Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-08-10
THE ANSWER OF NILES KING,
To the Reply ofihe Fourth Auditor.

~ sppenuageJ como now TO the second which u.s.
Have an any instance acted dishonesty or dishop-
orably. either in the business of nv oreucv or in
my subsequent attempts To settle my accounts Here
we arc brought, TOR moment, to our Auditors re-
pr,Is 90 my answers to the old charges of his hon
oraoe friend the Secretary which shall very briefly
despatch. And, {passing by, for the present, the
charge about Reproducing" my claim for additional
clerk hire. &c his first charge rather insnua-
ton against me was, that had made "reQnisitions
upon the Department; in tho early part of Nav, 1925
Tor considerable amount Of money when the month
~ returns for April Showed that had in nv hands
large balances applicable the same objects for
which my acquisitions were dra wn'-whch led him
10 write me letter requesting an explanation, to
Gh'ch ne says. mo satisfactory answer was given"
Now cur Auditor, on the contrary. admits that NV
explanation was, or ought to have been salisfacto.
ry. At least, he admits what may fairly argue is
exactly equivalent; for he says, "Mr Kings state
nisnt IN reiatlon to the arrangement of the
iE'erSn. neads OF appropriation in his accounts.
IS substantially truc He admits, also that the
Practice of the Department. was as have represeu-
teu Ia have been; and he admits that s.thc agents
ore no, much to be blamed for accounting in this way
When they are positively instructed 20 do Sc" In
ceed, the practice of tho Department and auens to-
ge'her III hispartcular, well known to all about
t"e government except eur honorable Secretary him.
se", u ne was ignorant OF It. l say if he was ig-
ofat OF u, because see (by the printed Documents
accompanying the Presidents Message at the COM
enccment OF the last sesson tina, our Auditor made
Il report to him, IN which lie says, "When agents
nave called for money under heads of augmentation
which were exhausted, former Secret ares have NO,
heshatcd Z" send them money under other heads -
cor instance an agent asks fhr $4,000 under Pay
OF sHc Navy. 1t is sent to HIM under provisions !"
IL Is M ended 10 be applied, and actually 10 apped
TO Pay" &c. doc. lG9 And I find further.
that the BJard of Navy Commissioners also made a
repnF. to our Secretary, dated the 31st OF March.
20 lh"' long before The early part of Nay 1928, ~
m "hich they state the practice still more clear
y, ana give an illustration of it hat ought TO have
s'ruch us eye, IN these words: ITO this paper"
"a document referred to- the Commissioners res
r,rO tE,,IN ~
tnat while agents have ostcnsiby large balances in
.ne!r hanns under certain heads Of appropriations,
Iney nav; made ovcrpaymcnts under others nearly
coInterDaiancing tteta " The Agent at Norfolk
W nus last return balances on hand B. %, 24s 49,
'N ne had oVerpaid, under other heads of appropri
lIIoh S'I25s4l, thus making the actual balance of
,1onss only SlO,s88,92." isec Doc D. 1851 If.
,,u our secretary was ignorant of the practice on
lag point II was not, surely, for want of ample and
particular instruction. and If he was not satisfied vii
nave been. " s ~
Our secrotarys next charge against me- vas, tina,
ay monthly returns to the Navy Department had ne
'cf oEsHcd with my quarterly returns TO the Frea
sufy Department. and my answer to i; was tho, un-
DER the old practice, (whatevr may be the case I'M
der the new, they could not. and ought nut to have
agreed III tseir statements of disbursements for tho
pam reason that portal payments on allotmen,s and
heoHt'hniHg contracts, appearing IN the monthly
oua not appearing In the quarterly returns, neces-
10y accustomed differences between them; and 7
aa.eu aSo' That THESE partial paynentss could
ot appear IN The quarterly returns although rcccin,s
We, OF course, taken for them, because The be-
Parheht ITO save itself from the intolerable troubIo
O, examining many separate receio,s rcnu;rad !,
agents to send up single vouchers for the whole
sums which could only be obtained when the u,orl,
~ haho; or other business vas completed" Now
our audior admits that my statement on this point
substantially justthough he does IT, of coorse in
MS own way. His words are. "In this statement
t!so; there IS some truth. The practice ID relation
10 alionens Isl general as he tates:" and "advon
nnd
doubtless made by him." These adm ssIons are Oh
vi1uSiy quito enough for my purpose. But" he adds
hs PfaGtice Is IN direct violation of laws" Yet no
HlOro so, presume, than he deranuement of tho
h"cds, by the same authority, which he admits exon
Grated me from the former charge The truth ia
oe observance OF the strict letter the Low on TINS
point was probably found impossible. At any rate
IL must De OBVIOUS, that the instructions OF nv sune
EIors we're necessarily my law in my subordinate a.
grncy Indeed, he Is onstraIned to admit as much:
al huugh he still affects doubt whether thew ever
gave me any instructions not TO send I'D nv rec.pts
tr parna! payments, at the ends Of the quarters as
nave stated IL IS. however, quite eertain that they
did 30; and have the old Accountant and Fourth
auditors letters, and remarks in Reconolements to
proven most amply, Whenever it may become neces
"7y. Al present. for the full satisfaction of the pub
lie Oh this point, submit a mole which appears in n
reconcem"nt from the LIST Of January to the Bis, Of
0eeomoer, gu, sent to me from the Fourth Audi
Tor ofhcc SHORTLY after the last date (which was
yearly two yenrs before the first REQUIRING of month
y returns, IN these words: Wnh the view of pei1y
Eae to ascertain correctly the state of the Agents
COUNTS he Is requested to introduce into bis sunmo
~ column for moneys advanced on account. 10 he
hereafter accounted for accompanied by an Abstrac
exhibiting such advances, TO whom advanced. and
TOR what particular purpose Ali payments for allot-
ments must also be included in the said ABSTRACT
When The payments completed then the power
OF Attorney or other vouchers to be transmitted IN
this Office as heretofore directed" (S,enedl Con
slant Ereeman, 4th Auditor. Bhis | presume, will
DO allowed to be perfect authority bo,b IN, ms,
statements, and for my practice according / NAV
add, too, that nappcars by note at the foot of The
reconciement, that several vouchers for payments.
on account, which seems, had Inadvertently sent
up Notwithstanding the Departments previous di.
rections alluded TO, actually returned TO me to
De Kept back TIL the proper time. aareeaby 10 the
order Moreover, as to the motive or reason which
assigned Tor the order. find IL stated in a letter
from the same 18th Auditor dated tho I'd Ms,cb To-
that THE arrangement" lIn relaton To- nlnimnnla ~