Huntingdon Journal

              ^.,,MMmm.i ¦wjiifci'aft**jJ.**-'-H!*J
"0N£   COUN'rilY,    OKE   CON.STITCTION,    ONE    DESTINY."
A.   W.   BRWKniCT   PURLISHRR   AND   PROPRIT^TOR.
Voi
J«eai:..ir.'«
VT. No. .S9.]
HUNTINGDON, PENNSYLVANIA, WEDNESDAY,SEPTKMRER 22, 1841.
[WnoLi: No. 299.
01- -riiE
I-IUNT5?i01>ii-V   JOURNAL.
Tir.; " I'lUUN.M." will be  published every "-.VjcluesJ.iy muriiiug
at two dollar:
IS alone ill pursuance uf that vvill that any measure cuu ever  reach   lliu  President; lYpTiiilTN ADV.VNCE, and if liut puid Willi-i and  to say  that  because a   majority  in in six munths, tvvo dollars and a hulf. 1 Conjcress have passed a bill the Presiilcnt
Ev jry person who obtains five iubscribei's, should therelure sanction it, is lo abro;>ale anl forwarda price of subscription, shall be , ji,^ |,uwer altouethur, ai'd lo render its iii- ..iriiishedwith.v aixlUcupy ^¦'¦'"'"""^ly ^^^ | ,eriiun in the Cunslitutiun a Work of ab- "n nii'i'scription received for a less period ! «"'"'« superogutiou.     The duly islo ;;uaid
th.ui six in,nths,novany paperdisconlinued  ""* ' ' '""' """ -' '' '¦  ''	
jniil ill arrearages ui-e paid.
JT" Vll c unmii'iicatiuns must bc addressed to tliu E litor, Pfisr pai», or they will not b.; attended to.
\,lvaitisem lilts not cxceedin?; one square, vvill belnserted three limes for one dollar
which has made the constitution supreme,   on Camden, New Jersey ; at New   York Ilmust be exerted against the wil I of a mere representative majority, or not at ull.    ll
,viid for every subsequent insertion, tweuly- II ve cjiits per scjuare will be clvtrged. If no definite orders arc given as to the time an udverlisKmeutiHlu be cun.iiiued,'it will bc kept ill till urdered out, and charged accor- •4linf;ly.
AGENTS.
FOR
The Mitntiiiiiiloii JfonrnaJ.
U iniel'Te.e^iie, Orbisonia; David Blair- Esq. Shade Gap; Ueiijimiii Le.ise. Sliirleys- Itui-f- Eliel Smith. Esq. Chilcottxtown; ini.- Eui-riken. jr. Cejfee A'un;Hugh Madden, Esq. Springfield; Dr. S. S. Dewey, llir' mingham; lumes Morrow. Union I'urnacc ; JohnSisler. ITarri'or .1/arA-; Jumes Davis, F.sq. Went lowiiuMfi ; D. H. Muore. Esip Erankstoiun; Eph. G ilbreulh. Esq. Holti- liaysburtt-. Henrv Noif. Alexandria; .\arou Burns, Wdliamubur'f,; A. ]. SteWiivt, iCa^fj- ."itreet; 'vVm. Reed. l''.sq. Mo-ris townsliip; Solom m Humer. Aeff's A/i7/; J imes Dysart. Miiilh Sfiruce Creek; Wm. Murray, Esq. firHi/syi'/^.-; •Juhii Crum. Manor Hill; i:iti. V. S'l-ewurl. Sinking Valley; L. C. Kessler Mill Creek.
the lumUmeutul vvill ot the peuple them selves Irum (iu this case 1 auiiiit uninlen- tiouaily) change or inlractioii by a uiajuri- ly ill Cungress. And in that li^ht alune, du 1 rvii;ard liie cuiistitutiuual duty which 1 MOW most reluctantly discharge
U this bill, now presented for my ap¬ proval or disapproval, such a bill ag I iiave alrtady declared could not receive my Hanction ? li> it .such a bill as calls fur the exercise ol the nej^ative power under the Constitution'!    Dues  it   violate the
I will tako this occasion to declare, that un a bordei to'.vn in New Jersey ; at Cin-1 the conclusions to whicli I havu bruught cinnati on Newport. Kentucky, not to; myself arc ihose uf settled conviction, multiply other examplua, iiiii;lit fur  any-  founded in my opinion on a just  view   of
thing in this bill to restrain it, becume a iiicro matter of local accommodation. Cities thus relatively siluated would pos-
tlie. Constitution, that, in arriving at it, I have been actuated by no other motive or desire than to uphold  the inslituliuiis uf
.sess advantage over cities otherwise situ-jthe country as they have come  dovvn   to
ated, of so decided  a character as luuit justly to excite disalisl'action.
