The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-05-25

the money IN your hands On tue 5Oth OF
thai month, aud not 10 retain the public
money in your hands at the end of each
month. BY referring 10 yoar monthly re
tarns for tnf months Of December, jauua
~ aud February, Il appears that the IN
strnetion has not been complied With- a
sum exceeding 10000, upon an average,
ha,lug been retained by You during those
months. A. the bank IN which your depo
sites have been directed 10 be made IS c5ta
hlished IN tho place IN which your office -
kept, the reicnllnn oi the money, or OF any
paft oft, IS without any apparent excuse.
ter slin repeating the directions Tor HIM
T. deposite, md remarklng upon some IRE
guiafilY III hIs returns, the Secretary con
Guides thus II IS expected that aIl regu
lallons addresscd to public officers viii be
promptly complied with aad that, when,
lsom any circumstance, this should be found
impflrtcahle the cause N noncompliance
shdil BE- communicated without delay"
II an, instruction in relation to his deps-
SITES hid befu gwen 10 the Receiver, since
the ouIer o. fhe 1t Of November, that or
Dr. would ccarcely have been referred TO
alone AID. If auy excuse or explanation
had been received by the Secretary, sub
sequeat Il tie 1t of November, such as
would hive been afforded by Nr. Edwards
publication and advice, the order of the 1st
of November would not have bern repeat
ed and renewed as an order uusatsfed and
unanswered. The style and manner ofthls
letter Of April 90, indicate not only that
neglect had occurred, but HAT no eXplana-
tion had been offered for the neglect. The
Receivers answer confirms this conclusion.
The Receiver had found, by the letter Of
the lst Of November, that, 50 far, the excuse
offered by Mrs. Stephenson of retaining
money To meet the Indian payments, had
been admitted. But, when, in the month
of April following, he was called upon TO
account for his subsequent omissions of
duty, omissions for which that excuse
would no logger avail, would he not, IN
Justification Of himself, have naturally re-
ferred To any and every letter that he had
written on the subject aud, if in any such
letter he had made communication of
the kind alleged by Mr.. Edwards, would
he not, on ihl, occasion, have made some
alinson To ii
All these circumstances, corrobOratng
each other So fully, are not ouly lrreconci-
liable with the Inference which Mr. Edwards
draws from the withholding of the depo-
sites by the Receiver, but they lead new
lably 10 The conclusion, that the alleged
communication of hls publication and ad
vice, AS reason for Withholding the dep0-
sites, was never made 10, or received by the
Sec, etary, and that no such letter, as he
IL -, - ~ ktl
tary, was ever written in consequence Of
any such communication.
Thclr is, however, other testimony fur
nishcd by the Receiver and Mr. Edwards
themselves, which confirms this cUncIu
sion.
Mr. Edwards has stated, on oath, that ne
made the publication, aud had il specially
communicated to the Secretary by the Re
celFer, for the purpose of aPPrlzIng the
Secretary Of his intention tn wltadrd" FROM
the bank, aud his determination to relieve
himself from all responsibility in regard to
II, leaving the Secretary To ludgr for him
self. from the returns, Ire required II {"
make, of the proprety OF continuing 1t Il
depository of the public money That,
-" according Ia the pledge which he had
given in his publication, he resigned his
seat as director. And, though he wa
once elected 10 the same station since that
time, he refused to accept 1t, nor has he hau
any thing to do with the bank since the fall
OF the year 1319.o
Yet, IN the following winter, Mr.. Edwards
Is found presenting hms,If 10 the Secrcta
~, not only in the character of a director
q II It,f q
cialIy delegated and authorized by the
bank, to conclude an important arrange
ment with the Secretary, IN respect to the
terms On which tn bank was TO continue
a depository of public money. BY the
printed papers accompanying the Secreta
rvs report to the House, of the 27th Of
April, 1929, II appears, that, on the 10th OF
February, 1899. Mr.. Edwards being then
III Washington, transmitted 70 the Score
tary letter from the bank to the Secreta
ry, signed by this very Receiver as PreSl
dent of the Bank, containing a list of the
directors. for the year 1890, IN which Mr.
name is included that at the
same time, he also transmitted 10 the Sc
letter from the bank, signed by
the same Mr.. Stephenson, informing the
Secretary, that Mr. Edwards, " one Of the
directors or tire institution" is authorized
to suggest certain notifications of the con.
.rart between tie Secretary /. the bank, s.
10 conclude such arrangements as he may
deem acceptable, " which viii be ohGgato-
~ - and, he likewise transmitted, at the
same time, letter from the band address
ed to himself, signed also by Mr.. Ste
stating 10 him at large the chan
ses desired by the bank, md the reasons
there for.
Is this compatible with the impressions
which the statement, contained in his tcst-
mony. calcalaled to produce Ifhe had
ceased to be a director, aud publicly with.
Irawn rr6m ali concern IN the management
If the hank. in -" the fail of 1919" how was
=. -.