The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-07-07

receiving the most unequyocal and substantial evi-
dences of the confidence OF General Jackson IN his
appointment as minister to England, Secretary of
The Treasury, and Secretary Of State, voluntarily
retired from the last post not only without any pub
lie outbreak or the repetition Of scenes which had
SO often panied the public sense, but, as il would APP
pear from the authorized annuncation Of his resig
nation at the time in the Globe, with the undimin-
ished confidence and respect Of those from whom he
separated, and especially Of the illusrious chief UNI
der whom he served. Efforts were not wanting TO
provoke the retiring minister into some public mani
festaton, whereby his resignation might be used for
the purposes Of the opposition; and although great
liberties taken with his name, yet he has never
been betrayed into any derogatory to the admin
istration he had left, dsrespectful towards its
great head. have always thought the manner of
his retirement worthy Of imitation; and while am
happy TO believe that nothing was ever done by the
ex-secretary towards Gen. Jackson to mar its bean-
ty, have the best reason to know that, down to a.
very short time before his death, that great and la
mented man did not hesitate to avow his undimin-
ished confidence in the ability and patriotism of Mr..
McLane, and the satisfaction with which he learned
of his unreserved and prompt support of the demo-
cratic nominations of 1874.
at is most unwarrantable liberty to assume
that Mr. Mel, upon the occasion referred to- advo-
Gated the recharter of the Bank of the United States
for, it is well known that he united with all the
members of the cabinet in sustaining not only the
President in his reto of the bill which had passed
Congress for that purpose, but he was active and
efficient in his support of the minority report sub
mtted by the present chief magistrate and gave his
whole personal and moral influence to sustain the
republican party in Congress at that crisis, when
leading republicans were found faltering His Treas
ury report of 1882 contains his unequivocal con-
domination of the bank in its interference with the
reimbursement ofthe three per cent. stock, and for
its wanton extension of its loans in the southwest,
which he Justly regarded as the foundation of most
Of the disasters which followed.
SIN the deliberations relative to the removal of
the deposites, he was decided in his opposition to
the recharter of the bank; and his difference with
the President was confined mainly to the expedien-
cy of removing the public moneys from the United
States Bank TO the State institutions, and the adop
ton of the latter fiscal agents of the treasury.
'ln the minds of all men who had to deal with
the subject at that time the only alternative appear
ed to be bank of the United States or the employ
ment of the State institutions and, in that aspect
Mr.. McLane was of opinion that the preference
due to single institution, properly guarded and
regulated by Congress, rather than to multiplicity
of State banks not under such control, and which
by an improvdent injudicious lending of the pub.
lie money, would be likely to aggravate the evils
which had already commenced, of an inflated paper
circulation. | need not stop TO refute or defend
the soundness Of these views, to inquire how far
they were sanctioned by Gen. Jackson, Mr.. Van
Buren, and the other distinguished statesmen of that
day, who finally acquiesced in the expediency and
necessity of removing the deposites. l refer to
them only to define the position of Mr. McLane in
that posture of affairs. But it ought not to escape
notice, that these opinions, good bad, given
under the full weight of official responsibility and
that, although Gen. Jackson acted in oppositSn to
them, his confidence in his Secretary was not weak
ened; and, in complying with Gen. Jackson's desire
that he should remain at the head of the cabinet
Mr.. McLane not only manifested no disappont-
ment bad temper, but carefully avoided giving to
the opposition any advantage they might possibly
have derived from his retirement under such cir
cumstances; and with this view, he remained at his
post until the close Of the session of Congress
which followed the removal of the deposites, giving
to the administration the full influence and moral
power Of his eminent talents and patriotism.
"After the experience of the banks operation to
1887 and the awful lessons taught by the events of
that memorable epoch, Mr. McLane has been UNI
disgusedly opposed to national bank, without, in
any degree, yielding his conviction of the absolute
neficiency or inexpedency of the State institutions
as fiscal agents for the government; and has, with
out hesitation favored the scheme of the subreas-
ury, the repeal of which at the extra session of
l64l he deeply lamentedas, indeed, he was opposed
to all the banking projects offered :" that Congress as
substitutes for it. He was equally opposed to the
tariff of that Congress- and the extravagant scheme
for the distribution Of the public lands, which rem
dered that session SO distinguished.
'ln regard to the tariff, it is hardly necessary to
make this remuneration of the bill of 1912; for |
supposed that the report and bill from the Treasury in
the memorable winter of 1898, had placed him
upon footing not to be misunderstood. These
measures, emanating principally from his labors,
constituted the favorie policy Of General jackson
and Of his administration and received the cordial
and very able support of the present chief magis-
trate, and, Mr.. Clay himself said, struck SO fatal
blow to the whole protective system, to justify
his compromise bill in the eyes Of the manufactu-
rers.
"Of the relations of the recently appointed minis
ter with Mr.. Van Buren,, limited at in one of the
articles to which have referred, OF his support
or opposition to that distinguished statesman in
l64O / presume not to speak. feel that l have
no right to penetrate the veil which shrouds the
cause Of their separation-if indeed they have been
separated-from the public eye. am entirely salts
fed that after his retirement from Office in 1884, Mr..
McLane formed no new party connexions; and, with
few exceptions, retained and cherished the friend
ship Of his old Notwithstanding powerful allure
ments of place and power, which would have drawn
him into new party ties; and it is no secret to the
public that Immediately after it was declared, he
warmly approved and openly espoused the decision
Of the democratic convention at Baltimore in 1874;
and at every risk of office, station, and emolument,
he steadily maintained his stand, from the beginning
to the end of the campaign.
s.On the whole, am gratifed to believe that the
country will conclude, that in the present state OF
our foreign relations, the appointment to the court
of London of public man of undoubted qualifca-
TONS and favorably known at that court, will prove
a happy one; and his usefulness to his country in
the present crisis will not be the less, even if il
should be true that he is somewhat less mbued with
sectional or party feelings than some others that
| might have been selected
| HMr McLane does not 60 to England the presi-
dent of monopoly or moneyed corporation. He
promptly resigned the presidency Of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company when he accepted the
English mission. l have understood that the
company, justly proud of his past labors in their
service refused for The present, to accept his res
ignaton with the hope that upon his return to the
United States, he will find it consistent with his own
obligations to resume his active abors to carry this
! great work to the Ohio river whenever either the
States Of Virginia Pennsylvania may open to It a
/ satisfactory right Of way. Meanwhile, he renoun-
ces all salary and participation in the affairs Of the
4 company to president pro fenpore, who has been
elected to fiji his poet and he proceeds to Europe
| with single and patriotic resolution to redeem the
| honor and confidence reposed in him by the chief
4 al,