2d—There is no limit prescribed to the premium in the purchase ol bills of e.l- cliuiige j lh-.;reby correctiii;^ none of ihe evils under which the cuiuniuiiity novv labors, and operating most iiijuriMUuly up¬ un thu agricultural Stales, in which the uiief|Uality in the rales of exchanges are must severely lelt. Nur are these the onlv conseijuences. A resumption uf specie payments by the banks of these Stutes, wuuld bu liable tu indefinite pubt- ponement, tor as the operation of the agen¬ cies of the interior would chiefly consist
FROM   Till! RETUUKKING, WITH HIS C.DJECTION.'!,
" 7*A« bill loproniaefor the better collec- tion, sale keeping, und aisbursemenl of tht public rei enue, by means of a Cnr~ poration, to bc stijltd the Fiscal Corpo- raiionofthe UnitedStults."
Smtsmbbh, 9, 1841.
To the  House of Repreaentuticea of ths United States :
Itis with Bxlrrme rcj^rst thut I feel mj«e!( coimtrained, by the duty faithful- Jv to esecute the otlice of Pre.iident of llie 'Cnited Statas, ami to the bei*t of my ability to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitu lion ofihe United States, to re¬ turn to that House in which it originated, the Isill " to provide lor the better collec- lion, Bufe keeping, and disbursemunt «l the public revenue, br means ol a corpo¬ ration lo be htvled the fiscal Corporatiou ofthe United'States," with uiy written objectiuiis.
Iu my message sent to the  Senate on the IGth day  ef August laBt,  returning the bill   "to incorporate  the tubscribers to the Fiscal il mk of the United Staler." I distiiictlT declared that my uwn opinion had been uuituriiilv ptoclaimed against the exerciso"of  the'power  of Coiign'su to create a National Bank, to operate per se over the Union ;" yid   entertaining  that opinion, my main   oUjectiun  to  that  bill was based upon the highest morul and re¬ ligious o'lligalions of tfoincirnce  and  the   local Constitution.    I reiftklv admit, that whilst  vilig the qualified re/owWk   which   the Chiet Magistrate i» invested shoulil be re-erdtd, aud was iniended by the wi.e  men   who made it a part ot the  Cunstilutiun,  as  a great conaef vative principle •four sysiem. without the exercise ol which, on import¬ ant occasions, a mere reprobeotalivic  iiia- jority might urge the Government  in  its legiu'laiiuti beyond the limits fixed by far¬ mers,  or might exert iU juiit  puwers   too hastily or oppressively ; yet it is a  power which oughl lo be most cautiously  exert¬ ed, aud perhaps never, except   in   a  cane immediaily involving tlia public interest. «r one in whichlhe uaih of the President, acting under hw conviclluns, both  mental and moral, imperiously require iii* exer- ,i;i«e,    Jn such case he hua no alternative. He mu,st eilhur exert the. negative pow¬ er intrusted' to  him by the Constitution chiefiy for itk' own   preoorvalioii.  protec¬ tion, and defence, or commit an act  o
to operate perse over the Union i Its ti¬ tle, in the Iirst place describes Us general characlei. Il is " An act to provide for the better collection, sule keeping, and (li.rbursrment of the/<i'A/ic revenue, by ineuiia ul A corporation, lo be styled the Fiscal Corporation of llie Unittd Stales. In style then, it is plainly liatioual in its charucler.
