Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-09-11

tail, and copy papers which have given 10 this
| article a tedious length. For the res, we shall
endravor to he more concise.
Early in The year 1922, Mr. Barry had dis
covered that his friend Fowler had involved
him in a serious difficulty, by casting upon him
and his co-suretirs debt Of several thou sand
dollars. Naturally ANXIOUS 10 escape he dan.
ger Of being accounted dcfauAer a, well as a
debtor, he Immediately Set his wits to work TO
extricae hims If from situation so unpleasant
The first step was TO pro cure The dismissal
OF Fowler, and proven matters from becoming
wo'se. This was easily accomplished. Fow-
ler's delinquency had rendered his removal in
dispensable; and when surety req ired it. it
could be no longer DELAYED. The next step
was TO provide for the payment Of arrearages,
otherwise than from his own proper resources,
that was no, easily done.
The practice Of selling offices, particularly
clerkships of courts, though positively against
The law, had prevailed in kentucky, in secret,
evasive manner, 10 a considerable extent The
sales, however, were by the ncumbents, no, by
he appointing power. Rumon--an authority
no. always 10 be relied upoD-had whispered
about. tina, very good friend of Maj Barry, a
little while before had purchased clerkship in
hi, county for sir thousand dollars Tie Pos,
Ofhre in Lexington must have been nearly as
productive as This elrkship And il seems to
have occurred 10 ,hr sagacious ingenious Mai
Barry, that il hr could gel tic disposal Of thai
offire, he could ex,ricate himself from the DIFF
fcully with which lie was perp'exrd, and avoid
the delinquency, suit and judgmen, wi h which
he was threatened.
Incredible as il may appear, he succeeded
in carrying hi, conception and project into
execution! Whatever opinions Mr.. Barry may
hold upon such subjects new; whatever may be
his faith and his practice in his present sitaalion
then j. seems, he lookrd upon an office under
ih general government as q merchantabh COM
modify! Ye, the present Pos Maser & neral
one of that band Of dsinterested patl lots, com.
posing the cabinet a, Washington, who affect
TO shudder and turn pale al the bare repeiiion
Of the s,oi les of6argain. intrigue ond management
which heir chief has himself invented by hi,
own influence, aided by his friend COL Johnson,
("pure as the angels" actually OBJ ,iard ir,m
the then Pos, Maser General one gs) a com
mission for Post Master in Lexington, bank
as to he name of the person 10 be apppintd;
and having thus he disposal Of the off, T, put
ii up and sold il 10 the highest bidder, w"o hap
,enrd 10 be Ihe GilnT Of newspaper in Lex
,ngton; struck ii of at four thousand dollars!
This was the substance of ,he rransaction.-
Without figure oil spec h, exageration, or CO.
oring, was this. Mojor Barry a. just stated,
was entrusted with bank commission for new
Pos Master at Lexington. to sup'rscde Capt.
Fowler Having it thus in his po,cer 10 dispose
Of The Office, at his own creion, and for his
o,on benefit, if lie though fit so TO use j., lie
found gentleman (Jps FI,klIn, ESQ., who
agreed TO accept the commits ,inn, and afrer d.
frayins the expenses Of the Office, to apply he
neat proceeds 10 the ex inguishment Of Fowler's
defalcaiion until his sure,ies, Barry = Co.
should be disenthralled. About four 'huusand
dollars, The parties calculated, would feet that
object. The dsfalcaIiun was known TO be more
than double tina, sum; and how they expec'ed
10 reduce il SO muCh-whr,her by an apple "a
ton OF all the payments, made by Fowler after
the date Of The above bond, to the quarterly ba
lancss accrued subsequent To that date, and
leave certain Other quarterly balances TO ial!
upon previous bond. iof 1919 or whether
they supposed thai Fowler, by sci off, and pay
m"nt, would be able 10 reduce the defaication
Of S40OO,--we do not precisely know.
Nothing has ever b-rn paid 1--WE ore sal,siiod)
to The General Posi- Office. Whether the pre-
sent Postmaster. The purchaser has paid the
money or any part of It, 10 Barry the BENDER,
is more than we know. But as the fAir pre-.
contracts, Until The contrary appears, SO the
fair presumption is, that Mr.. Fick'in has paid
the $4,000 to Mr.. Barry, who has it snug =" in
his brte, hes pocket" ready to hand over TO the
Treasury when --bu. VIC cant say exactly
,ohen
These are the matters to which we alluded
as calculated to make common men stare Are
they not of that character? We have set them
down here as facts. of witch. upon due enquiry
WE are folly satisfied. W. gave no pledge 10
produce any evidence upon This point; we fore
saw tia, there might pr difficulty in procuring
cerifca,es, 70, publication. from those who had
a personal knowledge OF The facts, and did MOI
intend to ask for any. We are NOT, however,
altogether unprouided il this respect. But we
do not anticip ne that this statement will be de
MED by any Of the parties. and presume rha'
pronf would be suorrhuous The knowledge
of The transaction was not confined at the time,
10 one TWO, or three persons; and if some might