Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-07-22
FROM THE NAT.oNAz IkTELLfoENcER
VIEW
OF Robert Smiths Address
70 TIE PEOPLE.
TO TIE PEoPLE.
(coNcLuDED FROM OUR LAsr.0

EcSA OGE LASI.1
l,,t. Il. 6Ir. Ertt7s's accc1s1:e. We have
read oi ancient laws ky which a calumniatcr
who Gil net su5stantiate his accusations was
adjudged 20 suffer the same pui,ishricnt as
the accused yc-!d have undergone had the
crimes been proved. Now rs Mr.. Smith L.
bors to make it appear, tEas she Secretary of
State havins intiniatel 20 ffr. E1ltAg Il,
1904 by order Of f.:e Presiiczt thcs IL Nigh,
make q charge Of 2 i-2 PER cen: ia his ae-
counts .fS7 al tie Gsga-ds ree.ir'sd BY him,
AID that TIC eqs.i,y ofhis claim shc:fiG be re-
syT.izrly trougkt before tie goutrnMc7it, IL
s'o66ing The fs;l6ac and tosr i;:c!vi5ucts and
as we can prove, from Mr..5mith and others,
that neither individuals nor the government
suffered by this just and reasonable cor,pcn-
sation ordered by Mr jefferson to be allowed
To Nir Erv,ng, and confirmed by Mr. Madi-
son, IL having been drawn cut Of the fund
called the "eI,fcHcc Gceount". created by
the board Of commissioners 70 reimburse the
c1pcnces incurred in the prosecution Of the
claims, we shall leave the public to Judge,
what ought TO be the punishment of Mr. Smith
for this atrocity, Since such a law does not
exist in our codes.
George w. Erv;Dg was appointed in the
year 1901 by Mr Jefferson consul for the
port of London; to which cffice WIS annex
ed the fagv agency, held before by hfr VII
hgms, the commercial agency held by MIR Ca
bot and the agency fo5' the Protection o. sed-
mem held by MIR Lenc5l for which several
offices he received only 5000 dollars a year,
although the gentlemen who filed them be-
fore received together eight thousand FIVE
hundred dollars year.
Mr jefferson, approaching justly Mr. Err
wing talents, and being we'll aware that 1000
dollars was no reward for his services; that
sum not being sufficient to bear his expenses
in London, he gave him the appointment of
assessor to the board of commissioners then
sitting iii London under the 9TH article of the
British treaty.
On MIR. Erving's arrival in London, the
boardof commissioners refused to receive him
as their assessor, and insisted ontheir right to
appoint their own assessor; which they did
accordingly by naming another person with
salary of 1900 dollars per annun, and an
appropriate commission out Of certain claims,
which commission is said to have amounted
to $4,000 dollars.
4 The progress of the public business being
threatened with serious consequences from 2
contention which nowarosebetween the asses
sor appointed by the President and the one APP
pointed by the board Mr. Erving. animated
by that desire for the dispatch Of public bu-
sihess which SO much distinguishes him, with
otCW pIClSHSNsNb. anu COntcntcQ nlIn9clf
with stating the affair to the President, throw
ing himself en- hisjustice for such remanera.
ton as he might think was due to him, re-
presenting at the same time that he was
then in the discharge of functions becoming
every day more arduous and important and
for which his predecessors received $500 dol.
lars annually.
The late President in consequence Of these
representations ordered MIR Madison, then
Secretary Of State, to say to Mr. Erving tbdtfhe
resaif d hisTs 9eeaonsf crtbe moment acre tn at
hemight charge2 IL percent or all the awards
actually received and paid by him, that he
might state this item in his account with the
public; which would bring the equity Of his
Claim before the government.
Does this look like defYaud;ng the public :
Does Mr. Smith intend to insinuate by his re-
marks on Mr. Madison's letter being friyate
enc that any thing unfair was meant either
by him or Mr. Jefferson Such an insinua-
ton would be as absurd as base. The letter
was a hriUate answer to f1fDate letter and
could not possibly have any concealed effect,
because 1t could have no effect, but as public
voucher. There was every probability also
that this affair would be brought to a final
settlement during Mr.. Jefferson's administra-
ton lthe letter OF Mr.. Madison being dated
in 1909 in which case the decision OF Mr.
Jefferson and not this letter would have been
the authority for the allowance.
Thus it is seen to the eternal DISGRACE Of
Mr. Smith, that the remuneration of two and
a half per cent. amounting TO % 500 dollars
which MIR Erving was allowed TO charge did
not amount to an equivalent for the less oi
TIE assessorship, ami that, calculating it G.
ven rs an additional ANIMAL compensation, as
FIR Smith has done, his salary fell short near
" S0c0 dollars per annum OF what had been
allowed his predcccssors soT performing the
same functions.
Ut is proper here 70 observe that all thc
officers Of the Treasury department allow
Mr. Erving's accounts 70 be tine most correct
and satisfactory Of any that have ever beer
exhibited to that department. THIS is high-
~ honorable to Mr. Ewing, particularly when
il is known that upwards Of million and 4
half OF dollars Of public money passed tIiro
his hands. Those merchants OF the United
States who were witnesses to the prompt
tudc aud ability with which Ilc b. ought for.
| ward and supported their claims haze beer
uniform in they applause Of Mr.. Erving; &
the board of commissioners, VIC have beer
told by one Of them within these few days
were highly satisfied with his activity anc
vigilance; by which alone great sums wer,
saved both to the government and citizens o
| the United States. This same gentleman
assures us that the business of the board wa
Il a