Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1814-07-14
To tae Editor Of the Federal Rehn6-
hcau.

REQUEST that you will cause to be pub
lisbed in your paper the copy Of a COM
mission, under which have been act
in. as accountant for the war department,
for near twenty years; and the copy OF
letter IRON James Madison, Esq. Pee
sident OF the United States, under date
oflhe 9Th July. inst. revoking the sane.
I'LL do here pledge myself, at an at.
ter period, to make such statements OF
fact. for publication in your paper, from
time 10 time, as will fully justify my
conduct as public officer; and that !
will prove 20 the satisfaction OF the
public the base conduct Of the officer at
the head Of tho war department., and
will leave chem to judge OF the injury
he has done 10 the government and It's
creditors, by Withholding the just ba.
labces due 10 claimants from one part OF
the continent TO the other, and the I'm.
! Unsuitable and enormous advances OF
pno.c monles he is 10 :he habit OF max.
ing From The public treasury TO contract
ors and Others, many of whom are al.
ready charged with considerable sums
ypppn the books of the war department {;
and seine Of the accounts from the loose
mannes the contracts we're entered in
Co, are In 4 situation never to be cor.
rec,ly settled--theresy tending TO IN
;u;e pnblic credit, and bring ruin on
the country.
am, sir. very respectfully,
WIN SIMMONS.
Washington, July Z, 1914.
Geo-gr Washington, Precedent Of the
U States Of .Ameriea.
To all who shall see these presents
GREETING
Ksosc ne, that rcposing special trust
end eonfisience. in the integrity, dill
gence and ability Of WILLIAM SIM.
Z MONS, OF Pennsylvania, I have nomi-
mated, and by and with the advice aud
consent OF the senate, do appoint him
accoputan, to the department OF war;
and do authorize and empower him to
execa!e aud fulfil the duties of that Of
fee according to law, and to have AVID
90 hold the sid Office, with all The rights
and emoluments thereunto legally APP
pertaining unto him the said Wiiiiam
Simmons, during the pleasure oil the
President of the United States, for the
time being.
Iotestiinony whereof, have caus.
ed these letters To be made pa.
teeI, and the seal Of the United
States, tn be hereuDto affixed.
80 Gwen under my hand at the city
&c Philadelphia, his thirteenth
day ,of June ia the year al our
Lord one thousand seven hun.
dred aud ninety Eve, and of the
independence OF the United
~ States of Amefics, the nine
y 49, teent..
GEO. WASHINGTON.
BY the President,
EDM RANDOLPH.
COPY
sSSIR,--It being requisite that the OF.
nee of Accountant to the Dspartment
oil War be placed in other hands, you
will consider isas ceasing to be in yours
after this dste. - ).
.(signed) JAMES MADISON.
Washington, July, 6, 1914.
WM. SIMMONS, Esq.
SIR-In order 10 compliance with
the pledge | have made, as appears in
your paper Of this date, will 6rst pro-
coed TO narrative of the facts as they
have occurred, which have considered
among the causes of my being dismissed
from office begin With shat may be
considered the secret and personal mo.
1tivcs, which kindled the animosIy.
Some time after General Armstrong
was appointed Secretary of War, the
accounts for the payments made by the
Qnar er-Ma,tef's Department ut New
York were rendered for seltiemcnt--
!. On exa,nieatioa it was found that while
General A mstrqng commanded at N.
York. an2 6efareshe was appointed Sc
ereiary IL War, he had ordered con-
siderable quantity Of Mahogany Furni-
ture to be paid Tor BY the Quarter MAS
ter's Department, stating il 20 be for the
use OF the general officers head quar-
tiers at New-York Tins pay ment be-
iug OF an extraordinary nature. and
such as | deemed improper TO be charg-
ed to the United States, called upon
the Sscretsry 10 kaow how was to |
cansSder II! He reolied, that he con-
sidcred that his predecessor in office |
had authorised charges of that kind
and that Il should be charged to the
Contingencies ofths War De partment.
/ observed 20 him, that IhoEed not
that Congress some time. called for
the expenditures out Of that appropria-
ton that Il would appear extraordina
~, that the General Officers should be
takiag Mahogany Furniture tor their
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