Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-07-27
From the Literary Cadet.

The carping o. Messrs. Ingham, Kremer *
Co. at the accounts Of President Adams, with
out answering any purpose beneficial 10 The
Combination, has occasioned people TO look
little into Gen. Jackson's accounts; and it APP
pears very satisfactorily that he Grew large
sums without ans apparent authority of law.
His friends instead OF attempting TO justify
his conduct, insinuate that the accounts must
have been transmitted 10 Mr. Hammond Of Gin
cinna.i, by Mr.. Adams or Mr.. Clay, and accuse
them of the meanness Of furnishing matter a.
gains, rival, that they may stand upon the
ruins Of Gen. Jackson's reputation"
This charge against MIR. Adams and Mr.
Clay, (savs the Cincinnati Gazeue) is too
grossly absurd TO deserve an answer. The &C
counts OF the War Office are the property Of
the public, and as open to any Citizen OF the
United States as they are 10 the President; and
no gentleman could be guilty of troubling the
President for the copies Of documents which
could be obtained by application at the proper
office
This pitlful mode Of answering the charge
will not do. Gen. Jackson still remains the
only candidate for the Presidency, that ever
has beeen guilty Of attempting 10 impeach the
honor of his competitor.
Our business however, now that we have
the facts, is to appreciate them-and in that
we can hardly err The question is, whether
Gen. Jackson was entitled to the extra charges
which he made, for periods, when he was living
upon his farm and rendering no public service.
To pay this, 8 ,4oo year, and his subsist
ence S 1885, year, no objection IS made, though,
had he been the disinleresed patriot his sup.
porters pretend he is we think that he might
have SCRUBBED about that. Gen. Washington
charged merely for his expenditures while he
was actually in the public service. But we ex-
pcct nc such example from General Jackson:-
we did, however, expect that in "a matter OF dol
lars and cents he would have strictly conform
ed TO the provisions OF law.
Instead Of drawing $500 year f., ray and
subsistence, for periods, during wa.ca he was
attending TO the business Of the farm, ne con-
trived, by claims for EXTRA rations, forage for
horses, pay for servants, rent for his owa house,
fuel, sc SC. to swell his income to more than
double that amount. This kind Of sinecure bu-
sness embraced the greater portion of the time
from the summer of 1915, when he returned
home after the close Of TIE aoar, to his resignation
in May 1891. This was acting Cincinnatus
10 some purpose.
II is true that during this time he visited the
southern posts. Tin the winter and spring OF
1870 and paid Two visits 10 Washington city;
one under orders, and the other against all or
der and dec0rum, TO inumidate Congress, by
threatening to cut off United States Senator's
ears, when they were Investigating his conduct
in The Seminole campaign. He made some
treaties with the Indians, but while doing so,
in addition to the running charges, as before,
he claimed without the color Of legal provision,
So per day as Indian Commissioner, besides
travelling expenses for self and suite, sc. And
i'm one of these treaties stimulated for a town
ship Of land to be coded 10 himself--this part
Of the treaty, probably unexampled in the an
nails Of modern diplomacy, was frowned upon
and rejected by the United States Senate.
The extra rations were paid under the 5th
section of the act of March 10th, 1912, which
provides for allowing 'to the Commanding Off
;ers of each separate post, such additional num-
,er of rations as the President of the U. States
hall, from time to time direct, hauing respect to
he special circumstances Of each post