Respectfully, yours, &C.


J. J. CRITTENDEN.

MIR. EwING,s LETTER.
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LANCASTER ONO. Dec. o, lo4l


DEAR SIR: Your favor of the 10Th ultimo Is
at hand. l had noticed the paragraphs in MIR.
Spencer's letter to which you REFER but bad not
felt the necessity of replying to them as they can
not, in my judgement, have the slightest weight
in forming or modifying the opinion OF the public
From Mr.. Spencer's swn showing, he could have
no knowledge whatever of the matters to which
ae volunteers his testimony; and he stands In
such relation to the parties that, had be know
ledge of oil the facts very small reliance could be
elaced on his opinion Indeed, every thing con-
sidered, between statement or an opinion OF the
Secretary of War and of the Presidents door
keeper, touching these matters the title to credit
and respect would be entirely in favor OF that OF
the last named iunctionary.


Mr.. Spencer's first assertion, which | under
stand is backed by statement OF Mr. Cushing,
(though have not seen the statement,) namely,
that the Wing members of Congress, IN concur
renee with the Cabinet, proposed 10 postpone the
bill to create Fiscal Corporation if the presldent
would agree to continue his (then) Cabinet in
place. is as far as know, wholly without founda-
ton There was no proposition of that kind made
to the President on behalf Of the Wing mem
bers, or asy Of them, wits my concurrence or
knowledge. What some member of Congress may
have proposed, and some member Of the Cabinet
concurred in, know not; but was never con.
suited on any such proposition by any member OF
Congress- OF the Cabinet; nor ever either advised
or sanctioned it. And, moreover, the person who
is said to have carried the proposition to the Ere
sident had not in any respect my confidence.


| Joined in an effort to postpone the bill, on the
strong representation made to Us by Mr.. Webster
that the President was on that subject In state
of mental arrangement. When | addressed meni-
bers of Congress upon it, some expressed apPre-
tensions, others belief, that the President had
determined to abandon the Wing party-that ne
was then engaged in negotiations with the OPpo
stion, and asked for time merely to effect his ar.
rsueements | was told by some that ne refused
to say TO them that he desired the postPoneEent,
or to give them any assurance, either in manner or
matter, to alay their apprehensions 10 this state
of things, aud nothing beyond it, ailude IN that
paragraph OF my letter of resignation wmcn Is re-
ferred to as shadowing forth the alleged propo-
sition. The person who carried the proposition to
the President, if any such were carried, can tell,
and he ought TO be required to tell, what members
of the Cabinet were consulted and concurred IN It.


The statement with respect TO the PRESIDENT
proposition to decline reelection IS much less
wide of the truth, though its degree of verify was
of course wholly unknown to MIR. Spencer al tEe
time he ventured the statement. The conve'sa-
tion referred TO occurred on the 4th day of Sep
tember, in the absence ofyourself and MIR. Badger,
andimmediatey after the Committee on Enrolled
Bills brought the bill to create Fiscal Corpora
ton to tho President for his signature He said IL
substance that he should probably be compelled TO
veto the bill, and he though, of accompanying the
veto message with solemn declaration that he
would not be candidate for reelection, and
wished our advice as tothe matter In the course
of the conversation, he also said he had indted q
sentence. Intended for insertion in bis inaugural
expressly declaring that he would rot be candi-
i ,is sor re-election which he withheld, lest lis
effect should be TO turn the batteries of Mr. Clay
and his friends on Mr.. Webster.


MIR. Webster having replied. and objected to the
declaration suggested by the President said that
/ boped he would not feel himself compelled to
veto the bill; but, if he did, did not think it adj
yisabls TO accompany the veto with the proposed
declaration as there appeared to me no connection
whatever between the two subjects, aud d'd moi
think such declaration would have any any tendency
10 reconcile the People to the veto. ms Is Tue
substance Of what I said on the su6Jecsi wnat "ss
said by the other members of the Cabinet dc MOI
remember with sufficient distiuctness to state IL
except that We all concurrea in the opinion ina
such declaration, at that time, and under those CIT
sum:tances, ought not TO be made,