(ts puwerti. functions, nnd duties, are ihose which pertain lo tho cof/cctin:,'', Aee/;- ing, and disbursing the public revenue. 'The means by which these are Ui be e.x- erted ia a corporation, to be styled the Fiscal Corporation o! the Unitid .Slates. It is a corporation created by the Cun¬ gress of the United States, in the charac¬ ter ot a National Legislature fur the whule Union, tu perlurm the fiscal purposes, meet llie_/fsc'((Z wants and exigencies, sup¬ ply the fiscal uies, and exert tlie _/{*('((i a-- gencies of the 'Treasury of the United States. Such is its own description of it¬ self. Ho its provisions contradict its titlei 'They do not. It is Irue, that by its first sectiun it provides that it shall be Crtablishcd in the Distiict of Culumbii, but the amount tf its capital—the manner in which its stock is to be subscribed for «nU held—the persons, budicn, corporate And public, by whom ils stociC may be held —the appointment ut its directors, and tiieir puwers aud duties—its fuiiddiuental arti^es; especially that tu establish agen¬ cies in any part ofthe Union—the corpo¬ rate (Hiwersand business of such agencies — tl.e [irohibition of Congress to establish any other corporation with similar powers far iwenty years, with express reservation Ul the same clause, lo modily or create any bank fur the District of (jolunibia. so that the aggregate capital shall not ex¬ ceed live millions ; without enumerating other features which are ciiually distinc tive and characteristic, clearly sho'W that il cannot be regarded as other than Bank ot the Uniled States, with powera seemingly more limited than have hereto¬ fore been granted to such an inslitution. —It operates perse over the Union, bv virtue of the unaided, und, in my vievv, assumed authority of Congress ,-»s" a Na¬ tional Legislature, as distinguishable from a bank created by Congress fur the Dis¬ trict of Columbia, as the local Legisla¬ ture uf the District. Kvery United States Uuiik heretufure created nas had puwer to deal in bills of exchange, as well no in distounls. Uuth were trading pri- s cunlerreil, aud botli cxereised bv viriue of the aforesaid power of Cungress, over the whole Union.— The question of power remains unchanged, vvitliout refer¬ ence to the extent of jirivile({e granted— If this propused Corpurutiun is lo be re¬ garded as a local bank ot llie District of Colambiu, invested by Congress with gen¬ eral powers to operate over thu Union, it is obnoxious to still stronger objections. It assumes that Congress may invest a local institution wilh general, or uuiiom.l powers. With the sume propriety that it may do ihia in regard lo a bank of ihe Diss trict ot Columbia, it may as the State b:ink.—Yel whu c*n indulge the idea that this Government can righllully, by mak¬ ing a State bank ils fiscal^agent, invest it with the absolute and unqualitied pewers totiferred by this bill? fKiien 1 come tn ook at the details of the bill, they do  not
us from our god-like ancestors ,- anl thut I shall esteem iny etl'urts to sustain them, even thuugh 1 perish, more honoiable than to win the applause of men, by a sa¬ crilice of my duty a:id my conscience. JOHN TYLER. Washington, September, 9, 1841.
sage, and its variance from thu one you containing the grant of power to deal in ex- had agreed to sanction, I could not find ' changes, ami of the connexion in which in that act enough to disturb the confiilcn. i t),at grant should be introduced ; you al- tiul relations wliich existed between us. j j,„ spoke of the name of the institution, 1 wasdisposud loatlributethisact,traught jilKsiriii;; tiiat/An< should be changed. To with mischiel as it wus, lopure and Imn-, this I objected, as it would probably \m or.-ible mulives. and toa cunscientious ] n);,de a subject of ridicule, but you insist- cunviction onyour purt that the   bill, in   ed that there wan much in a name,   *nd
I Cunstitution. by creating a national hank.] in settling bills uf exchange, and the pur¬ chases could only be made in spcie, or iq notes of banks paying specie, the State banks would either have to continue with their doors clused, ur exist at the mercy uf this national iiionupoly of brokerage. Nor can it be passed over withnut remark, that whilst the District of Columbia is uuidc the scatof the principal bunk, its citi/.ens are excluded trom ull pailicipus tion in any benefit it might ali'urd, by a pusitive prohibition ot the bank from all discounting within thu District.
'These are some ofthe objections which proiniiiently exi-,! ugainst the details of the bill ; other.s might be urged, of much force, but it would be unprofitable to dwell upon thein : sutlice it tu add, that this cliarucloris designed to coiitiiiue fur Iwenty years, without a competitor, that the defecis to which I have alluded being fuunded in the luMdaiuental law of tiie Cuiporation. are irrecoverable ; and that il the ubjecliuns be well luunded. it would be uver tiu-^arduus to pass ihe bill into a
l.iW.
