Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-07-09
PROM TnE MIssissTriAs.
STATEMENT or Hon. Il. J. WALKER.


Washingioa 9th, .Juas i6, lS45.
TO THE DEMOCRACY or MISSISSIPPI
4 On 5th Or March last, received
together with uconfjeniial communion
lion from Gov. Brown, commission fcl
Mr.. Thompson as 4 Senator, to take efiec
after The 10Th Of March last, the period
fixed ia the tendcr Of my resignation. M
The Governor had been induced 10 make
this appointment in consequence Of assn
RANGES from me that ny own vote, or that
Of my successor, might, and ia al proba'
blity, would be necessary TO give the de-
mocratic party majority in the Senate
upon the election OF printer for two
years at The Executive session. / urged
upon the Governor the importance Of this
election to the democratic party, fully APP
preciating the injurious consequences of a
defeat on this question, at the very outset
Of the administration, and the censure that
would attach to me, il this defeat were
produced by single vote, owing to my
withdrawal from the Senate. Influenced
by these considerations, and with view
to meet this contingency, the Governor
transmitted, not to Mr.. Thompson, but TO
me, commission for him as a Senator, 10
take effect after The 10Th March last, leav-
ing to me, as conceived, full discretion
to deliver the commission or not, as the
circumstances Of the case before referred
to might require. When the commission
was handed to me with Gov. Browns let
ter, the contingency to which | have re-
tered had not happened. and it was clear
ly ascertained would not happen, il having
been determined after the date of my let
ter 10 Gov. Brown, moi TO go into The cleo
ton OF printer at the Executive session.
The contingency not having happened, TO
meet which the commission was signed, it
seemed to me, that TO have delivered it
under such circumstances, would have vi
olated the will and purpose of the Execu-
tive, and the confidential trust and discre-
ton devolved by him on me. was still
further influenced in arriving at this con
clusioa, by the fact, that it was in conse-
quence of my assurance to the Governor
Of the probable occurrence Of this contn-
gency, that he had been induced to trans
mit'the commission, not to Mr.. Thompson,
but to me, and that if under such circum-
stances | had delivered the commission, !
might be justly accused of procuring an
appointment to NEE: n contingency, and
then delivering it in violation Of the trust
reposed in me, when the contingency had
not happened, and would not happen, up
on which alone he had been induced to
sign the commission. 1t was my duty, as
the confidential agent Of the Governor
(ihc commission until delivered being law
fully within his control,) to have acted pre-
cisey rs il was Obvious he would have
done present, and it was clear thaiif pre-
sent he would moi have delivered the COM
mission unless the contingency had hap
pened, to meet which he had been induc-
ed to act. The commission, like any other
grant or deed, was The property of The Co.
vernon, and not of the person named in the
commission until the delivery to him--and
the Governor, by himself or agent, could
withhold the deliyery,to ascertain the &C.
currence Of particular event, upon the
happening Of which alone it was desired
to give effect 10 The intended appointment;
and this principle is so well settled, and
so universally adopted in practice, in re-
gard to commissions and all other grants,
as to require no calculation from me.
was not authorised TO confer with Mr..
Thompson, unless the commission was de-
lvered to him, and had thus conferred
with him, and disclosed to him all the cir
cumstances of the case, he certainly could
not and would not have accepted an Office
designed TO BE rendered to him to meet a
contingency which had not happened.
And now the Withholding the commits
sion is attributed by some to selfish purpo-
ses or hostility TO Mr.. Thompson. AS to
the first point, the commission was not
handed to me until after my unanimous
confirmation by the Senate as Secretary of
the Treasury; and when consequently the
delivery OF The commission could make no
change in my position. AS regards hos
Utility between myself and Mr.. Thompson,
III never existed. We were intimate friends
personally and politically, and not an I'M
kind word or lhoughtto my knowledge,
had ever passed betweSn US. From first
10 las. throughout his whole career, had
been one Of his most Jealous supporters,
and in like manner, he had always sup
ported me. Our friendship had been I'M
broken, and we had conceded in political
principles. As TO the tariff, the reannex-
alton Of Texas, the presumption system,
the reduction and graduation Of the price
Of the public lands in favor Of settlers and
callvators, we had cordially united in OPT
MON and aclion. The grant Of the five
Per cent. fuhl and Chickasaw schoo, lands,
and Of the aid Of the two per cent. fund
% aid in constructing tue great railroad
4 from the Atlantic 70 the Mississippi al
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