Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-07-11


"Gcorge E,Oing, Esq. London
Expressing to MFR. Madison nv surprise
and regret that money transaction to SO
large ar amount had been made the subject
of private letter, remarked to him that
lie would now have 70 decide whether MIR.
Erving would be allowed to retain this sum
OF money, and that, should he be so allowed,
then an application must necessarily be made
to Congress for an appropriation Of like
sum to enable the state department to dis
charge the just demands OF the CLAIMANTS un-
der thstrcaty. l, morcoyer, at the same
time, stated to nv Madison that the agency
or Mr. IRVING had been from Sept. 1901, TO
Sept. I305, and that the private letter of No
vember. 1904, giving to him 22,S92 dollars,
in addition to his annual salary Of 2OC0 col
lars, was, in fact, stilowinghiIns compensation
CT 1913 dollars per annuTp. AS, howev-
er, it appeared to the President that consis-
tcptly with this private letter, Mr. Erying
could not in cand = orin equitybe called up
On to return 20 the government this money,
WIS Of course instructed by him 20 give his
CLAM 10 it the sanction of the state depart
ment, and moreu er, to consider and put on
NJ, as a fn6Ac letter, the jt15Uafe letter OF
Nov. 8, 1904 Andan application was after
wards accordingly made TO Congress for the
requisite ppropriatioh.
The Senate having passed a resolution
calling upon the President or certain infor-
nation in relation to this subject, ! frankly
declared to him, that, in case Of his applica-
| ton to the state department for report,
every consideration OF duty would constrain
me to set forth all the circumstances Of this
transanction. He manifested great pert.lr-
baticn and fretfuily said that the call Of the
senate was evidently made with view TO
| injure him. In conneXion with this urpre-
| cedeRtcd cbSe! walton, perceived unequiyn-
cal indications Of dissatisfaction with respect
| to myself.
And, we'll assured as am, and believing
| as l sincerely do. that this affair had contri-
buted in a great degree to the rupture that
has taken place between MIR. Madison and
myself, cannot bat consider it a proper i
| tenn in the catalogue to be exhibited on this
occasion to the view of our fellow citizens.
| 1t viii suggest to every mind the following
| questions.
LIST. AS President Jefferson, in the year
| 1901, with view to save the public money,
did, with the appreciation of Mr.. Erving, APP
| point him agent Of the u. States in London,
with fixed salary of 9Oo0 dollars per year,
to perform all the duties, which had been
previously performed by Mr.. Williams MIR.
| CABOT and Mr.. Lenox, why did MIR. Madison
| in 1903, III a f:TfUate zyay, Counteract this e..
Economical policy, by allowing to Mr.. E.rving
| n sum OF money about the same in amount as
| the removed officers would have been en-
titled to claim had they all remained in of
fee
| 2nd. Why did Mr. Madison allow to an
| officer, having stated salary, an extra
compensation greatly exceeding In am1,nt
his fixed salary I; and, especially, as that eZ-
| ira mpensation was not for extra services
bit merely for the same services for which
the stated salary was originally allowed ?
Sd. Why was the letter making so un-
preceLented an allowance not an ofiicial one
| And why was there not left in the Office
some trace ofitf
9Th. Why did he>depart so much from
established usage, as to take the liberty of
using the name OF the President in letter
granting money, wheel it was intended at the
time. not only thai the letter was to be a
private enc, but that no trace of it should
| thereafter DC found IN the Office ?
9Th. If, in November, 1904, it had been
Considered, that Mr.. Erving was entitled 70
he additional compensation of SO large a
| sum as 22,392 dollars for services hasf, as
we'll as future, Why had not the case at or
about th time, been presented to Congress
Tor the requisite appropriation WHY had
it been suffered TO remain 50 many years en-
| veloped n secrecy ard darknessS
9th. Why did Mr.. Madison authorize Mr..
| Erving to retain this particular sam efmancv.
as It vas not the property Of the U t4 es /;
as IT was, IN fact, in the hands Of this goserD-
| ment merely in trust, for certain citizens of
| the United States ; and especially, as ne
could not but have known that the hone Z
/ claims of those suffering citizens would. in
time, be presented for payments errd that,
in that case, to satisfy those Claims the same
amount Of money must necessarily be drawn
from the treasury, as was actually done at
the last session.
Having given to my fellow-citizens view
Of the circumstances under which have IT,
signed the commission Of secretary of state
it may not be amiss, as Herewith somewhat
connected, togiye them a short sketch ofthe
circumstances under which that commission
had been received.
During the eight years Of Mr.. Jcfferson's
administration, MIR. Madison and ] were c =
leagues in Office. There was between US,
without intermission, an intimate personal
intercourse. For the last four or Eve years,
he visited me in my Office, almost every day,
for the purpose Of interchanging ideas upon
some affairs Of his department. Seldom did
he write a paper Of any importance, which
he did not submit to my Consideration before
ne gave to it its last shape. With a enowl-
edge Of me thus acquired, upon bis becoming