Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-07-22

tsre q ~ c0Ss~oseoe8 QDcU ~ sHe ddfion ~ ProY
q IT, aeesyseys He must also produce. al the same
time the d6srest rsqssiiibns which were made upon
him for the supplies, signed and counisrsined di
eeed an me I'd article, IN proof his authority for pur-
chases; and lastly, he exhibit the receipts ~ The
respectpe officers to '.o the supplies toers deirered.
Without each and every OF these documents, his &c
coun, shaH not be settled nor SHALL ne receive A
cRcoir FOR ANY ACCOUNT ROT voUcHED AS ABOVE
REQuInED"
18th. Every Navy Agent must forward his &C
counts toih the n"cessary vouchers for settlement to
the Fourth Auditor Of the Treasury quarterly. to
Wit: on the ist day Of January, April, July, and Oc
tooer IN which must be distinctly stated the moneys
expended aud articles furnished for each ship for the
! Navy, or dock yard, and for other purposes. He
Will also be required to exhibit account of the
ticles purchased and remaining in his possession, Of
those delivered over for eale statement of sales
or unserviceabe articles, and particular account OF
| the moneys unexpended and remaining in his hands
"eth No moneys are TO be paid over by an Agent,
nor purchases or sales made, any expenses
Cured, except Uth the knowledge and sanction Of the
commanding officer Of the station under particular
from the Secretary Of tho Navy of the
Navy Commissioners"
ny comparison Of Mr. Kings own statement
with the laws, Instructions and regulations prescrb-
ed for his government il will be perceived that there
was ample cause for his removal from office lie was
agent for more than thirteen years He requ-
red by law and regulation to render his accounts ut
first monthly, and afterwards quarterly, with the
vouchers nocesssryfor complete settlement. He
rendered his accounts with vouchers, and they were
to the very first day of his agency, 1876 makes
charges and produce Vouchers which if Just and
genuine, ought TO have been entered into his current
returns These vouchers bear none very few of
those evidences of accuracy which the regulations Pc
rcmpi ORALLY require; and had they been presented in
proper time, they would have been allowed.
He charges upwards of ten thousand dollars for Office
expenses. extending from the day Of his appointment
up to the year 1925, without producing the slightest
evidence that they, or any part Of them, had been
incurred paid He charges a heavy sum for inter
est but he does not pretend that he ever ook- ana
voucher. or even advanced the claim, unIil many
years after II 10 alledgsd to have been paid. He
charges large amounts Tor extra commissions and spe
cia services; but he has received all commissions
thorized by Jaw. and Is unable to produce. either
voucher or shadow OF authority, in law, regulation
or instructions, for these other claims He brings
forward numerous bills and receipts, executed in
1929 relative to his transic tons in 1916 II, 49, 10.
20, and 81, which, If just, it his duty to have
charged and rendered in the several months and
quarters to which they belonged For not doing his
plain duty and taking care Of his intercst, his
excuse is not that there the time any obs;a-
Gle to his obtaining the evidences which his nstruc-
tions and the navy regulations require, but simply
two thousand dollars which had already been pissed
to hrs credit, and rests his apology upon total g-
norance ofhis own accounts. When called upon to
explain discrepancy OF foryGve thousand dollars
between his monthly and quarterly returns he gives
as the principal reason that he had made ad yances
contractors and dealers, when the law peremptorly
ueclareS tnat no such advances shall be made. Let
the reader look through the reports of the Secretary
and myself, let him examine every rejected charge g.
voucher; let him compare them with the law and reg
uations relative 70 the Navy Agents; let him then
read the explanations given; and he cannot but admit
that the late Agent ty his shocing was either
wholly regardless Of law, too ignorant care
less of his duties to be longer entrusted with the dis
bursement OF the public moneys. when it is further
recoilected that of the claims by which he now
seeks to cover bis default hace sprung into eDisence
sinee his reDaooai. while others, by his neglect
had been "entrey overlooked" and could not have
been known to the government, and Others TO the
mount OF twenty thousand dollars, he says, have
not get been exhibited how it possible ad-
hitting every claim he advances be just that the
government could consider and treat him in any o
Their ligh than a defaulter?
From the law, frOmthe facts, and from MIR King 8
own acts and admissions, it is apparent that his re-
mova was imperionsIy required by considerations Of
public safety. which tho Secretary Of the Navy could
| not overlook
Phs futility or inadequasy Of Mr. Kings explana-
tons will be perceived on slight examination The
first point which he attempts fortify, is his charge
for Office expences His bill is in the following
form:-
~.