Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-01-21

Mn. Mp.
LETTER OF ADVICE.
United States Navy .7gsncg,
LIMA, Aug. 81, 1850.
s,p:-I have the honor to hand you my lniru
of Exchange. of this number and date, Tor Jour
rhousand seven hundred dollars, payable at thirty
days sight. in favor OF -, drawn u in nee
me expenditures for pay Of Nary qfodf ON m's
ytatiOa. Please pay the same and place II 10 &C
cOnnt ofo,esaia. have the honor TO be, sir, with
Great respect, your most obedent servant,
lSignedl ANR'W: ARMSTRONG;
US. Navy Agent.
To The Hon. Ssc'y. Of the Macy, Washington. =.
Here IS a bill drawn by an authorized Agent OF
tho Goyernmsnt. upon one Of its most important
dsnartments. (the most important in this respect,
4 we take into consideration the sums that are an
nually drawn against. for the pay and subsistence
of our Navy on foreign stations) here Is Dill,
drawn by an accredited agent of the government,
in the usual form and course of business, tor sec
Denctifurss and pay Of Nary gtoat, bill Tor the
paltry sum of S4 700, which Is suffered TO De pro-
rested for non-acceptance, the credit OF the Gov
ernment injured, the holder of the bull put to the
most serious inconvenience and confidence IN our
pablic agents DESTROYED sand for what: because
saws the sapieut Secretary of the Navy, - hare
no ertdence hhut me sam "Qtct JH fao oee" W.
;,tallu discussed TO the squadron .
.loes the cositatlng Mr. Branch mean to say
that Merchant abroad, prior to the purchase Of
a bill from government agent, must deiVe INTO
that AGENTS., books and strike balance sheet be-
tween him and the department.? is the purchaser
If pubic Draft to be constituted at once all ac-
conntino officer of the treasury: On whose credit
are those bills negotiatedsOn the credit of Andrew
Armstrong as an individual, Or of Andrew Arm
strong, U. 5. Navy Agent at Lima? On what ac-
count does the Merchant not only give prefer
ence to those bills, but pay for them higher rate
Of premium? 1t is because he reposes confidence
in the credit of the Government, pledged through
its authorized agent, and the certainty which
ought 10 attend their acceptance here, aud which
does attend bills drawn by the agents OF every
government that has any regard for ITS character
or credit Are we, with an OVERLOOKING treasury
. to be placed by the folly, vascillatlng mind, and
ncapacity Of q Secretary Of the Navy, upon a
footing with the impoverished republics of this
continent, who have not the ability, if they pos
sessed the WILL to honor the drafts of their public
agents; or are we to maintain the high character
for prObty, liberality, and fair dealing which has
hitherto rendered us respectable IN the eyes OF
the world. We would ask not Mr.. Branch,
the Obtuseness of whose intellect would be TOO
lone in arriving at correct answer,-but We
would ask some of the quick witted assistants Of
the Honorable Secretary, the astute and honest
4th Auditor, to answer for him the following
plain QuestiOns:--
Is the Navy Agent at Lima an accredited officer
Of the Government or nOts Is he authorised to
draw bills upon the Navy Department against
disbursements for the squadron on that station,
and is the Department in the habit of accepting
and paving his Drafts? Has the Government
placed in his hands funds sufficient to meet the
current expenses of the squadron without his
drawing, If it has not, in what are those expens-
es u be metz Is the agent trustworthy, and en-
utled to confidence, or If not. why is he permit
ted 10 hold an important, and responsible situa-
ton under Government? Is the credit Of
the Government to be sustained. or Is it
10 be Frustrated to the level of mercantile house
ct doubtful credit-and finally, is Mr.. Branch
prepared to sacrifice the premium paid for Govern
ment Bills, is the draft of a Navy Agent abroad
entitled to no other credit than that Of an indvi
DUAL and is the holder of this bill TO incur the
expense, risk and trouble of sending it thousands
OF miles to recover of the Agent, because OF some
tnhing lntormality? In the latter case, who will
be saddled with the damages which would be as
suredly be demanded and must be pad, the 60
rerninei, or the .7geai? This is not the case
with England, it is not the case with France, nor
with any nation who has credit TO sustain, or a
character to preserve. They do not say to the
holder Of public bill, L" pe hare no pouchers
for the disbursement Of the money! they do not
constitute him party to the account between the
Government and its Agent; therc eeiis based OH
equity and justice, the bill has been drawn
BY our accredited Agentit it was drawn on
Inc credit of the Government. and must be paid;
and zoe not the holder; must look to the drawer
Tor proper settlement Of his accounts. Such is
the language Of the British government, and such
should be the language Of every Government
which has proper sense OF national honor, or a
due regard for national integrity.
Men, who are ignorant Of business, who are
unacquaiuted with the customs and usages of
Commerce, can form but very faint idea Of the
inconvenience, the trouble, the pain, and the
morhhcation to which this conduct may subject
an innocent individual who is the unfortusate
holder OF such bill; 1t is altogether useless for
h!m to plead to those who have claims against
MN, that he cannot aceuit them. that the Co.
yernment has nrotestad tho nraft in which their