The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-30
CIRCULAR OF THE SECRETARY OF THE
TREASURY.

rL uNotlonal Integencer" has devoted anothet
-,..tothe issue of the Treasury circular. tbegins
!, aiscIaming all "captious objections" and yet i
no, nrocccd one step without making objections
.;,h are not only "captious," but entirely uneiia-
Il. /, saws, the answer in the "Union," ('the gov
.,0meu, answer" as it is pleased to call it,) "lo
Mai WINS alleged by the Tribune, avoids one part
!, ,hs matter, indirectly admits second and seeks
y shake of upon us (private Individually or manu-
e.m,ars fother private Individually the business
"a the duty which ii has itself voluntarily as
..o,sdn Ii then goes on to say Of US
,,aocs not contradict the allegation (and this is the
VI main mportanee) that the circulars, by whomso'
P1buted have been thus far placed only in the hands
eve, toas whose partisan politics were known
T;nr and therefore adopting, the answer OF another
osait,je organ the New York Morning News Z n o.,
s, has been conided to postmasters and these arr
tuWIwn 10 have become, through nearly all the man
siae lis wishes, as Swallowed forth TO them IN It's or
g Is good enough to offer to let into partnership
si,csigations Office however honorable, little
@ anI hardly prudent 10 undertake. where one can.
QUE Sooy how any Information which we might be the
means Of obtaining would DC disposed o. Or treated we
ln Iy ihe government cannot gravely propose such "A
o al least should be permitted to take part in the
nafnuOl
s%h,teyer conclusions are to be derived"
l.. The "Union" did not ''avoid one part Of the
..,,,.rn but it directly met the isstie, and "con-
,,,dc,sd the allegation" Of the Tribune" because
,,,yoressly said that "the assertions Of the New
Wax Trlbune as TO the alleged designs Of the
Treasury Department, are just the rsperse Of the
,,h,n The design which was attributed to the de-
0.umeut, was to confnc the circulars to the hands
If nartjsans. This allegation, we expressly de.
MED Dupou the best authority;' and il remains for
A. Irrational Inlegenccr'' TO clear itself from the
DESIGN Of misreprcsenting our position. But this
missaiement is only specimen Of the whole ar
dcle in the "Inelligencer."
3D. The Secretary may have sent some copies Of his
circular to the postmasters; but he has by no means
confined them to the postmasters, nor even made
them the principal means of distributing them.
Lang before the article in the Tribune appeared, Mr..
| Walker had taken the most activc measures TO have
hs circulars placed in the hands Of most of the man
uf,c,urers wings as well as democrats; and many OF
them had actually been placed in the hands Of lead
IN, whig manufacturers We state this fact upon
y the peSt dullofily "su upvh shS ShS outssossft
We state that in no case, was any intimation made
by the Secretary to any one, to make any distinc-
ton in the delivery of the circulars, between wings
and democrats. What shows, conclusvely, that
there was not the slightest intention of practising
any couceament-any Partially in obtaining infor-
malon--was, that the circular was published in the
4Union,n for the purpose Of informing the whole
country of the course Of the Secretary, and Of en-
sblOg every citizen who could give information to
understand the character Of the inquiries, and lay
Idireetly before the Secretary Of the Treasury.
o. The refusal Of the National lntclligencer to re-
aye and transmit the circulars, is conclusive proof
tia. does not desire the wing manufacturers to an
sver The queries of the Secretary. In one breath,
The editors complain that the Secretary is partial
10 the democratsthat he will not send his circulars
to the wings. When he would obviate this obec-
ton and offers to the National Intclligcncer and the
New York Tribune as many copies as they would
desire for wing circulation, the lntelligencer de-
eaes The Office. 1t is in vain for its editors TO say
that they know not what will become Of the infor-
nation they may obtain. The answer is, that the
Secretary will probably lay the whole body Of inor-
nation before Congress-; or that Congress may call
for them or that the Intcgenoer may publish in its
own columns the copies Of the reports it may
obtain, should the Secretary attempt to suppress
hsm In no event can they be Suppress
3D. or the ''conclusions' to which they may
lead be lost to the country. The claim which the
HeHyencer would make, of examining all the docu-
nenis, because it may furnish part, is stronger
proof Of its modesty than its wisdom. Congress
will be little apt TO adopt the conclusions of the
lnelisencer as its facts. They will have the facts
for their own use, that they may make their own
Conclusions, or test those Of the Secretary by the
his
When the National Intclligencer descends from
The region Of assertion to the discussion of the
principle ofthe case, it is still more at fault. For
Instance, here is specimen of its logic:
hi true that, to palliate proposition extraordinary
collect any but Information voluntary and unpaid. To do
MS svoa thatfrt has proper authority for its
Inquiries and secondly, that il can only conduct them
m neomple,eness which will render them unit to be
MADE The basis of any advised legislation"
Butts t'ruc, that the Secretary has no authority
make an inquiry, because he has no authority 70
Fg'cv the iniormaon' Is it true Of him, or Of any
0nor Has the President no power to ask ques-
a'' unless he can pay fee for ii' He wants 70
''An TACT from citizen, who has been abroad
"a''' INN in writing despatch, or adopting some
MEASURE touching our foreign relations. Can he mol
m@A Information, without offering douceur
NV none Of his Secretaries power TO obtain infor.
Aa0n through private sources, without some np-
r'P'alOn to pay for il The argument is ridicu.
w. The Secretary of the Treasury desires infor
@1'o 10 assist him in discharging the duties pre-
N'~a 0y law. He is to lay before Congress every
q report on the subject Of finance. He is tc
~ Aem) Information in adopting modes o.
s we money requisite to meet the public ex-
','ua' He is 10 supcrintend ''the collection Of
'uls on Imports and tonnage" Now, the Sec
under the impression that the present sys.
ati may be imperfect; that il may impose
i. wa revenue on one article, or too little on an
%d' may encourage the production of art
e0 may supersede foreign importations, ant
''y reduce the revenue, without promoting thu
sOod of the community; and that, If Icon
- W goods will be imported the duties vii