In conclusion, I take leave most re¬ spectlully to suy. that I hnve felt the most anxious sulicitude to meet the wishes of Congress in the adoptiun of a fiscal agent which, avuiding all the constitutional ob jectiuns, should harmonise cuiillicting o'linions. Actuated by ihis feeling, I have been ready to yitld much, in a spirit of conciliation, ta the ujiiniuns of olhers; and it Is vvith great pain that  1 now   teel
From the National Intelligencer. Thv LvtSera ul Ji£csiK3tiaSu>!i]. 'The lollowing Letters of llie Secretary ofthe 'Treasury and the Altoruey Oener¬ al, resigning their respective trusts, have been pluced in our hands for publication: W.V.S1UNC.TU.N-, September 11,1811. Siu: Circumstances have occurred  in the course of your Administratiun,  and chiefly in llie exercise by you of the vetu puwer. vvhicii constrain me to believe that my longer cuntinuance in uliice as a mem¬ ber ufyour Cabiiiel vvill be neither agree¬ able to you. uselul to the cuuntry, ur hon¬ orable to mysell.
Uu llie the juslice. Mr. President, to be¬ lieve that this conclusion has been adopted neither capriciously, nor in any spirit of party feeling or personal hoslility. bul irom a sense ol duly, which, mi»tuken thuugh it may be. is yet so sincerely eii- tertuineil, that I cheerfully sacrifice tu it the advantuge and distinctions of uliice.
He pleased, therelore. to accept this afi my resignation of the uiiice of A-tturne) Oeneral ufthe U. States.
Very respectlully. yours, i^-e.
J. J.CPvTT'TENDEN. Thb Puksidknt.
'I'reasuky Dkp.vht.mbnt, Sept. 11. 1841.
Sir: Afler thu most calm and careful cunsideralittu, and viewing the subject in all the aspects in whicii it presents itself to my mind. I have come lo tiie conclj- siun that I ought uo lunger to remain a member of vour Cabinet. I iherelore re¬ sign the oflice ol Secretary ofthe 'Truasu- ry. and beg you to accept this as my let¬ ter of resignation.
'To avi.iil misunderslanding, I distinct¬ ly declare that I do not consider a ditfer-
coinpelled to dill'er from Congress a sec- ence of opinion as to the charter of a Na- oiid lime in Ihesame sessiun. .\l the j tiunal Bank a sullicient reason fur dissol- cuiiimencement ol this session, inclined ving the ties which have existed betvveen from chuice to defer the legislative will, lUs. Tliuugh I louk upon that measure as I.submitted lo Congress the propriety of; one of vast importance to the prosperity adopting a Fiscal Agent which, without of ihe country, and ihuugh 1 should have viulatiii;{ the Constitution, would separate deeply deplored yuur inability or unwil- the public Hioiieys from the Executive lingness to accord it to the wishes ofthe control, perform the operations of the; Peuple and the States, so unequivocally 'Treasury without  being burdensome  toi expressed  Ihruugh their Represciitativ
the People, or inconvenient or expensive tu the Oovernment. it is deeply to be regretted   that  this   Department  ot   the
slill upon this ami this alone, nnconncct- ed wilh other controlling circumstances, I should nut have felt buund tu rcsiirti the
Government cannot, upon ronstitulional i place which I hold in your  Admiuistra-
and other grounds, concur wilh the Legis lal ive Departiuenl in this last invasuru proposed tu attain these desirable ubjects. Owing to the brief space between the pe¬ riod of the death of my lamented prede¬ cessor, und my uvvn iustuilatiuii intu of iice. 1 was, iu tact, not left time to pre¬ pare and submit a definitive recuminen- daliunut my own regular message, and siii.;e, my mind has been whrlly occupied ill a must mxiuus attempt tu cuiifurm my aclion to the Legislative will.
In this comiuunication, I am confined by the Constitution to my objections, siin-. ply to this bill, but the re-^ular Session will suon 41 rive, vvhen ilwill be iny duty under another clause of the Cunstilutioa " to give to Congiess information of the State ot the Union, and lecoiiiinend to their consideration such nieusuie.i as 'I shull judge necessary and expedient.' " And I must respectfully submit in a spirit ufhirniyny. whether the present dill'er- eiices of opinion should be pressed furth¬ er at this time, and whether the peculiari¬ ty of ray situation docs not entitle mc to a postponeinent of this subject to a more auspicious period tor deliberation.
