WASHINGTON, _January 13, 1835_.
_To the Senate of the United States_:
I have received the resolution of the Senate of the 9th instant,
requesting me to communicate "a copy of any report made by any director
or directors of the Bank of the United States appointed by the
Government, purporting to give information to the Executive of certain
notes and bills of exchange discounted at the Bank of the United States
for account and benefit of George Poindexter, a member of the Senate;
also the name or names of such director or directors."
In my replies to the resolutions of the Senate of the 11th December,
1833, and of 12th of June, 1834, the former passed in their legislative
and the latter in their executive capacity, I had occasion to state the
objections to requests of this nature, and to vindicate in this respect
the constitutional rights of the executive department. The views then
expressed remain unchanged, and as I think them peculiarly applicable to
the present occasion I should feel myself required to decline any reply
to the resolution before me were there not reason to apprehend that
persons now in nomination before the Senate might possibly by such a
course be exposed to improper and injurious imputations.
The resolution of the Senate, standing alone, would seem to be adopted
with the view of obtaining information in regard to the transactions
which may have been had between a particular member of the Senate and
the Bank of the United States. It can, however, scarcely be supposed
that such was its object, inasmuch as the Senate have it in their power
to obtain any information they may desire on this subject from their own
committee, who have been freely allowed, as appears by their published
report, to make examinations of the books and proceedings of the bank,
peremptorily denied to the Government directors, and not even allowed
to the committee of the House of Representatives. It must therefore be
presumed that the resolution has reference to some other matter, and on
referring to the Executive Journal of the Senate I find therein such
proceedings as in my judgment fully to authorize the apprehension
stated.
Under these circumstances, and for the purpose of preventing
misapprehension and injustice, I think it proper to communicate herewith
a copy of the only report made to me by any director or directors of the
Bank of the United States appointed by the Government, since the report
of the 19th of August, 1833, which is already in the possession of
the Senate. It will be perceived that the paper herewith transmitted
contains no information whatever as to the discounting of notes or bills
of exchange for the account and benefit of the member of the Senate
named in their resolution, nor have I at any time received from the
Government directors any report purporting to give any such information.