Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-07-22
Fy9m The Auroya Of JuJ II.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE AURORA.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE AURORA.
At.the clole of the FELTON, of congreis whiSh
ended on the 1t of June, 1896, the iecretary OF
war placed five hundred dollars in my hands, to
be carried to Pittfburg, for the purpole of COM
permitting certain perlons engaged in tracing and
detecting the progrels and miichievous intrigues
OF emitIlries. employed on the weltern frontiers
and among the Indian tribes, by foreign pow
er, unfriendly to the United States. The money
wasadvanced with the knowledge of the pref
dent and all the heads of department. Before
the III Of Augut, 1896, Tpaid over the whole
lun to the psrlons thus engaged. The Rlanprin-
cpally active in this delicate buiineis, exaeed an
abfoiute promits thar lis name ihould remain
feeret. The dependent circumstances and local
Gtuation Of this man, fprbid.a dilcloiure Of bis
name, had no fuch promile been made. The
whole traniaeaion pafed within the knowledge
OF general Wayne, governor ST. Clair, and II. II.
Breckenridge, Efq. Genera! Wayne; who was
charged with the ultimate direction of this buff
neis, is TO more, genera! ST. Clair is ready 70
confirm the fact and Judge Breckenridge, who
aands very high in the cohfdence Of the prelent
adminiraiion, by his letters, dated the It inf.
authorities me thus publicly TO own, that the fun
of five hundred dol!ars was paid by me at the
time, fer the purpoie, under the promilc CT fc-
erecy, ana with the knowledge of hinielf, Of gen.
Wayne, and governor, S.. Clair, as have above
aated-thlt the Who'll. sranla3ion was innocent,
prudent, :neritolious. I he backs CT the account
art of the war department. thew that the money
was advanced at the time I'have mentioned, and
1t cannon be pretended that any other public mo-
ney was ever paidinto my hands.
In the iamner Of 1879, the accountant wrote
% me, that Twas charged with the FUN of five
hundred dollars, and deGred that fhould fend
vouchers to cofe the account. When eongreis
aiicnl5lcd in the December following, gave his
letter to one of the heads of department., all of
whom. having hecn in Office when lile money was
advanced, perfectly knew tie nature of the fer.
vice rendered, and the liquidation of iecreey
which for bad the fling Of receipt in the. ulual
form. Therefore prelun,s it was fettled as lc-
cret contingent expenfe OF the war or indian de-.
partnlent, under the appropriation for thele pur-
foies, by act OF congr ets 1T June, 1896.
The public records of the accountant prove
that this money came into my hands In June,
1896. The authority of Judge Breckenridge will
not be doubted, that paid it away in July, 1896
long before the election or administration of Mr.
Adams, and before my name was mentioned, or!
thought OF as candidate st the Pennsylvania
election ofI7Go.
Asto Mr.. Lewis, who. is iaid to have been an,
agent for the war department, and to have had
public monies in his hands about the fame tinle,.
know nothing of the man, or his employment,
or delinquency. may have feen him, occafon-s
ally, in the public Offices; but never had the
Iightcf acquaintance or connection with him,
at any time of my.lite. The a1ertion that Mr..
Lewis's receipt and mine happened to be on the
fame day, proves, however, that the author Of
the calimny had acceis to the public books, and
knew the real time that the money was firH
advanced in 1896; but chofc to diftort facts and
dates, 70 as to connect it with 1892 and thereby
give plaufbility to his iufpiciou Of eleaionering
corruption, baieia its nature ptifulin its ex.
tent.
JAMEsRoss. .
Pitttburgh. 18th July, 1904.
REMARKS.
J" 71e avbole Of the .tyaglaaims to
1obieb Mr.. Re/i aAlads, far 4ubifb The
retfervice msusy, meatieusd qvas applied
III Il ~ = NJ ~ - 7 y