'The two houses of Congress have dis¬ tinguished themselves at this extraordina¬ ry sessiun, by the perlurinaiico ofan  im-
jjrosB mural  turpitude.    Mere regard  to  will suftce
the will ofa majority must not, in a con-       1st, It may justify substantially a sys-
tero'ofdiscouiits ct the most objectioable
tlie will ot a majoritv
•tiiutiaaitl republic like ours, cunirol this tacred and solemn duJy of a sworn offic¬ er. The Consliiulion itself I regard and cherish as the embodied and wiilten will of tho whole people uf the United Slates. It is their fixed uud fundamental law, which they unanimously prescribe to the BUhlic fukctiouaries—thoir mere trustees ¦nd servants. This, their will, and the law which they have given us as the rule of our action, has no guard, uo guarantee of preservation, protection, and defence, but the oath which it prescribes tu the pub lie olficers, the sanctity wilh which they ¦ball religiously observe thi/se oaths, and ¦the p«trioti»w with whirh the people shall f\\ieii   il by thi-tr own  loyertipi will.
recumiueiid it stiengly to  my  adoptioii.  inensc miss of labor al a season very  un V br.ct notice  ot some of its pravisiuus   favorablo both to healtli and  action, and
have pussed many laws which I trusi vvill prove highly beneficial to the interest of
character.    Ilis to  deal  in bill	
change drawn in one State and payable ill all other, without any restraint. The bill of exchange may have an unlimited lime to run, and its lencwa'iility is no where guarded against. Itmay,iu fact, assume the most objectionable torm ot ac¬ cummodation paper. It is not reipiired to rest on any actual, real, or substantial exchange basis; a drawer in one plaee be¬ comes the ticeeplor iu an olher, and so un ill turn the ue,;eplortur may become the drawer, upun a mutual understanding. It may al the same lime, indulge in mete lucbl discount under the nameof bills of cschinge.   A tnll dr»»n *t Pliil«d«|plii»
the country, and fully answer its just ex- peclatious. It hiis been my good fortune and pleasure to cuncur with tlieai in all meusuies,except this, and why should our difi'ereuce on this alone bc pushed to ex- tremesi" Il is my anxious de-ire that they should nut be. 1, tuu. have been burdened with axtranrdiiiary labur ut late, aod I sincerely desire time fur deep and deliberate reHection un this, the great¬ est dilliculty of my administration. May we not now pause, unlil a more favorable time, vvhen, vvith the most anxiuus hope that thn Kxecutive and Congress may cor¬ dially unite, some nicasuie of finr.nce may be deliberately adopted, promotive of ^? good of our common eountry.
tiun. But those controlling circuinstan cei» do exist, and 1 will, in my own jusii¬ ficaiiun, place them in conuexiun before you.
It is but just to you to say that the bill which first passed the two Houses of Con¬ gress, and v/hich was returned with yuur objections on the lOtii of August, did ne¬ ver ill its progress, as far as I know or believe, receive at any time either your uxpruss or implied assent. So fur as tiiat bill vvas known to me. or us 1 was consul¬ ted upon it, I endeavored to bring ils pro¬ visions as nearly as possible in accordance wilh whul 1 umierslood to be your views, and rather hoped tlian expected your ap¬ proval. I knew ihe extent lu which you wore cummilted on the ipiestiun. I knew the pertinacity with wliich yuu adhered to your expressed opinions, and I dread¬ ed Irum the firsl the most disastrous con¬ sequences, when the project of coniproin- ise which 1 presenled al an early day was rejected- it is equally a matter of justice tn you and to myselt lo sav that tlie hill which I reported to tho two Houses of Congress at the cummenccmeiit of the session, iu obe diencc lo their call, was modified so as to meet your approbation. You may not.it is true, have read the bill throu'^huul, and examined every purt uf it; but the lOih fundamental article, which becuine llio contested question of principle, was Iree¬ ly discussed biitween us, and it vvas un¬ derstood and uiiec|uivocal|y sanctioned by yourself. 'The last clause in the bill, idso, which contained a reservation of power in Congress, was inserted on the Oth of J une, in yuur presence, and with your ap¬ probation ; ihuugh yuu at one time tuld mo that, ill giving your sunciiun to the bill, you vvuuld accompany it with an ex¬ planation of your understanding of the first clause.
In this condition of things, though I greeatly regretted your veto on the Ull lis it passed the tvvu Huuses of Congress, and though I foresaw Ihe excitement and ugitatinn which it would produce uimiiig the People, vet, considering the changes whici the bill had undergone in il»  p.\4
some of iu |iruvisioiis, cuiiliicted vvith th Coiistilutiou. But that opinion of your course on the bill vvhich has just been re¬ turned to Congress wilh juur second ve¬ to, 1 do not ami caiinul entertain. Uecur to what has passed belween us vvith re¬ spect tu it, and you vvill at once perceive that such ujiinion is impussible.
