Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-07-20

ceiVed letter from him directing him. the Re-
Ge"er, 10 continue the depositcs. This, also.
the secretary denies in his report, and in the
S','o 'huhect anu evasive manner. He docs
not say that no stch letter was written but that
no letter, to this effect was written -, nm s,ro,.
10 'he one which he had iaborinusiy argued was
never written! Now, il is very lear ,hat. If
the letter from the Receiver. was never written
lor even was never received, NO aUsre, of, any
SORT could have boon roturns d to il; and yel tho
Eietter, directing continuance OF the acnoltes
may have been written. These careful ambpu-
iies III the report, do not scs,,n ,.alcuIatcd tn
make the defensive declarations of Inc Sct.rda-
ny outweigh the stong Impro5ability that p,ib-
i!c despatch, deposited in the post Office. should
have mscarricd in mail To wllicl,ro CASUALLY or
interruption Is known to have occurred: and at
season of the year. too, " hen the mail is least
liable to any difficulties in its Transportation.
In addition TO his negIcct of duty in his traos.
! actions with this baniS. rs suggested in INV al
oress 10 the House, and in my replication to his
communication to the committee, they mioIt
nave adverted, in support of the same Charge. 10
the case of the Bank of Vinccnnes: where. al
SO, the receiver was President of the bank
where the United States lost x t68, 900; on which
bank the Secretary drew, SUCCESSFULLY, from
October, 1919, TO March, 1890, four drafts, to-
gether amounting TO S165, 900, suffered as many
continuous protests and after neglecting as usu-
| al all measures of precaution, took no measure
| of redress until July, 1920.
course of didactic admonition, in the form
| OF four official letters, is then pronounced 10
this delinquent institution, the initial gravity of
winch Is compensated by its final lenity. (Sce
Gocuinents.) He rccapituacs the acts of iii
| faith which he had patiently endured, mentions
the protests of his drafts for s 65 Goo warns the
directors that, unless they reform their demcau-
Or and pay the drafts, it will be proper for him
| TO proceed with rgor but concludes, with pro-
n pf t,{y toll
vided they will agree to liouor the drafts within
forty days, and even promise to pay for this tar
dy and cxtorted justice, out of his never failing
| fund,) by continuing the course of deposte i'm a
bank, thus attempted TO be bribcd and threaten
ed INTO common honesty by himself. To this
persuasive proposal, the bank, increasing In au-
dacity, and sagacous of the character of its Gus
omerdidnot condesccnd toreply fornnemonths;
at the expiration of which pregnant period, the
President was delivered of the aborlive fact of
the corporations insolvency. In this feeble aud
exhausted state, il asks further indulgence, and
concludes its appeal to ITS muniticent bencsactor
with the most eloquent encomiuIi;s upon his Ii
beraiity This letter reflects, in interesting CO.
lors, the substance and complexion of the utter
course between the Treasury of the L. $. and the
/ banks of the w est and whatevermay be said pfits
prudence, must certainly be commended nv a
hunter of motives, at least for its candor as
| the presentation of moral scene, il is delight
|
delinquent corporation, glowing un,ler the inj,i-
dcious If not illicit, avors OF this liberal minis
ter of finance. {" Your friendly dispositions to-
noariSM The Hest, in times peculiarly difficult aJI
Tie interests you hare cpiHccG for hts remote SIC
ton of our common country, leads TO hope that
the hand tint has hitherto protected us, will bot
be withdrawn" This fi-icrdi, hand was net
withdrawn for at least twenty lone months; when
measures of recovery were commenced in
manner, eUincng such Interest for this seD,ofe Sec
ton Of our common country, that the bank was
allowed three years mOretopay the debt; peri
cd extending beyond the present mportantyear,
and upon conditions of collateral security, i'm.
posed with such ga friendly haad,n that the Sc.
curity was defeated by private creditors an this
remote section Of our common country; and in
consequence of the friendly dispositions of the
Secretary, for Tie Vest, Che loss falls upon tho
United States.
As bothmy charges have now been establish.
ed, and, of course, the specifications upon which
! they depend, by the confessions of the Secreta
ry, and the admissions Of the committee, shall
not press the distinction which it seems esca
ped the committee, when comparing the amount
of money lost by Mr.. Crawford's mismanare.
ment, (about half millon) with the ayno1,n+
| collected, twenty one millons) they contrast
favorably to the Secretary this proportion, with
that which obtains in the ordinary collections
private or mercantile debts. Tley appcar To
ioIBct ocSiueS tie superior regularity, vigilance
and power, at the disposal of the nation. and tho
difference between the profits and loss of trade
and the even exaction OF the revenue. that tho
loss incurred by the Secretary was not of debts
outstanding, but of funds collected, and collect
cd too, by salaried officers, at an enormous ex-
| peDse.
Upon one point, however, which has a;ro,J,
been considered, shall add sort,c retoa H.
The committee have adDittcd, distinctly and
in correspondence with my statements. U,at NJ
Crawford did, on some occasions, ncrIe,t 10
| make such communications to CONGRESS ne H.,
law it was his duty TO do, and that on oilers ne
failed to report such facts and documents as
by resolution of the House of Represcn;atiyes,
he was required to do; yet, as they very natural.
y cannot detect the motives of this misconduct
| (which God alone can do,) they acquit him Of
ali blame or responsibility. In this they ;ppcar
10 lose sight of tie distinction which has IitIcr
| 10 obtained between private and official rec;,-
tudc and Of the well established fact that bad
| motives In the man, are not necessary TO consti.
tute misconduct in the minister.
When Burke brought Warren HASTINGS 10
the bar Of the House Of Lords and in strsings
Of portenious coquencc, invoked upon the heal
of the Indian Ficcroy the veugcnce of human
ity, the power Of justice, and the implicated
| tcrrcrs Of tbeEug'i5b law, in pourraying to thjs
august tribunal, course ans torrent OF pluDder
and desolation which had overrun regions that
the arms of Alexander could not reach: in
charging him with the piilagc Of towns, the ru-
Inof districts, the sacbngof cities, the piunder,of
prncedon1s, the devastation of provinces; the
waste Of empires, he did not fail also to ac.:uso