Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1842-06-24
VOL VIII
TO THE PUBLIC.

NY letter Of the lllh Of September to
the President Of the United States. con.
tanning my resignation of the office Of
Secretary of the Treasury, has been
made the subject Of much comment 1t
was my purpose to state in that paper
as clearly aud briefly as might the
reasons Tor my resignation, and espe-
cially TO expHio one transaction which,
unexplained, involved as | thought, my
personal honor This done, felt that
had done all that the occa sion reouir.
ed of me. | advanced no arguments in
support Of my right to make the publ.
cation; for it seemed TO me that, under
the circumstances in which | was pac
ed, the moral sense of all men would
not only unite in according me the right,
but in requiring it Of me as a duty.
adduced no proofs Of the facts stated
for had no reason 10 anticipate a de-
NAL.
But those facts have since been, in
some Sort denied, though the denial has
not, till recently, come from such source,
and reached me in such form and on
such authority, as enabled me 10 notice
it, | could not reply 10 a partisan ora.
tor who should attack me or defend the
President on the stump, or to q news
paper editor who should do the like in
his columns.
But in February last, while in Wash
ington, a gentleman, not a member OF
either House, placed in my hands E
newspaper, in which it was stated that
the Hon. Mr. Mallory, Of Virginia, had,
in a public speech, declared that he was
authorized by the President to contra.
dict the material facts set forth in my
letter Of resignation. had no wish TO
open spondence with third per
son on this subject. was unwilling 10
let this semi official denial pass unno
ticed; and it was not Sufficiently vouched
10 enable me 10 treat it as done by au
ihority. therefore requested friend,
Qhe Hon. Mr. Stanly,) on the first fit
occasion, to inquire OF Mr. Mallory in
The House whether he had or had not
made such statement. If Mr.. Mallory
dlsOvowed it publicly before the nation
the SANDER would have been at once
put down; If he affirmed it on authority
Of The President, there would be suffi-
cent occasion for mo TO answer and cd
duce my proofs. When appealed to in
The House, Mr.. Mallory declined TO an
swer, but declared his readiness 10 dc
so i(applied 10 "in proper manner BY
the proper person" This led 10 th'
following correspondence:
WASHINGTON, April 80, lS42.
Dear Sir: The enclosed note wa
transmitted to me by the Hon. r. Ew
ing OF Ohio, under cover of letter from
him Of the I'd instant, with a reques
that would place it id your hands.
Your detention from the House by in
disposition since its receipt is my apollo
gy Ior delaying the delivery Of it I'll
now.
From your reply to an inquiry mad
by the Hon. Mr., SlanIy in a debate i
the House Of Representatives, reporte
in lhe InleIligencer ofthe 18th Of Marc
last, whether you had said on a rorme
occasion that you were authorized b
the President TO deny the truth Of tn
statements, or some Of them, made b
Mr.. Ewing in his letter of resignation
that "you would always be found read
10 respond when that question was pro
pounded 10 you in proper way and b
aoproper person." Mr. Ewing has sup
posed that YOU could feel no difficulty
recognising his note as proper mode
and himself as proper person TO max
the inquiry 1t contains.
shall be happy, if agreeable to you
self. to be made the medium of comml
ricalng to him your answer.
have the honor 10 be yours, wit
great respect,
S. MASON.
Hon. F. MALLORY.