'The liUli being the day fur our regulur Cabinet meeting, vve assembled, all except .Messrs. Crittenden and Granger, and yuu told us that you hud had a lung cuuversa¬ lion wilh Messrs. Berrien and Sergeant who professed to come in behalf of the Whigs of ihe tvvo Houses lo endeavor to strike out some measure whicii wuuld be enerally acceptable. 'That you had your doubts about the projiriety of coiivcrsinj; with tliem yourself, and thought it more proper that you shuulil commune with them through your constitutiunal ailvi.sers. ¦^'ou expressed a vvi=li that the whole sub¬ ject should be postponed till the next ses¬ sion ut Congress. You spoke uf the de¬ lay in th-.: Senate ot the consideration nf your veto message, and expressed anxietv as to the tune ami temper which ihe de- bale vvuuld assume.
Mr. Badger said that on inquiry he was happy tu find that the best teirijier pre¬ vailed in the two Huuses. Ile believed they were perlect ready tu take up the bill repurted by the Secretary of the'Treasu¬ ry, and pass it at unce. You replied.— 'Talk not to me of .Mr. Kwing's bill, it cuntains thul odious feature of local dis¬ counts which I have repudiated in my message.' I then said to you, 'I have no doubt, sir, that the House, h,ning ascer¬ tained your views, vvill pass a bill in con- lot mil y to them, provided they can be satisfied that it vvuuld answer the purpo« es of the Treasury, ami relieve the coun¬ try.' You then said, 'Cannot my Cniii- net sec that this is bi-ouj;ht about? You must stand by me in this emergcHty.— Caunul yuu see thai a bill pusses Cun gresB such as I can ajiprove vvitliout in¬ consistency?' I declared again mv bes lief ihul such a hill might bc passed. And yuu then said tu me, 'What du you un¬ derstand tu be my upiniuns? Stale them, so that I may s.-e that there is no iiiisap- prelieiision aboul lliem.'
I then said thai 1 understood you to be of upinion llmt Congress might charter a bank in the District ol Columbia, givina it its location here. 'To this you assented. 'That ihey might authori-/.e such bank to establish ollices of discount and deposite ill the several States, vvith the assent of the States. 'To this you replied, 'Don't name discounts; they have been the suurce of the most abominable corruptions, ami wholly unnecessary to enable the bank to discliaige its duties lo the cuuutry and the (Joveriiment.'
I observed in reply that I vvas proposing nothing, but simply endeavoring tn state what 1 had understood to be your opinion as to the powers which Congress nii^lit constilutiunally confer on a bank; that on that puint I stoud corrected. I then proceeded to say that I untlerstoud you to be of of upiniun that (ilungress might au¬ thori'/.e such hank to establish agencies in the several States, vvith power to deal in bills ol exchange, vviihout the assent of tlie States, to vvhich you replied, 'Yes, if they bc loreign billr-. or bills drawn in one State and payable in anulhur. 'That is all the power necesfary for transmitting the public funds and regulating exchanges and the currency.'
.Mr. Webster then expressed in strong forms, his opinion thut such a charter would answurall just purposesof Guvern- Kieiit anil bu satisluctury to the People; and declared his preference for it over any whicii had been proposed, especially as it ilisiienscil with the assent of thu States to thu creation ofan instimtinii necessary fur carrying on the iircul operations of Government. He examined it at some len';;tli, both as to its constitutionality aud its inlluence on the currency and exchan¬ ges, in vvhich views you expressed your cunciirrenca. desired that such a bill shuuld be introduced,iind especially that it shuuld iro into the hands uf sume uf yuur friends. To my inquiry whether Mr. Sergeant would be agreeable to you, you replied that he would. You especially requested Mr. Webster and myself tu communicate wilh Messrs. Berrien ahd Sergc.iiit on the subject, to vvliuni you said you hud prom¬ ised tu address a note, but you doubled not tiiut this personal coniinunication would be equally satisfactory. You d sired us, also, in communicating with thuse gentlemen, nut to commit yuu per¬ sonally, leiKt. this beiug recugni'^ed as yuur measure, it might be made a subject of comparison to yuur prejudice in the course of discussion. You and Mr. U'eb ster Ihen conversed about the particular wording of tha lOth fundantental article
this institutiun ought nol tu be called a bunk. Mr. Webster ui.dertuuk to ad»pt it ill this iiurticlar to vour wishes. Mr. Dell then observed In Mr. PVebstcr and myself that wc had nu time to loso ; tbat ifthis were not imini'tliutely attended to, another bill, less acceptable, might be got up and repoited. We replied that we would lose ho time. -Mr. VVebater accor¬ dingly called on .Messrs. Herrien and Sergeant immediately, and I waited on them by his appuintmeni at .1 o'clock nn tbe same day. and agreed upon the prin¬ ciples ofthe bill in accordance wilh your expressed wishes. And I am apprisvdof the fact, though it did not uccur in my presence, that afler the bill was drawu up. and befure it was reported, it vias seen and exumined by yourself; that your atlenlion was specially called to the Itith luiidamentui article ; that on (''ull examination yo'j concurred in its pro¬ visions; that at the san>e time ils name was so modified as tu meet yuur approba¬ tion ; und thu bill was reported aud pas¬ sed, in ull essential particulars, as il was vvhen it came thruugh your hands.
