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Letter to Editor
November 13, 1833
Phenix Gazette
Alexandria, Virginia
What is this article about?
Former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury William J. Duane writes from Philadelphia on October 17, 1833, to a gentleman in Mason County, defending his refusal to remove deposits from the U.S. Bank despite opposing the bank itself, asserting the law granted him discretion over the President, and expressing contentment after his dismissal for upholding duty.
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OCR Quality
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Full Text
The Secretary of the Treasury—The following letter from William J. Duane Esq. late Secretary of the Treasury, to a gentleman of Mason County, has been handed to us for publication.—Maysville Eagle.
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 17, 1833.
Dear Sir:—I have just now received your letter of the 10th instant, expressing your approbation of my course as Secretary of the Treasury. I have always been and am, opposed to the U S. Bank, and to all such aristocratic monopolies; but, I considered the removal of the deposites, unnecessary, unwise, vindictive, arbitrary and unjust. I believed that the law gave to the Secretary of the Treasury, and not to the President, discretion on the question; and I would not act to oblige the President nor any body else when I thought it improper to do so. I never asked office—I accepted it reluctantly, and was removed for an honest discharge of my duty. If to keep office and $6,000 a year, I had given up my judgment, I should have brought shame upon the gray hairs of my Father and upon my numerous children: so that I am content to return to humble life with a tranquil mind.
With kind wishes, I am,
Very respectfully yours,
W. J. Duane.
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 17, 1833.
Dear Sir:—I have just now received your letter of the 10th instant, expressing your approbation of my course as Secretary of the Treasury. I have always been and am, opposed to the U S. Bank, and to all such aristocratic monopolies; but, I considered the removal of the deposites, unnecessary, unwise, vindictive, arbitrary and unjust. I believed that the law gave to the Secretary of the Treasury, and not to the President, discretion on the question; and I would not act to oblige the President nor any body else when I thought it improper to do so. I never asked office—I accepted it reluctantly, and was removed for an honest discharge of my duty. If to keep office and $6,000 a year, I had given up my judgment, I should have brought shame upon the gray hairs of my Father and upon my numerous children: so that I am content to return to humble life with a tranquil mind.
With kind wishes, I am,
Very respectfully yours,
W. J. Duane.
What sub-type of article is it?
Political
Reflective
Ethical Moral
What themes does it cover?
Politics
Economic Policy
What keywords are associated?
Us Bank
Removal Of Deposits
Secretary Of Treasury
Political Duty
Jackson Administration
Arbitrary Power
What entities or persons were involved?
W. J. Duane
Dear Sir
Letter to Editor Details
Author
W. J. Duane
Recipient
Dear Sir
Main Argument
opposed to the u.s. bank but viewed removal of deposits as unnecessary, unwise, and unjust; believed law granted discretion to secretary, not president, and was removed for refusing to act against his judgment.
Notable Details
Accepted Office Reluctantly
Removed For Honest Discharge Of Duty
Would Not Shame Father And Children By Yielding Judgment For Office And $6,000 Salary
Content To Return To Humble Life