Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-07-26

This deficiency Col. Benton undertakes to supply first
from the inerlining, and statement pufrorng to
be from the diary of Mr. Adams First. 10 the inter-
ning-insiead of the expression. which was explict
it stands il read in the original draft and the
vote of every member explicit" These words were
all struck out except explicit" and in their place the
following words inerlined in the first instance
(which were unanimous and.'' afterwards the words
"unanimous and' were struck out which left the paper
as it stands. Now hold to be clear that the in
terllnng and striking out far from Strengthening the
Inference that the Cabinet unanimous, as Col Ben
ton contends, strengthen and sustain the very oppo
s So far, then, il is certain the draft of the letter,
standing by ITSELF instead Of furnishing proof that the
Cabinet unanimous, furnishes proof directly to the
contrary Even Col Benton himself seems to have been
conscious that it furnished satisfactory proof as to The
unanimy Of the Cabinet, and eudeavors to supply this
defect from statements porting 10 be taken from the IL
airy Of Mr.. Adams. From these, it would appear, that
meeting Of the Cabinet held the Sd of March, for
the first me to consider the compromise bill, and that,
according to the statement of MIR. Adams. the Cabinet
unanimous upon the question of consutonalty
also appears that the President him the ques-
tlons on tho 9Th of March, informing him at the same
time that he desired answers in writing from the mem
bers of the Cabinet and the would be in time if
received the day. Such is the substance Of the
statement purportng to be taken from his diary
! Connecting this with the draft it originally stood.
and the subsequent alterations including the date of the
memorandum filed with it. the natural Interpretation of
The whole affair is, that Mr.. Monroe drew up ineroea
tIons and the draft of his letter intended for Gen jack
son. the 4th Of March, the date of the memorandum
1t could not have been earlier according TO the diary of
| Mr. Adams, nor probably later. He did not date the
draft because the letter could be finished and
med to Gen. Jackson, until after he had signed the BILL
The draft was drawn up stood, in all probability
the basis of the opinion expressed the 30h of March,
the rst day of the meeting Of the Cabinet. and which,
at the time, the diary states, Unanimous" and
that doubts and uncertainty ofopnion expressed by
some OF the members the two subsequent days the
9Th and 9th of March which caused the nterlnng and
the first modification of the draft it stands. 1t is
difficult to give any other explanation.
turn now to COL Benon's reasoning upon the subject.
He alleges that the wordsand of every member
explicit" were struck out. and "expcil inserted evil
IDENTIFY to avoid violating the rules of cabinet secrets
to tell the opinion of members which the word 'uhan
nous" would do. His statement contains two errors,
to fact "Explcit" was in the original draft and never
struck out Unanimous made part Of The original
draft. as he supposes. 1t part Of lie inteIining
first, but subsequently str ck All this is apparent
from certified copy ofthe paper now before me. Thus,
his reasoning falls to The ground He carries the rule of
cabinet secrets very far much farther than he does the
same rule applied to the of the Senate Who
heard that 1t was violation of any rule of cabinet secrets
to say the Administration unanimous divided 1t
Is constantly said in reference their meetings and yet
would have you believe that it would have been breach
Of confidence in Mr.. Monroe. in writing a confidential
letter to friend of high standing cay that his cabinet
were unanimous and, especially, as the question
OF constltutionay, and Of policy What member of
any cabinet would be base aud cowady, to desire
TO conceal his opinion constitutional question Who,
accordingly did not know at the time that the opinion of
the Cabinet Of Gen. Washington divided the ques-
ton OF charterlng bank and what side every member
took Col. Bentons explanation is destitute Of
FEASIBILITY, and leaves the draft to speak for itself, it
stands and that clearly is against the cabinet being
imous. The diary Of Mr.. Adams furnishes the only op-
| M. N.,y II,ll hoo ~ tLnt
diary is no evidence Of fact against any one but him
who keeps it, The opposite rule would place the charac
ter OF every man at the mercy of whoever keeps diary
is not my object to call in question the veracy of MIR.
Adams, but he ofstfong preiudices hasty tenn
per, and much disposed to view things he desired
From his temperament he would BIZ liable to notice and
mark what fell within his views, and pass
tlced what did not. venture little in saying that if his
diary should be published during the lifetime Of those who
were on the stage with him, its statements would be
tradlcted by many and confirm all have slated. But few
statements from have get been brought the notice Of
the public but of these few have been
dcted; Gone, if my recollection serves me,} related 10
Gen. jackson, and the other, 10 Mr. Harris Of Phla-
delpha, during the administration Of Mr.. Monroe.
Opposed to the statement of Mr.. Adams, stands the
fact that opinions admitted by COL Benton.
to be found The files Of the Department Of State,
any evidence that any such opinions filed al
though the statement purpotng to be from the diary of
Mr. Adams says that Monroe directed them t. be filed.
One OF Thugs would to be clear, either he fell into
an error, in making the entry that he failed to place
them on le In consequence of subsequent direction
from the President 1t is hardly possible, fhey had been
placed on file, but that they would still be there or some
evidence. in existence, that they had been there MY
recollection is that Mr. Monroe requested the opin-
ion of the members of his cabinet in writing but that
consequence Of want Of time prepare written opinion,
other cause given, and this stated in
The Senate, when General Dix brought up the question
to the opinion Of The cabinet Of Mr. Monroe before the
fact was disclosed that there written opinion
the files ct the department. have entire confidence,
that If any was gven it amounted to than the
simple affirmation. negaon Of the power. The time
did not admit the preparation Of an elaborate opinion and
If any such had been given, is impossible that should
forget it, and next to impossibe that it should long
have remained concealed from the public. As the in
snuation that the only member ofthe cabinet Of Mr..
Monroe who has since been Secretary Of State and all
others Of like character pass them with the silent con-
tempt due to their basenes and the whence they
came.
There is, beside fact which clearly shows that there
had been considerable change Of views from the 4th to
the 9Th of March aIude the fact thai The draft of the
letter intended for General jackson was II
is nferble from the fact that there is such letter
be found among his papers, after the most digent search
II improbable that the change circumstances
which caused the striking and inserting and which
induced him not to finish and transmit the letter Gen.
eral Jackson intended induced him. ALSO finally dis
pense with written opinion, and win account why no
such opinion is found on file.
But suppose the case be az Col Benton contended
of what importance is it. how does it enable him to
make out his CHARGE that the resolutions which he
vehementy denounces introduced for the purposes