Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-10-06

10 tudt uC WaS PStloIAtby SuSSthSo
by the members Of the former adminiRra.
t~ion-whether this ought to be urged,
when the only Object Of the agency was
to acquire information, to dirett the Ja
tire meadarrs Of that admin;fraties, and
for the proPriety Of which they we're TO
be refponfble to their country, the pub.
lie mutt Judge. ~
| The mott important faa on this fabjef,
however, is, that the reful, has proved that
the agency was proper and was we'll exc.
cutsd. / aiferr, with confidence, that the
report now in the pofehion Of the fecre-
,ary of war, embraces important and va.
rious Information, which mutt have been
highly u(eful to him in conducting the
buiinsfs Of his department. AZ the fame
time the report proves that the, a!ledged
abufss did not exit, and that what were
reerefenred as defeetiye arrangements were
necelary consequences Of the unfettled
fate of the country, or of public eaablih-
ments too fender for the objects prepofed
to be accomplished. That thefe eitablill-
ments were not more efficient, and ofcourfe
mole ~expenfive, will not now be deemed
an error o fthe former administration.
That there fhould appear, in the report
Of the committee, any fuggeAion, however
Indirect, that the f~ervices mentioned in the
inGruttions were not performed, is much
to be l%amsnted. 1t could not have been
unknown thar thefe fervices were inter
rupted by a ievere and dangerous il.nsls ;
fareIy this is an execute /: furely the grew
Gus confequence, a lois Of health ought to
have prevented the committee from repre-
feating a p%erfonal misfortune as apolitical
error.
On the fubjea Of compensation allowed
to MIR. Tracy, it is fuficient to fay, that
it was no greater than was judged reafon
able, conhdering the nature Of the ~iervice ;
that it is believed that a like infpeetion
was never accomplished at lefs expence F.;
and shat, compared with an agency inti-
tutedb the p~refent administration, it may
even claim the merit of eeoa,my. The fug.
geNion that a double compenlation was re-
ceived is %urjuit: the law directs that each
of the members Of the Legislature ihall be
allowed, cat the commencement and end
of every fefion, fix dollars for every TWEEN
ty miles of the eltimated d:ifance, by the
mott ufual road, from his place OF refidsnce
to the feat ofcongreis." 1t is well known
that this allowance was eftablifhed as a
compensation for Erviees ia e0agrsji, not
for t,Auelling and an appearance in the
bouf has ever been deemed evidence OF a
title.
The circumstances relating to the pay
m,nt on account of Mr.. M'Henry are
that this gentleman engaged a houfe at
Warrington for his family, and that anew
appointment to the office of fecretary Of
war was made by the prefdent before a re-
moval. 1t was right that The proprietor
hould be compcnfAted, having 'emaUed
from tbs bsa/e qubjeb he had kafsa, it was
clearly inequitable that the compensation
hould be made b. Mr.. M'l1enry; it feeni-
ed to follow that payment ough. to be
made by the public. Ifanerror was com
mitted, then the United States OF Ameri-
ca have loft TWO hundred & eight dollars
& ~ninety-iye cents! Was this cafe really
g deemed important, for the precedent it
might hereafter furniih :"
/ have now fiai(hed my remarks upon
the different fubjeas mentioned in the re-.
port Of the committee, and from which
they have concluded I" that Comfortable
fms of The public money haze been greatly
miEat5iAyird, and that much expence has
been incurred, qUitboxt any legal Autborj-
ty." 1appeal to the integrity and can
dor of my countrymen 1 entrcat them
to coniider the explanations have offered,
and then to pronounce, eu5stber THE igfr.
ene< ], jxf. :.
OLIVER WOLCOTT.
LHekGeM, (Cam.J JxJ II, 1902.