Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1849-07-25

which leave no doubt that it was intended
for Gen. Jackson. This paper WIS fuunr
filed awav with another cniorscd "lnrrr
Observation-Disclosures, March 81, $780,
TO The Heads of Departments and Altor.
ncy Gcncral.' 1t contained two questions
of which Tho one pertinent to The prcsen
subject. is in the lOIuwine words: elias
Congress rigElt.nndcr The powers vested in
the constitution, To make Il regulation pro.
hihlinS slavery in aicrrirory 7" The only
material sentcnce in the draft Of the lcIrcr,
in reference III the point under consi'Icra-
rion, is in tho following words: "I tool,
The opiHion in wiring of the administrator,
as 10 lhc const'u'onalny Of rcslranin. Ter
ritorics, which was explicit, in favor of it,"
These arc The exact words uf the scn-
lcncc as finally corrected by lis author. II
is explicit assfo IiIe statement, that the ad-
minisrration, as body, WAS in favor Of the
constiruIionalitv, but furnishes no proof
whatever Of It's members being unamimnus,
and of course no evidence that or any
other particular member Of the cabinci,
was in lis favor.
This deficiency Col. Bcn;ou undertakes
to supply, first from the intcrIlnng, and
next IL statement purporIing 10 bc from Ihc
diary of Mr.. Adams. First as TO tho in.
teriining: instead Of the expression, which
was explicit" as ii now stands, ii read in
The original draft, "and the vote of every
member wasexpcit." These words were
all struck on, except "explicit," and iu
their place. the following words were in.
'crlincd in thg first instance. (which were
unanimous NH" afterwards The words "ur-
animons and' were struck out, which Icli
the paper rs il now stands. Now | hold il
to be clear that The interining and striking
ont, so far from strengthening The Inference
that The cabinet were unanimous, aS COZ
Benton contends, it strengthens and suS.
lans the very opposite. So far thea il is
certain, the dIall Of the letter, standing by
itself instead Of furnishing proof that the
cabinet were unanimous, furnishes proof
directly to IlIe contrary. Even Col. Ben
ION himself seems to have been conscious,
that ii furnished no saislacrory pruuf, as
TO The unanimty Of the cabinet, and cndea-
vors to supply this defect from statements
purporrng 10 be taken from The diary Of
Mr.. Adams. From these, il would appear
that meeting of the cabinet was held on
the 81 of MaEcII for the first time, 10 consi.
der The comRomisc bill, and that, accord-
ing To The sHlement Of Mr.. Adams, the
IL -. ss.:lI,au pnon the Gacs.
lion OF c0nsiiIuIionali'y. II also aTbcTrs
that the President sent him lho Two gues-
tons, on tho 9TH Of March. informing him
III the same time that he desired answers in
writing from The members Of the cabueI,
and that I Ilc answers would be in time if
received the next day. Such is TIC sub
stance Of The statement purpurline to DO
taken from his diary.
Connecting this with the daft IA it nri
ginalIy Stood and The subsequent alterations
including the date of the memorandum
flied will it, the natural Interpretation OF
The whole affair, is that Mr.. Monroe drew up
intcrrosalions and the draft Of his Iclcr in.
tended for General Jackson, on the lib nl
March, tie date Of the memorantun. 1t
could Not have been earlier according to
the diary of Mr.. Adams, nor pruhably
later. lie did not darc the draft because
the letter could nut hc finished anil trans.
United 10 General Jackson, until after lie
had signed the bill. The draft WIS drawn
up as it sood, in all probability on the
basis of The opinion expressed on the :, Of
| March, the FIRST day Of The meeting of the
cabinet, and which. al the time as the diary
states, was unanimous" anil the doubts
amI uncertainty Of opinion were expressed
| by some If tIe members nn The two subse-
uncnt days the 9TH and 9Th Of March. }
which camsal llc inlcrininS and the first
mn,ifcaIonof The .lraIl rs it now stands.
|, is dillicalIto give any other explanation.
now lun To Col Brnton's reasoning
upon the suhsel. lie alleges that The
words aud ne OF every mcmhcr was cx-
picil were truck out, and "cXp!iclI" in
serted. cviIMly TO avoid violating lhcrulc
Of cabinet secrets not 10 tell the opinion Of
members which the word unanimous
would do. Ills statement contains TWO
errors, as iu'acl. Explicit was in the ori-
einal draft nd never sIrnck out. Unam>
m"us madcno part Of ihc original drali,
as he suppacs. II was part n( the IN
crlning atIirst; but subsequently struck
out. All Ills is apparent Irom certified
copy Of thu paper nnw before me. Thus
his reasoning falls 10 The ground. lie car.
ilcs tho rln Of cabinet secrets very far,
: much Iartier Than he does The same rule
applied to tc secrets Of The Senate.
Whpcvcdeanl thai ii was a violation Of
any rule ofcabncl Secrets to say the ad,
: ninislraliuI was unanimous or divided {!
IL is consIhly said in reference 10 their
meetings, ad YET he would have you 10 be-
licvc, that would have been breach Of
ronGLcnccn MIR. Monroe in wiling a con-
Iidcniial lei or To q friend Of hiS h standing,
10 say lhathis cabinet were unanimous;
and cspcciiIy as the question WAS one Of
runsliIuiopIily, aud not ulpuicy. Wtfh
member u auy cabinet would ho ST. hasc
and cUwar v, us to desire To conceal his
opinion on constitutional qucsIi"n! Wli"'
acc1nIIns did mi know al the time. that
the opinis of the caLiurl ui General
/ Washincld WAS divided cn The cTucsiun Of
ci,arlcriu5h bank ANA what s'Ic every
, member pk! Col. Bcniou's cxpInna,
tiun is dies ute vi even pIausihilry, aud
L leaves I'll FrnGi i" spcai, I"r itself, as it
/ ;iands; Il that clearly is against the Cd