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TO  THE  PUBLIC. 


My  name  having  been,  to  some  extent,  brought  before  the  public 
(contrary  to  my  wishes)  as  being  among  those  from  whom  Gen.  Taylor 
would  be  likely  to  select  his  Cabinet  I deem  it  to  be  due  to  myself  and 
friends  to  publish  the  subjoined  correspondence,  for  which  I have  the 
permission  of  the  President.  Notwithstanding  the  purposes  of  Gen. 
Taylor,  as  to  the  composition  of  his  Cabinet,  underwent  considerable 
modification  subsequent  to  my  declination  of  his  offer,  yet  I desire  it 
may  be  understood  that  I retract  nothing  of  the  views,  sentiments,  and 
avowals  contained  in  my  letter  of  the  2d  of  March.  / 

TRUMAN  SMITH. 

Washington,  March  17,  1849. 

Willard’s  Hotel,  Friday,  March  2. 

Dear  Sir  : Having  the  greatest  confidence  in  your  ability  to  fill  any 
office  under  the  Government,  I desire  to  say  that,  should  the  bill  creating 
a Home  Department  become  a law,  it  is  my  purpose  to  tender  you  the 
appointment  of  Secretary  of  that  Department. 

I have  the  honor  to  remain,  with  high  respect,  yours,  very  truly, 

Z.  TAYLOR. 

Hon.  Truman  Smith, 

House  of  Representatives,  Washington , D.  C. 


Washington,  (House  of  Reps.,) 

March  2 d,  1849. 

Gen.  Zachary  Taylor — 

Dear  sir:  I receive,  with  profound  sensibility,  the  offer  of  a seat  in  your 
Cabinet  as  Secretary  of  the  Home  Department,  (should  the  bill  now  pend- 
ing in  the  Senate  become  a law,)  which  you  do  me  the  honor  to  tender  to 
me  by  your  note  of  this  day’s  date.  For  this  distinguished  expression  of 
your  confidence  be  pleased  to  accept  my  heartfelt  thanks.  I assure  you 
that  nothing  could  be  to  me  a source  of  more  pride  than  to  be  associated 


I.  k G.  S.  Gideon,  Printer*. 


2 


I 

w 


with  you  in  the  administration  of  our  Government,  or  to  have  imposed  on 
me  the  duty  of  seconding  your  efforts  to  promote  the  happiness  and  pros- 
perity of  the  American  people;  but  many  considerations  would  call  on  me 
to  pause  before  I could  assume  such  high  responsibilities.  You  are,  sir,  not 
unaware  of  the  part  which,  as  a delegate  to  the  Philadelphia  Convention, 
I felt  it  to  be  my  duty  to  take  in  promoting  your  nomination  to  the  Presi- 
dency, after  giving  full  expression  to  the  respect  and  confidence  which 
the  people  of  Connecticut  have  long  cherished  for  the  distinguished  states- 
man of  Kentucky,  nor  of  the  labors  and  responsibilities  which  were  devolved 
on  me  as  the  organ  of  the  Whig  Executive  Committee  of  the  two  Houses 
of  Congress  during  the  subsequent  canvass;  and  I can  say,  with  truth, 
that  in  performing  that  duty,  and  in  undertaking  those  labors  and  responsi- 
bilities, I did  not  for  a moment  harbor  the  thought  of  deriving  any  other 
advantage  from  your  success  than  such  as  would  redound  to  the  country 
at  large.  Were  I now  to  accept  office  at  your  hands  I should,  I fear,  lay 
myself  open  to  the  imputation  of  having  been  actuated  by  other  than  patri- 
otic motives.  I turn,  therefore,  from  the  allurements  of  place  and  power, 
under  your  benignant  auspices,  to  the  high  duties  to  which  I have  been 
called  by  the  people  of  my  native  State,  to  whose  generous  confidence  I 
am  indebted  for  all  that  I am  and  all  that  I expect  to  be.  As  a member 
of  the  Senate  of  the  United  States,  (however  humble  may  be  my  position 
in  that  august  body,)  I flatter  myself  that  I can  contribute  something  to 
the  success  of  your  Administration  and  to  the  welfare  of  the  Republic. 

And,  furthermore,  I deem  it  best  not  to  renounce  my  seat  in  that  body, 
as  I am  by  no  means  satisfied  with  the  spirit  of  alienation  which  seems  to 
be  springing  up  between  different  sections  of  our  beloved  country.  While 
it  will  be  my  purpose  to  represent  faithfully  the  predominating  feeling  and 
sentiment  of  my  own  section,  I do  not  intend  to  be  put  on  extreme 
courses,  and  hope,  by  concurrence  in  wise  and  moderate  counsels,  to  aid 
in  allaying  the  irritation  now  existing,  to  spme  extent,  in  the  public  mind, 
and  in  adjusting  pending  questions  in  such  manner  as  to  satisfy  good  men 
in  all  parts  of  the  Union. 

I cannot  conclude  this  response  without  proffering  my  sympathies  on 
account  of  the  unexampled  difficulties  and  embarrassment  which  have  at- 
tended the  discharge,  by  you,  of  one  of  the  most  delicate  duties  which 
can  devolve  on  one  about  to  become  the  Chief  Magistrate  of  the  Republic. 
Having  spent  a large  portion  of  your  life  on  the  frontiers,  far  removed  from 
tke  abodes  of  civilized  men,  and  much  of  the  residue  in  the  tented  field, 
Iraidst  the  din  of  arms  and  the  clangor  of  war,  you  have  not  enjoyed 
the  usual  opportunities  to  obtain,  by  personal  observation  and  intercourse  r 
a thorough  knowledge  of  our  public  men;  and  having  postponed  your  ar- 


3 


rival  at  the  seat  of  Government  until  a late  day,  you  have  been  plunged 
into  the  midst  of  the  raging  political  elements  of  this  metropolis,  and  are 
obliged  to  grope  your  way  through  all  sorts  of  representations,  vehemently 
urged,  to  a safe  and  proper  organization  of  your  Cabinet.  I think,  sir, 
you  must  be  something  more  than  human  if  you  do  not  make,  under  such 
trying  circumstances,  some  mistakes;  and,  in  consideration  of  those  circum- 
stances, your  ultimate  arrangements  should,  in  my  judgment,  be  received 
with  great  indulgence  by  your  friends  throughout  the  country.  I can  bear 
testimony  to  the  profound  anxiety  which  you  have  manifested  to  do  justice 
in  the  selection  of  your  confidential  advisers  to  all  the  great  interests  of 
the  country,  and  all  sections  of  the  Republic,  and,  being  assured  of  the 
purity  of  your  motives,  and  of  the  generous  patriotism  by  which  you  are 
actuated,  you  have  my  unreserved  confidence  in  advance,  with  a determi- 
nation, on  my  part,  to  stand  by  you  “through  evil  report  and  through  good 
report,”  and  to  consecrate  all  my  faculties  to  render  your  Administration 
as  successful  (so  far  as  a proper  discharge  of  my  legislative  duties  can 
contribute  to  that  end,)  as  your  career  in  another  department  of  the  public 
service  has  been  illustrious.  I have,  therefore,  to  request  you  to  make 
other  arrangements  for  the  Home  Department,  should  the  bill  pass  the 
Senate,  and,  in  the  mean  time,  to  accept  assurances  of  the  respect  with 
which  I am,  truly  aad  faithfully,  your  friend. 


TRUMAN  SMITH. 


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