The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-08-28
From anothe, Report Of his Speech.

a DEFAULTER. to the last
accounts from Massachusetts, Barnabas
Bidwell, the Attorney General of the State,
and for II years Treasurer of the County of
Berkshire, has committed fraud upon the
fund OF the County, and attempted to con-
ceal that fraud by forgery In that state.
IL seems, there are Certain items of expenCe
which are discharged, i'll The first instance
out OF the county Treasury, and then repaid
to the county Treasurer by the Treasury of
the Commonwealth. Such as the costs of
prosecutions in the Supreme Courts, the
maintenance Of criminals in goal, when it
mounts above certain sum, &c. Mr.. B.
received these dues from the Common.
wealth. and failed to give credit to the
county. On being called before the Com
mit'ee OF the Court to settle his accounts,
these omissions were pointed out to him
and he subsequently took care to alter his
accounts, which were filed in the state Trea,
sury, So as to engraft these credits upon
them-hnding. however, that the Com.
mittee had previously obtained transcript
OF these same accounts, he restored them,
IL is said, 10 their original shape-but not
until the committee had procured second
transcript of hem, in the state in which
MS alterations left them. The variance be.
tween these two sets of accounts created
the suspicion, and led 20 the detection of the
forgery. a warrant was taken out for bis
apPrehenslon--Dut The bird had flown.
hese circumstances strike every man
with oIsgust---nor is there ore who can
hesitate moment, if they are true, to aban-
don Mr.. b. Is. to public infamy and con-
tempt. But he has been de mocrat--Sc
a leader in Congress. Gay; there's the
rub" For the Federalists must make ter
riblc rout about the matter--and with that
liberal r tnh ,,.,r .,k.L -
them, are visiting, the sins of one man upon
the whole republican party.
We must all be set of rascaIs. because
Is Is. was one.-Is this the language of
Charity OF Of reason9 They endeavor to
make the people believe, that they are
Cheated out of their money, when thew
Well know that Bidwell scarce owes any
thing TO he county of Berkshire, and has
LETT large property behind him. . How is
the republican party implicated in his
guilt! Because B b. called himself a re.
pnoilcan, IS every republican rascal! Be
cause pretended christians lead an ,ahan-
doned lie, is very christian a sinner BE.
cause A Dexter, junr. violent federal;st.
swindled the people of New England out Of
more than ten times the amount If all other
detalcations is every federaiist a CHEAT p
Remember. that the Hin B. B was elected
the Berkshire Treasurer, when that coun
ty was federal"
What is the trae conelusionp That puhlic
oIncers should be regularly called upon to
settle their notwithstanding should be ta-
Ken upon .trust-their responsibility should
De something more than name-every
one should be periodically brought to the
test. as tar as it is practicable Congress
should act upon this principle--Commit..
tees should be raised, each session, to INSPECT
the BE- ks aud vouchers of the departments
and not only to see that the work has been
done, bur as far as they Can, to see hoqv il
has been done &c. For want of this acconn-
liability what host ofmischefs NAV accrue ,
he officers themselves should wish t.
indifference on the part of the emDlover
leads to remssneSs on that Of the ~
gent---remisness leads to fraud-Sc fraud
to to- gerry. With some persons, these stems
are natural and sure.
SoUAELY'-Mr. O7Hrien, of Aleeripe me.
morY, las addressed statement to the cjtizens az
PennsJ lvanla, in which he asserts as fact stated
TO HIMSELF by gov. Snyder, that there were no
less than 46 members Of the Legislafuye. ON his
list OF applicants for Office Tile patronage of
the governor IS immense. He mas even the an
p"nment OF Inspectors of Lumber t-un.poIy
der, Hour, proIbonoy ries, &c &C. No wonder.
then, the office of governor creates such stir r.
contention. The axe should be laid to the roo,
OF the evil The cure should be in the constitu.
ton The powers Of the Executive should be
that Of appointments should be
given to their peculiar departments.