Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-01-09


mcn, Without hazsrdng much by iii,'
assertion, lie would say that u WAS d doe
nmcnt which deserved the attention of
Thai honorable gentleman and every mem
Der al the House. The explanatory uoies
10 each iiom we're such that pretty az
cura,r iudymrn! could be formed from
Tic IiSt-iaderd no man oi common
sense coui,i fail 10 understand IT,. lie
did not say that this document vas CON.
elusive as TO guilt on the part Of ihe
persons whose names were given but
referring 10 ile explanatory notes, no one
Gould he at Il loss 10 comprehend. gene.
rally, what was the character ot each
account. The document eughi To be
before The people. He wished The names
OF those who had been ibus imposing on
The public 20 be held up 10 public view
The deiaica'ion WAS III The general out
ragsons, and, where there Was acy mo-.
dlhcalion or apology for il IN particular
eases, II was so stated as 10 leave no
difficulty III comprehending il, &c.
Mr.. Fuller said that the original in.
ienilOn of lie law, under " hIcli The re-
port IN question waS made, was 10 ex-
pose To the public udium those persons
who really had the public money Ia their
possess for which they could not or
"OH'N NV iNH1Nt JbSt dLNONit anu DIS.
The balance; but that The lists contain
ell not only such as meIiird The epihel
OF lie defdutters, bun also comprehended
very great mass Of Individuals, whose
disbursements at the funds entrusted 10
them had been just and legal, and against
whom there vas no reas ou i0 suppose
any considerable balance, If any would
be found Oh an equitable adjustment
but from various causes, such an adjust.
meut could not be Obtained without a
departure from Tie rules, by which The
accounting officers were necessarily GOV.
erned. In many instances the accounts
were IL tram OF settlement, and would
no doubt exhibit The most perfect
'airness III ihe parties concerned
THUS, lie said, by including all persons,
whose acrnuns were not settled, with
out ristnciiou, the weight Of The otliuni
was diminished or lost. ll;hc gentleman
from Mars land could so modify his mo
iion a. 10 obtain classification of the
cases reported, distinguishing Hose who
had refused or neglected TO ieudcr their
accounts or 10 pay the balances which
they respectively Owed, he should Icadi
~ concur III the proposition; but in
such vast mass OF cases, rs hen only ore
or two Of number would picbahl, be
found cnipd6tc defautteiS II was impossible
10 max due sllscl iDliuaiion, and the
SANITARY feet and intention of the las,
10y which the report was required, we're
III a great degree frustrated. He hoped
surh a modification of the resolution
would be made, and that the Comptroller
"euid be required so Ia classify the re-
ported cases, thar The innocent might
MOI be contounded witli The guilty.
MIR. LOwadeS, coucurred in the view
which had been taken by Mr.. Fuller aad
wished that the resolution might lie on
The table, With a view 10 seeing whelhey
such discrimination or classification of
The cases might be made as tO sbcw dis
timely the class of casts remaining un
settled from circumstances. separately
from that Of actual defalcatiom.
Mr.. Warfeid not directing 10 this
course, The resolution was ordered 10 lie
on the table.
Tue bill making partial appropriations
Tor The support OF The Military Establish
meni Tor IIIr year 1921, underweni some
brief discussion in the House OF Repre- sen
ia,ives, which was confined TO one item of
the proposed appropriation, ihatuf $50 coo
dollars Tor the QuarlrrmaSter Depart
mpni.
MIR SMITH, Of Md submitted letter
frem Tho Secretary al War explanatory
OF the necessity there was Tor this partial
appropriations, 10 which, Slsn, MIR. S
added few explanatory obsei' atomS.
Mr.. COOKE said I've wished tor some
information before lie afforded the mcaps
OF making further advances of public
money. lie called ihe attention OF tue
House 10 The lis, OF unsettled balances,
amounting to sOmewIie about sixteen
millions Of dollars, hi II had gruwm out
OF tIie pTa tlce OF making advances To
public officers. Ticre vas already, lie
said. according 10 4 late report from the
Secretary at The Treasury, 4 considria-
bic sum OF money ia the hands OF The
Treasurer for the use Of HE War Depart
meni. How was that disposed oi2 What
had become OF the immense suns Wtiyi
they SAID they had saved WITHIN iir last
years We are pOw called npoH. said MR.
T.. 10 advance sums which. bye and iye,
for amy thing we know, vii form add
tlonalI items III The List OF Balances aud
until he was better informed, tmr sEcuid
be opposed 10 lbrb;lI. Mr.. G. assigned,
as another reason against passlng lie
bill nOw, HAT 81 VAS prohabl. reduce
ton OF The army might take place during
the Session, WHICH would make smaller
| appropriations sufficient.
Mr.. Smith, OF MI. sail, thai hr vaq
~ much opposod. as lie gentleman
/ from Tennessee, 10 tie system Of al
vauces Of money to public agents. where
| il could be avoided. FRAN conversation
with the Secretary Of War, Nj 5. bad
asceriaiued that he also W $ convinced
of ihe Inconvenience of the practice
and had determined that for lhr future a.
/ lew advances ~ possible should be made
| Bot, Tor The present wear, Mr.. s. said
The contracts we're already made, gnt
'hc mopcy must hc paid ard what pos
sbie difference, Mr.. &. asked. could lhcr,
De brlMren concentrating u now as pron0s