There is no expediency justification when deliberately choosing a president.
The context was primarily dealing with property rights. A fundamental Constitutional Right.
Also in the letter are his comments on war time actions....”The officer who is called to act on this superior ground, does indeed risk himself on the justice of the controlling powers of the constitution, and his station makes it his duty to incur that risk. But those controlling powers, and his fellow citizens generally, are bound to judge according to the circumstances under which he acted.”
Evidently TJ believed in higher (lawful) acts not found in the Constitution.
Thank you, I was wondering what the context of that quote was.