Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-07-07
LIEUT. KANDOkPHS ANSWER TO THE
FOURTH AUDITORS REPORT.
TO TIE PURInC

al n
sen'ieman. t"nsvc his name presented to the public
coupled with limitations upon his integrity and no
nor lie cannt lind q sufficient soace for this mis-
ioftene IN tho concousncss Of innocence or even in
t'c character nj the individual from W. HON the Sian.
Hcrs nave cmanated--bowcverc clear NAV be the for
r'er' however degraded the latter. When these
"si"tnn'es arc directed towards officer whose ho
nor enu unsulled reputation essentially connected
"'th ms existence; upon whom suspicion, how
ever groundiess incts indelbe stai when hey are
puocly promulgated, with all the sanctions that off.
ca can aifori the injury becomes douby severe and
Tho wounds inflicted almost beyond the hope of
cure. "
Sach is the Prsdicamcnt in which I have been re.
comfy .:aced before my country and before NV bro
tner otncers, by the Report Of Amos Kendall the
Fourt' Auditor al the Treasury of tho United S,,t..
submitted by the Honorable the Secret,rv of the
I"Vy to the House OF Representatives on thu a7th
May, is5o However formidable may he the char
aecr tais accusation. however elevated the official
rank 81 my accusers; however dRniied the tribunal
sciore which have been arraia1ed; deem sensc of
wnst owe to the naton-to the service, and To nv
", cImpcl me 20 the only course which is allowed
lie on pleading not guilty tn the cInrre-of CLAIMING
Us matter OF sheer Justice that may not be con
Gfin,cd unheard, and OF pro.rny myself ready and
"nXions 10 encounter my accu-ers. proofs-nav even
t!cir dark nsnuntions aud groundless suspc,ons b..
lore tribunal competent Investigate and to dcc;d.
upon my case.
IL l have been guilty Of pccuniary dcfa cations O:
Lungs 70 matt the extent With which am charged
ny the Auditor, / am unworthy of the commission
With which | huve been honorcJ. and deserve the
most ignominious and severe punishment. If arr
Guty OF OBTAINING public moneys in my hands, in vi.
oiauon OF tue trust upon which they were received
justice 10 the natun demands thai should he com
peeled 10 disgcrge the spoil. If have conniyed a,
the suppression Of important documents; if have
eeeh guity OF PfeVaricstion and fssehood; If have
eaesVored ID shit my pecuniary responsibilities and
lus debts upon the shoulders Of others why is no,
'ie criminal pursued through the instrument; aity Of
the law, aud TO ced to submit, the requirements of
jGstce! Yet, with oil these charges officially rro
fefe rred hef, lao, T
IiFe OF my country, the accused although he knows
them to be false, has alternative and no other
means OF redress, but to ASK for judicial ENQUIRY
into his conduct f'
IL must DC obvious To oil who have examined the
accusation to which have referred that minute
anu dat"ed exposition Of the facts of my case would
be unnecessarily tedious Dark surmses and fnul
insinrn'ions which msy be made to mean any THING
anu every thing, would demand circums,antial mar
native, and fulness of proof which would unwarrnn,
eoy extend this short address No exposition
which 10 not public and in the face of the accusation
ana The evidence upon which rests can be entirely
satisfactory; that can be attained only in court of
lnsilce-und to contest there invite and CHALLENGE
moe a "!io nave ansht to lay to my charge. 1 am
Loi ncrmitted to become the actor such contest;
cannot BRING the mattor into a court; mus, wait
line pleasure OF the Government, Which, il cannot
ebeiieved if attaches credit to the charge will
inrnish an opportunity Of bringing it to an issue of
proving lis truth, or demonstrating it's falsitv
ihns situated, / may be permitted further to OBJ
serve, that considering the nature Of the accussi,on
of ci, it h,o
Ceen eon5t ructcd the most obvious dictates of mn
denc9Tequre ihs.I shuld reserve for such an inyo.
u5atioh Tie evidence which possess when preci,e
and distinct allegations are made and exhibited in
form which may be tangible, ard before q tribunal
whch may be selected TO pass upon them de6ntiveIv
IL VIII De my duty will be my pleasure to ,tnke
my character upon the issue.
Al the mean time, cannot permit myself to refain
from noticing some OF the assertions and commen,s
OF tic Auditor, and making some remarks unon ,bo
general character Of the accusation.
II appears from the documents which he Inc evb;
bied, that, on or about the I'd April 18es in
CO.'S qncEcc OF the deuth of Mr. John e. Tim
1triake, was appointed acting purser of the
igaic Constitution, then under the command of Cop
sam Daniel Il Patterson. In this capacity remain
ed until the arrival of that vessel az Boston and the
discharge of her crew-which latter event occurred
an August 1873. During this period public propertv
and moneys were placed in my hande, with which
was charged amounting to iO5 800 so; everv cent
q winch mas been fully accounted for IN The office nj
me Fourth Auditor, and my accounts finally closed
and reported On The eth October 1923 MOI one
nov item OF charge, SD far as / am apprised has
oecn made against me on the books OF the Depart
Eshe-io new ADVANCES have been made--no mis,ak
or error IN the accounts has been detected and rect
hed-and yet am presented before the Legislature
OF the Natiun defauiier!
II appears that this accusation oro,vs M, oe 81
settlement of the accounts of Mr. T,mterl aLa no,
OF Iny>own. 4 balance has been reported against |
him. ind, for the ayowed object of dmiDisl,no or do
stfoyinS tins debt apparently due from him TO the
conduct attributed TO me The settlement of Mr.
fimberlaxes accounts was made at the. Depar mcnt
ny the Officers of the Government, without nv know
ledge or intervention, and on the 18th August 1920
balance was reported against him of s 7,o41 o3
MS amount was reduced in the account reported on
the lltb September, TO the sum Of Si4373 SO. Not
having access 10 the accounts and papers relating In
mem take the dates and sums stated in the off,
cial report Of the Auditor
iere must remark, that in this early stage of his
report view ID gwen of this matter by the Auditor
calculated TO lead TO the erroneous conclus;ons
lie states that ION the 9th October, Lieut. Ran
doiPbs account as acting purser, was closed and re
ported, while the previous accounts Of bIr Timber
Iakc remained untouched."-No intima,ion is givan
that there was any other account between the Co
vernmen and Mr. Tiniberlnke than that which rels
ted to the cruise Of the Cunh tuition. In fact The
language used by the Fourth Auditor throughout, il
Calculated to leave an impression that Il O entire nc
counts which were infested and upon which the hal.
9nces were struck related excluSiveyto that cruise
u Is, however, material to observe, that Mr. Timber.
lake had been tbe purser Of the fQate President du
ring the war, and IN that capacity large balance aO
pearcd against him; to be relieved from which he had
been vaaT md =