Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-07-23
ever hope to grasp the truncheon Of command over
ten million of free People?
From III. Norfolk Herald.

ditor.
Mr.. ED,roR:-I have just seen some remarks in
late number of the Enquirer upon the subject of Mr.
Kings accounts which strike particularly un
Just and dsingenuous. ave confess says tue ed
tor, we have gone through Mr.. Kings defence with
| out the slightest change of opinion to the main
allegation" Are to understand here, as the Ian
guage implies, that our editor has experienced some
change of opinion rs to other matters embraced 10
the defence? And If so, would it not have been al
together honest and proper in him to have told us so
little more expressly Was it not, III fact, due to
MIR. X. for whom he has heretofore protested his per-
sonal esteem to have stated at that he reoic>
ed to that the gross and scandcous impututions
| which the Fourth Auditor had oaselv endeavored
to fasten upon the conduct of tibet gentleman in his
attempts to settle his dccouns. had been clear
| y and triumphanuy explained And Is it not appa-
rent that he is much tender of the reputation of
the Fourth Auditor, f he has any left than he of
| that OF the most respectable individual whom he fiat.
tiers aud calumniates with the pen! But he pro-
ceeds: "A correspondent asks Significantly" THAT is,
be asks himself-for there can be doubt that he
IS his own correspondent here, and puts off what fol-
lows, IN this way, only because he is ashamed to
vow 1t more INDIRECTLY "has Mr.. King explained
how it has happened hat with tue ad of hi $40 900
borrowed from the Bank he has brought up his dis
bursemens according to his shooting only to the
amount of the sum advanced to him by the govern
ment! Where was then the pubic money which his
pr'eate money (fhe did borrow on lis oUn private
account,l takes the place OFF Was there not de
iauit to the government at the time lie obtained his
loan from the Bank: answer to oil these o,:-s-
lions Is very easy. Ii you take Mr. KS account &C
coraing 10 lbs oDn shouing, which writer profcs
ses to do, the government is now in his debt about
$4,000 and was SO al the time he borrowed this
SlVooO on his private account but for the public
otce 1t is nonsense, therefore, to ask, where was
then the public money which his private money took
the place off" The answer evidently is that it wus
III the Treasury of the U Statss-wherc, however,
it ought not to have been; but ID Mr.. KS hands to
meet the demands of the public service, for the
gences OF which he obligee 10 borrow this suu
from the Bank And there could most Clearly have
IN tho fi,,
Mr. *. obtained this loan from the Bank, according
10 hs o,on showing when, according to that showing
at least the Government indebted to him in the
sum OF $4,000 For, tG;tng this for granted, il is
clear that the $4,000 borrowed from the Bank was
an additional aduance to the Government, and the
subsequent slow and reluctant payment of the last
sum, Qf it had all been pad,) by the government to
.slr. L. cannot nave eXtingushed the old debt which
therefore. remains unsatisied TO this hour This is
obviously, Mr.. KS view of the subject, and whether
right or wrong 1t IS grossly unfair in our writer to
present totally opposite one as being, according to
las oIcn sftotoig" His statement is evidently only
the Auditors over again, ana not Mr.. Kings.
] But, to meet our writer, fog moment, his o,on
sroo'ia and to take his argument according to his
otDn skercngsvppose that Mr. X. ,cas in arrears to
the Government IN about the sum OF $40 900 when
he borrowed that amount from the Bank for The pub
Iic Sefcicedd not that thus laid out and expep-
ded by him for the Governments, discharge those ar
rears? And if so, where was then his default to the
government For, observe, temporary a7rearore
is not default but is only what must necessa y
happen every time an agent receives supplies from
the Depart nent,-that is, if be not In advance To
the government, he is AMY not required 10 b.
But our writer asks further: Docs not the law
positively require every dsoursnsagent of the Gov
eminent 10 settle his accounts at tie Treasury De-
partmcnt qHartertyand does not make it the SOL
emn duty of the Presdeb. dismiss all those who
do not comply with this requisiton:" I answer: the
law does require the 6gentto make quarterly returns
OF the state OF his accounts: but pot exactly 10 settle
theuo-that is it certainly does not require him 10
pay over the balance which may be in his hands at
the end OF tile quarter; because Ike Seyece continues
and the balance may be immediately necessary for
the service continuing: and it would therefore be f,Ilv
TO take the money out of the agents hands one mo-
nen only to pot II back again the next. Add to this
from The very nature OF these accounts which Mr.
IS has so clearly explained III his answer to the Sec
Rotary they cannot possibly be closed las our writer
seems TO suppose they ought to be,) at the end of
every quarter. year, there are very often
continuing expenses, for which the proper vouchers
cannot be drained until he end of tie coptrac. or
work:-lt must accordingly, often happen that the
quarterly return may shew balance due the Go
vernment when there is nothing in the agents hands
as his Abstract of Advances, Tor statement of pay
lentS on Gccou3t which accompanies the quarterly
return, for the very purpose Of showing the fact may
clearly demonstrate. 1t would, therefore, be the
summit of injustice, end Of absdrdity in the law TO
require the President 10 turn out dsbursjug oficor
Tor being apparently, really in arrs ars to the
Government IN bis quarterly return and it does NOT
reqnlrc any such thiDg.-Indced the Secretary him,
self was notso simple as to- discharge Mr. King for
'Ci REASON DIS .fI,s' Eor' although nc does remark
IN his letter that Mr. Ks quarterly return for tl,o
3oth Of June 1929, showed balance due to the Go
vernment Of S25,569, whilst his monthly return to
the Department tor the same date showed that the
government was indebted to him in the SUN of
S20'o65 II; and represents this discrepancy" as
something very nysteriouS; yet I does not pretend
to say that it showed that Mr.. T. was actually in de-
fault at that time And, the other hand HAT he
was not in default at that time is absolutely ce,foi
from the fact that the $4,000, large part of which
! Mr. King had lien borrowed from the BANK and ey
pended for the service Of the Government was NOT
tbon but only some time ater bis dismissal from OF
fee, allowed and passed to bis credits and vet tho An
dltor. as wo have requires the aid of the Ioe
OF that $40 00o to bring Mr. X. in debt to the Coz.
eminent in the small sum of 1882 20. or course.
IL IS apparent that Dir r. was not in default but in
| advance to the GnverDuen, on the 3Oth June' 1900
But If he not in default OH that day. when AFR
wards did he bcCome so3 Aud how was tho cacf NO