The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-10-13


rem favored the measure. Mr. Lewis
thought otherwise. MIR. Blair went inn.
mediately to see the vice President, and
returned in an hour. "Well, said MT
Lewis, "what said he?" His reply was,
that Mr. Van Buren, was opposed to the
| removal.
Blair was sustained in these views by
Amos Kendall and Reubin NJ. Whitner,
and this trio, with perhaps one or two
others. the wings were wont to style
''the kitchen cabinet"
Mr.. Lewis some weeks later inquired OF
Mr.. Van Buren, what had been deter
mined on with regard to removal. he
replied that the question was settled,
and made remarks in justification of the
| President, showing that the witty New
York politician saw the necessity of ad
| iusting his views to the will of his supe-
| rior. | may add here, that General
Caps came to see the error of his way,
and acquiesced in the policy of the
President.
The President told Mr. Blair to con
suit with his friends on the subject OF
removal, and let him know what they
thought of it. Blair did so. He saw
Silas Wright, among others; and in a
few days reported to the President that
his leading friends were all against the
measure. The President replied, ooh,
my mind is made up on that matter,
Biddle shan't have the public money to
break down the public administration
with. That's settled. My minds made
up"
The President called a meeting of the
Cabinet to take place on September, 18th
in order to hear their matured opinions
upon the policy of the United States-a
measure upon which he had already de-
termined. The Cabinet was then made
up as follows:
Lewis Mclean, Secretary of State.
VIM. j. Duane, Secretary of Treasury.
Lewis Cap, Secretary Of War.
Levi Woodbury., Secretary of Navy.
Roger B. fancy, Attorney General.
William 7. Barry, Postmaster General.
President expressed the hope that the
gentlemen had all maturely considered
the propriety of removing the public
money from the custody of the United
States Bank. and, beginning with the
Secretary of State, be asked him as to the
conclusion at which he had arrived. Mr..
McLane at once stated his objections to
the measure, and gave his reasons for it.
The President put the same question
to the Secretary of the Treasury, to which
Mr.. Duane replied that he preferred leav-
ing the matter to the decision of Con-
gress. He deprecated the proposed con-
f1actiNp with 10 Gfofa hanEo
The Secretary of War, General Cass,
being appealed to for his opinion, said:
"You know, sir, have always thought
that the matter rests entirely with the
Secretary of the Treasury"
The Secretary of the Navy, Mr.. Wood
bury being called on for his opinion, re
.peated what he had said in April, that
the removal should not take place until
1884; and that an earlier change would
he injudieious; but he must now 90 with
the President
The Attorney Genera in reply to the
question, said that from, the beginning,
he had been in favor of an Immediate
change, and was now more than ever, of
that opinion.
The next day the President announced
his decision to the Cabinet, that the re-
moval was resolved upon, and that he
assumed the entire responsibility for the
Act.
The Postmater- General was not pre-
sent.
General Jackson deeply regretted to
part with Mr.. Duane, whom he held in
high esteem. But when it became
manifest, after long conversations and
correspondence, that they could not
agree-that Mr. Duane could not be per
suaded to sign the order for the removal
of the deposits, the President authOriz-
ed notice to be inserted in the Globe that
the Government would cease to deposit
the public money in the Bank of the
United States after the 1st day of Octo-
Der. This announcement could not law
fully be made except by the Secretary
of the Treasury Mr.. Duane deeply re-
sented it and declined to resign as he
had agreed to 90, if be should findit
impossible TO cooperate with the Presi
dent. He thus threw upon the Presi-
dent the necessity of Diminishing him,
which was 6na'ly done, after long par
leying.
fancy, the Attorney General, was ap-
pointed Secretary OF the Treasury, in
place of Mr.. Duane, and in three days
set his signature to the order to the coll,
lectors to deposit the public money in
certain State Banks. TIE order was not
given to any offictr to withdraw the
money then in the United States Bank,
and transfer il tn other hanks. hut cOllec
tors were directed after October to
deposit, their collections in other
banks, while the money in the United
Sat bank was left to be drawn out, on
drafts, in the usual way.
TIE President presents strong array
of fact in support of his policy of taking
from the bauk the custody of the public
money. In addition to the investiga
tions made by congressional committees,
aud by theorder of the Secretary of the
Treasurg, heretoforereferred 10, the Gov
eminent directors of the bank were