Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-07-06

mas refused 10 pay cannot very clearly perceive how
II can be brought into my account debit against
me- Allow him 10 turn my rejected claims into debit,
in This way, and III easy to that he might indeed,
make out defauiter almost az great an atnonnt
as he could wish.
! Now, with these remarks, allow me 10 correct his
imposing statement by leaving ont these two items
from the debit side, which certainly have no business
there. and we shall then see how the account really
| stands.
"The balance now appearing due 10 the Government
from Miles King on the books OF this Office IL
$685. 20
ole has presented claims to this office TO
the amount OF $l3,209 79-S 359 % of
which, IL 10 certainly ascertsined, have hren
$50 81
"Claims for extra Commissions, interest,
S2l.5i0 I6 $50 49l 90
This, observe is exactly his own statement with tho
OMISSION OF the false debts only. And ia il not appa
rent from IT, that if the whole Of the claims which
have presented had been allowed Gas they ought to
have been, every OF them the Government would
have been shewn to he in default in the sum Of
SIS COS SO? And how Then could even he have had
ne forehead to say az he sad that elf every dol
lar claimed by Mr. King, except what has actually be
allowed, were pns.ed to his credit he would sll be in
default Sll 9Ss 37' |: it not apparent that he has
res ard to truth in any thing that he states.
1t may be s,d indeed, that make this balance
due TO me- claim the allowance Of S2l $40 &C. which
the Secretary has rejected Very true; but consider
able part of ths il the account for additional and
extra Clerk hire, which have already explained in
my answer TO him. and which think the public will
agree with me have just right 10 demand. And
Tor the rest, IL claim for extra Commits sons such
have been actually allowed to other Navy Agents, end
to lar larger amount for inferior services; and for
interest which have actually paid monies that
have been obliged to borrow. at different times, for the
use ct the Government in the business of my agency.
But leave ont, il you pca.e. this whole OF SAL
o1O 10 as inadmssibe, there ia siil the of SI0,'
$50 81, which contend is fairly due to me: and Of
which sum the Auditor allows that part ''may uifi-
mdtefy he passed 10 Mr.. Kings credt"-hough he is
evidently determined 10 make that part as small pos
slbe, lest it should, peraIvenure exngnsh that pre-
c'ous balance against me which he is nursing with
much care or the At leae for the purpose Of
Keeping me still apparently in default.
itmay be proper for also, to add here, that be.
sides the claims which have presented TO him, have
yet other claims against The Government to the amount
nt about $50 O00 which have not yet laid he fore
him, (althoush have distinctly appraised him that
have them) becarse was unwilling after the experi.
ence have had Of him, TO put them into his hands,
III he had first disposed of those which had prev ously
submitted They are of such nature, however, {ma-
ny OF them) that think he will be able
invent plausible excuse for refusing to allow them.
And thus, il could be settled by any honest
Auditor the Government must be found in my debt at
n'S moment in the sum OF al least $50 900. And yet
20 Crafty the low and piu sentiment of the Secreta
ry and himself "a resent nent too, which has been en-
gendered aoG ether by their consciousness Of the
! injury which they have done me must he reported
by this Auditor TO Congress- deauter in that pal.
'ry n'te sum OF $685. 20; sum so small that he is
ashamed OF il himself and has therefore, . have
JUST seen, attempted TO swell il out into decent
appearances by miserable trick.
Having thus clearly Showed the entire fssehood of
thi5 whole charge oil my being detaulter TO the Co
vernment, (and given. by the pretty strong taste
OF our Auditors quGiiiy) might easily be excused,
believe, by all HONORABLE men, from taking any further
notice of his Report But he has been pleased Ii ms,
10 tdvor us with some comments upon particular items
oil my accounts, and the vouchers which have offered
10 support th"m, with the double view Of mpe hing
my honesty before ths public ard Of displaying his
own extraordinary and peculiar qualifications for his
Office; and cannot but feel that ought to follow him
into these minute and otherwise insignificant details.
Annexed" he say.,"are copies of Mr. Kings vouch.
ers which have been rejected suspended in this Of
nee, numbered from ~ to Ql6) inclusive" l do not
intend, however. to notice the ALL bat only such of
them as he has himself brought into vewand perhaps
a few others.
"Tbose numbered from ~ to (5) have been rejected,
because they have been long since passed his cred'
The InsinudttOn here is obvious, but Fraudulent /
believed myself that these ella ms had been allowed.
and had certainly thought of preerring them over
again. but told the Auditor Office in Sepem.
her last that they had not been found passed nv cre-
dit but were still suspended, and that. therefore,
must furnish the vouchers to support them did so:
Chat s, sent in the Duplicates having presented the
originals beore and these vouchers rejected,
bee ause the claims have been allowed long ago The
ha'eness oil the tnuendo on this point is thus apparent.
IL may be proper for 10 add, that have list of
these supposed TO be suspended but really allowed
from the Auditors Office, verify my statement above
beg it may be kept in mind that No is the voucher
for the hire OF the steamboat which shall have occa-
sion TO notice more particularly hereafter.
Those numbered from (6) to () rejected on ac-
coun; of their and the want OF proper approval
Here we have two reasons; but Of them happens
to be good ornothing and the other out 10 he
false in fact. Ist "On account of their age" but
wac clearly proved by Mr. Murden that they had been
oreTi0ohed until very lately; and who heard be-
fore that mere lapse OF time would bar honest claim
against the Government? And does our Auditor re-
ally fancy that the statute OF limitations would apply 10
case like this between citizen and the State! Or il
| IL were common between man and man. could
the statute apply TO account current between two
merchants, or between principal and his apenf7
This is evidently good for nothing. But Sec
ondIy, "ior want Of proper approval" This he shew
himself, false in fact, for he adds immediat.Iv
"rhoy indeed all marked "Approved, A. Sinclair
And what is this but "Proper APPROVAL" Aye, but
he adds con casting my eye upon these words, was
satisfied they were recently written, although the
vouchers dated in 1918 and 1919" Suspeeiins of
course, that there something wrong about them he
enclosed them TO Commodore Sinclair, and nut 10 him
this question: "Will you have the goodness to inform
me, whether your approval 10 the enclosed youc
placed upon them at The time OF their date
and, II not, when, and under what circumstances Won
approved them" In his reply, dated the 1t February
$780, he sad q" have TO state that the accounts were
approved by about six weeks since; but not before
| ] satisfied myself of their correctness." Now one
would think, this ought TO have been Satisfactory" 10
him, as IL is obvious that the requiring OF the Com
msnding Officers approval to authenticate a voucher
implies confidence in his judgment aud discretion
But our Auditor IL determined TO go further, and nouire
into the Of the approval And what were thew
Why that Of the srces "a bugle for the frigate
| Congress,) "was furnished" he personally knew but
second account of r. u. Seymour lor S2I for wood
furnished the Constellation, we'll as The 80 rs for
water paid c. COlley, have other reason TO Gun.
pose correct than their certificates, and MIR Kjng,s
word, which cannot doubt" Well, now then have
certainly got my vouchers for these three small temp
the buge, the wood aud the water, In proper form az
last and have supported them by the fullest proof