Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-07-02

6nfe letter, MI. EfSlns5 cVutu hot iu
ndor or in equity be called upon to re-
I'm 70 the government this money. was
course instructed by him to give his
aim 20 it the sanction Of the state de-
Irtment, and moreover, to consider and
4 on file as pubic letter. the prtrete
tier Of Nov. 8, 1901. And an applca-
h was afterwards accordingly made to
Eu.,ess for the requisite appropriations.
T,he senate having passed resolution
kll;ne upon the president for certain IN
T .m,fion in relation TO this subject, l
|ankly declared to SSim that in case OF his
Indication to the state department for
mort: every consideration ofduty would
,r.traiu me to set forth all the eifcum-
|. nces Of this transaction. He manifest
great perturbation and fretfiiiiy said.
,at the call of the senate was evidently
.ade With view to injure him. LIN con-
<ection with this unprecedented observa-
Slou.-I perceived unequivoesl indications
- dissatisfaction with respect to myself.
q nd, well assured as I ain, and believing
"a r sincerely do, that this affair has con
S{;buted in great degree to the rupture
at has taken place between Mr.: Madison OF
nd myself, cannot but consider It
20 oner Item in the catalogue to be exhi-
Itpd on this occasion to the view OF our
&low citizens. 1t will suggest to every
lad the following questions:
&% As president Jefferson in the year
sol. with view to save the public money
IA. with the appreciation of MIR. Ervins'
bpoint him agent Of the United States,
Iond,u. with a fixed salary OF 1000
DIMrs a year, to perform all the duties,
shieh had been previously performed by
Jr. Williams, Mr.. Cabot, and MIR. Lenox,
Inv did Mr.. Madison in 1901 in private
~. eounteract this economical policy by
8lOwins to Mr.. Eryins a sum OF money.
hout the same in amount as the removed
Ulcers would have been entitled to cialm,
Id thew all remained in Office. =,
I'd. Why did Mr.. Madison allow to an
6Jicer having stated salary; an extra
Sam,ensation. greatly exceeding iii amount
III fixed salary; and especially as that
Mtra compensation was not for extra SER
vfces but merely for the same services
p 4 which the stated shary was originally
Moved ..-.,;
3d. why was the letter, making so un-
rkecedented an allowance, not an otflelai
"a? And why was there not left in the
q lice some trace OF il { ~
18th. Why did lie depart so much from
.sstahished usage, as TO take the liberty
"a using the name of the president IN
~ ter granting monies when it was intend
"a at the time, not only that the letter
to be a private one. bat that no trace
il should thereafter be found In the
lice
9Th. If. in November 1907, it had been
1Snsidered that Mr.. Erving was entitled
u the additional compensation OF so large
aasum as 2a,S92 dollars for services past.
|well as future. why had not the case, at
81 about that time. been presented to con-
less for the requisite appropriation. why
LII it been suffered to remain, SO many
Ytars, enveloped in Secrecy and darkness
18th. Why did Mr., Madison authorize
i. Irving to retain this particular sum
money, as it was not the property ofthe
lifted States as it was, in fact in the
k1pds of this government, merely IN
fr2st for certain citizens of the. United
sites; and especially as he could not
) o. have known that the honest claims OF
Slse suffering citizens would in time be
scented for payment; and that in that
e>)e to satisfy those claims, the same a.
p I,rt of money mast necessarily be drawn
Am the treasury, as was actually done
the last session
aying given to r1y fellow citizens a view
Ghe circumstancesu nder which Ihaye re-
- led the commission Of secretary of state
81 nay not be amiss as herewith some
Mt connected. to give them a short
= kch Of the circumstances under. which
- commission had been received. .g
0urins the eight years of Mr, ,Jeffer-
~ s administration. Nix. Madison and l
= e colleagues in Office. There was be-
q nm NC without irtepmiSsiOD. an lnti-