entrusted 10th
po,rcr. for the purpose Of Incorporating a Ma
tionai Bank. | am not in favor of al alteration
Of the Constitution, to abolish the Executive pow
err Of returning 10 Congress, for their mature
consideration, bills which may have passed IN
haste, or inadvertently, or upon mistaken Princi-
pies. deny thyt few and uninportant abuses Of
q conservative and suspensive power like this
even il they existed, which in their nature must
be temporary. furnish any good reason for abolish
, ing the power itself, and leaving all Legislation
: without check, and without opportunity for re.
yisal to multitudinous congress. AIN not for q
distribution Of the proceeds of the land sales
| when that distribution will cause the imposition
| OF tAxe. beyond the wants Of the government.
merely to supply the very deficiency it causes.
Finally. NIL not consent to hare any man forced
upon NC. as my candidate for the Presidency. by
associated clubs. to JorsstaN the action Of con-
pention, or by tie dsnunciatious Of personal par
tisans. doubt not that this exposition of opin-
ions will be deemed. by those partizans. but a
continu alton Of the sin committed in 1882 in hav
ing used my best exeItons to prevent the nonlina-
ton Of MIR. Clay, at the Harrisburg Convention.
That sin has already been deemed sufficient cause,
by those assumin. TO speak for the party in our
state for pronouncing sentence Of excomnunica-
!, ton against those who committed Il. With re-
gard to some, that sentence has beed pronlulga
ted while it is suspended over the heads Of others
Freedom Of thought and Independence Of opn
on, in the choice OF candidate, even before q
bava ilv