You usked Mr. Webster and myself eich fo prepare and present you an argu¬ ment touching the conslitutionality of the hill ; and betore those arguments cuuld be prepared and read by you, you declar¬ ed, as I heard and believe, to gentlemen, Memliersof the House, that you would cut olV your right hand r.atlitr than ap¬ prove it. After this new resolution was taken, jou asked and earnestly urged tbe members ot your Cabinet to postpone tkif bill ; but you would neither give yourself, nor suifer them to give, any assurance of your future course, in case of such post¬ ponement. By some ofu-, and I was my¬ self one. the effort was made to gratify your wishes, iu the only way in which it could be done vvith propriety ; that is, by obtaining the general concurrence of the Whig Members of the two Houses m tho ostponemeiit. It failed, as I have reasoo io believe, because yuu would give no as¬ surance that the delay vvas not sought as a means and occusion for hostile movemenls. During this season ol deep feeling and earnest exertion upon our part, while wa were zealously devoting our talents and intluence to serve and tu sustain you. tha very seciets olour Cabinet councils made their appearance in an infamous paper printed ina neighburiiigcity. the columns of which were daily charged with flattery of yourself aud fuul abuse of your Cabi¬ net. .\ll tills I bure ; for i felt that my services, so long as they could avBil, wero due lo the nation—to that great and mag¬ nanimous people whose sutli ages elevated your predecessor to the station which you now fill, and whose united voices sppro- ved his act when he summnoed us around him to be his counsellors ; and when I felt that what was due to his memory, to the injunctions which be lett usin hia lust dying words, und lo the people, whose servants we vvere, had not all bcon pertor- iiicit until every means was tried, and ev¬ ery hope had failed of carrying out the true principles upun which the mighty movement was founded thtt elevated bim and yuu to povvcr.
'This bill, framed and fashioned accord¬ ing lo your ovvn suirgoslions, in tho iiiitia- tiiiii ut vvhich I and another member of ynur Cabinet were made by you the agenta and the negotiators, was passed by Targe majorities through the two Houses of Con¬ gress, nnd sent to you and you rejected i<. Important as was the psrt which I had taken at yuur request, in the orgaoiia- lion uf thia bill, and dei'ply as /was com- milted for your action upon it. you never consulted me on thu vetu message. You did nut even refer to it in cunversttiuD, and the first noiice 1 had of ils conteatii vvas derived from rumor.
Andtu me, at least, you havo dona nothin;; to wipe away the personal indig* nity arising out ol the act. t gathered, it is true, from yuur coiiversatiuo. shortly uller the bill hud pussed the House, that you had a strong purpose to reject it ; but nothing was said like softening or apology to me, 'jither in reference to myself or to those vvitii whom I hud coinmunicntud at yuur request, aad who bud ucted them¬ selves and iilucud the two Houses to act upon the faiiK of that conimuiiicatioD. And, strange as it may seoin. thu 'Vein Message atlucks in an especial manner the very provisiuns which wure inserted at your request; and even the name of the coi-jMirutiun, vvhich was not only a- greed to by you, but especially changed lo meet your expressed wishes, is roado the object of your criticism. Different men might view this transaction in differ¬ ent points ol light, but. under these cir¬ cumstances, us a matter of personal fon- or. It would he hard fur me to reinain uf your counsel, to seal my lips and  le.-ive