Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1924-02-21
DENNY RESiGNS-AIMENG 10
SAVE THE PRESIDENT CaAGRIN

1he letter said that neither yoU
(the president) or anyone else al
any time has advised me to resign
In reply President Coolidge wrote
that he realized that Secretary Den.
by was acting under his "sense OF
public duty and expressed deep re.
gret.
Following is the text of President
Coolidge's letter:
MY Dear Mr.. Secretary:
Your resignation has been re-
ceived. am conscious that you
have rendered it from a sense of
public duty. 1t is with regret that
| am to part with you. You will
go with the knowledge that your hon
esty and integrity have not been i'm
plunged. | treasure and reciprocate
your expressions of friendship. |
shall remember the fine sense of 10y
atty which you have always exhibited
toward me, with much satisfaction
and always wish you and yours con-
tentment and success.
very truly yours,
Calvin Coolidge"
Secretary Denby's letter of resig-
nation is as follows:
My Dear Mr.. Presidents:
Heretofore | have verbally eX-
pressed to you my deep apprecia-
tion of your strong message i'll re-
gard to the Robinson resolution.
mo one appreciates better than
l how difficult your situation has be-
come. | fear that my continuance in
your cabinet would increase your en-
barrassment Therefore | have the no
nor to tender to you my resignation
as secretary of the navy.
GAS there are a few pending mat
ters which should receive my perso-
nal attention | suggest that my res
ignation be accepted as of the date
of March 10, 1924.
"It will always be gratifying
thought to me that neither YOU or
anyone else has at any time advised
me to resign.
81 assure you again of my appre-
citation of the many courtesies you
have shown me and of your last great
act in refusing to accede to the de-
mand of the senate that you ask my
resignation.
"With cordial regards to you and
Mrs. Coolidge, and with best wishes,
| am,
Edwin Denby."
At the same time he made public
the correspondence Secretary DENLY
also issued statement saying:
81 challenge investigation before
an unprejudiced tribunal. My ac-
tons to safeguard the interest OF
the government and the navy were
undertaken openly and in good
faith, and were based upon the
best obtainable information.
''It has not beeen proven, nor do
Ibelieve that it can be proven that my
action was not beneficial both to the
government and to the navy.
The statement said further that his
reason for resigning were set forth
fully in his letter to President Cool
idge.
my resignation is to take effect
March 10, which gives plenty of time
for impeachment proceeding to be
begun" he said. ''Therefore anyone
who says that l am resigning for
fear of impeachment, simply lies"
Attention was called to the fact
that lie had "eXplained' the first
lease made on the naval oil reserves
to a senate committee on May 4,
1922, "within a month after the sign
ing of the first lease" The state
ment then quoted at length some OF
the questions and answers recorded
in the hearings Of the subcommittee
of the senate appropriations commit
tee in the course of inquiry as to
naval estimates for the fiscal yeal
1928.
These quotations related to the
drainage of Teapot Dome.
The secretary then went on to say
he resigned "gladly and fearlessly.' y
81 am able to fight my own bat,
ties" he concluded, "but | cannot
fight SANDER protected by senatorial
immunity"
Mr.. DENLY pointed out also that
as private citizen he would still
be subject to legal action eff have
committed any offense against the
law"
"The disaster" that had overcome
the oil reserve plans the secretary
said was that a serious charge Of
corruption had been laid against
| them, which charge lies entirely out