The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-06-08

from conscientious convictions and Il has been sup
posed that the statement of fact incapable OF de-
NAL or doubt might be sufficient answer TO the UNI
just aud injurious mpuiations which have been so
unsparingly heaped upon him and that u, that "hen
about 10 send the last Veto Message 70 Congress nc
asked the members of his then existing Cabinet 70
give him their frank opinions, whether " woaia DC
productive Of peace, harmony, and the public good,
II he should make known at the same une
hat he wouid moi b candidate for election 10 me
Pres deacy-sayng that he was acting only as DIS
honest eonsicions and long cherished opinions com
Ieed hun 10 act that he was most deeply concerned
and anxious 10 fulfil the wishes and expectations OF
his friends 10 the utmost Of bis power; AMI that no
considerations personal To himself except those OF
honor and conscience should stand IN the of any
sacI flee which he might be called TO make--iha
no love OF ofiee and impulse of ambition did,
could, a,iuale him in the performance of what he
thought So imperative duty and that he was will
ing and ready adopt the which be had sug-
gas-u5 IL so advised. Although not concurrDg, as Is
well known, in the veto messages, vet all the mem
beers present coneurTed decidedly ia opinion against
any measure like al which the President had men
toned They observed that nobody bad right TO
call on him for any such declaration; that he had
come into the Presidency by succession and had a
right 10 stand before The people for their future favor,
on his merits like any other citizen and that such
proof of the sincerity and honesty Of 5 purposes
could not he necessary, the people would judge at
Ter ALL of the motives If his conduct by other consid
erhtons and, finally, that step Of that kind was, in
their opinion quite likely create embarras.
menls as TO afford new facilities in carrying on the
Government Ii is not recoec eel that all the Heads OF
Departments were present at this conversation. II Is
believed that Mr. Critenden was not present and il
is doubted whether Mr.. Badger was. But Mr.. Web
ster, Mr.. Ewing, Mr.. Bell, and Mr.. Granger, were
present, and cannot fail remember The communica
ton rs above stated"
June o. 1912 II remember, perfectly well, the con-
veIsaton above IN 'ntioned between the President
and the members Of the cabinet and it is accurately
| stated
(Sgned) DANIEL WEBSTER.
| And as the following letter, addressed by
General Green to Mr.. Upshur, refers TO these
matters, we waive that portion of it which d.
| rectly refers TO the points in question. II will
be seen from it, that the President was anxious
to insert, even in his Inaugural address, the
| declaration that he would not be candidate for
election. The opinions Of The President TO
The Bank will also be seen, in contradis tinction
to the assertions of MIR. Bolts and his COM
peers.
WAsHINcroN, December %, lS43.
SIR Mr.. Ewing in his letter to Mr.. Crittenden,
speaking Of what TRANSFERRED between himself and the
President the subject of the Veto Message, says:
:" He Uhe Presidency said, in substance, that he
should probably lie compelled to veto the BILL and he
| thought to accompany the Veto Message with a
solemn declaration, that he would not be a candidate
for reelection and wished advice to the mat
ter In the course of the conversation, he also said
he had indted sentence intended for insertion in his
Inaugural, expressly declaring that he would not be
candidate for reelection which he withheld lest
its effect would be to turn the batteries of Mr. Clay
| and his friends on MIR. Webster Mr.. Webster hay-
ing replied and objected to the declaration made by
the President, said that hoped he would not feel
himself compelled to veto the bill but if he did |
did not think il advisable TO accompany the veto with
the proposed declaration, there appeared no
| connexion between the Two subjects and | did
| not think such declaration would have any ten.
| dency to reconcile the people TO the Veto" MIR.
| Ewing adds +" My advice, therefore, was seriously
| given in good faith, though did not for a moment
! believe his proposition So no than | be-
lieyed, as fact, his statement that he ha penned
such declaration for insertion in his Inaugural but
withheld it, lest il should turn the batteries Of Mr.
Clay and his friends against Mr.. Webster. His sug-
gestions seemed TO me TO convey the idea that the
| Wings, the Cabinet included, cared little about mea-
sures il we could clear the way for the succession ~
Mr.. Ewings statement makes il proper that |
should place upon record the following facts which
are communicated TO you, that they may be used if
II be deemed expedient in yindcation of the Pres-
dents motives, and establishing his consistency in
| vetoing the Bank bill.
! was in Annapolis when heard Of Gen Harrson's
death and there heard that an effort would be made
to induce the President TO commit himself not to be
a candidate in lSIi. had been, for many wears. his
personal az d political friend and determined if DOS,
sble, to prevent his doing so, and Immediately came
! 10 Washington Tor that purpose. | called on him
early in the morning of the day after his arrival and
found him writing his Inaugural. told him what
| had heard and the purpose Of my visit
He said that he hal conversed with some friends
who advised him TO declare in his Inaugural that he
would not be candidate, and he showed me a par
sgraph to that effect, which he had just written saw
ing, that his desire was, if possible, to Withdraw the
question OF the currency from the vortex of party
and that he had been persuaded that such declara
ton would concate the cooperation Of the several
| aspirants.
! | told him that was deeply interested and ex
tremeiy desir1uS TO obtain an early and satisfactory
adjustment OF the currency and that IL was because
aPprehended that the effect Of such declaration
would be precisely the Of what he ancipated
that was opposed to lis making it,
! urged that so far from giving strength TO his
Administration, and enabling him TO accomplish
the measure he so much desired, il would be
taken as plea OF weaksess-that IL would be The
signal for an organization Of parties in reference TO
the next election-hat one party would rally for
National Bank, and the other against t-and that as
he was alike opposed 10 the Bank on one side and
the Sub Treasury the other, and had made up his
opinion that Congress had no power to incorporate
an old-lashoned Bank that he might expect 10 be
compelled TO veto the Bank bill because the poti.
cal leaders on both sides regardless Of the pub
lie Interests, and would, if possible, keep the Bank
question open for the purpose Of political agitation
that In that event. state Of things might arise which
would make II indispensable that she should become
a candidate.
urged that the one term principle did not apply
TO hun, as he had not been elected President and
that IL It were Otherwise the question Of the success
sion was not before him, and Il was due TO himself
and TO the country that lac should reserve himself M
VI he was called upon TO express opinion-that
The declaration, II then made, might impair his InAu
ence-that, failing to conciliae the support Of both
parties, Il would certainly ALLEVIATE both unless he
himself became the partisan Of one Of the political
asPran''' The elect OF which would be- TO test his
Administration by the popularity Of one Of the cand