Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-05-17
DOMESTIC.
From the National lntclligenocr.
-

~. ~. wv" she"''gcnoctJ
Iie Official paper Of Saturday last contains some sdji-
uonni observations on the disinission of Mr. Randolph,
which, however extraordinary, excite no surprize because
1t was ohe expected that that paper, 'ihe othciai govern
inent paper at the seat oil government" would defend, in
whatever say itcould, whatever the government, has done.
bntas these oihcial observations are directed at us, we
shall make uo apology Tor a very brief notice OF them.
The di'ni-sion oil Nj. Randolph is now said to have
been a sacred duty OH the part Of the President, under the
provisions oil an act of Congress Of Jan. 81, 1923, recurring
regular returns, SC. to be made by discussing officers, the
u'Ird section OF which, as quoted by the official, provides
as follows:
c,n That ,ss;u .,I e. 0ia %sH O., ass., Of III. United States, who shall Of
ssI eS.;ssS wTh,G DIGESTION Of the pcns' 'saes'; L, o's Ssis sg . .Ss1 on Sf:
the USitod States and a" ais%..s 20 p from sGs I puSrs so TO tho r'0''d'"' of
IL tni; be the ground on which the dis,nission. Of Mr..
Randolph is now to be placed, il is very clear that IL is not
,ne ground on which the President himself placed it, in
ms Order Tor that purpose. II was not because he was re-
ported a debtor , the United States that he was dismissed
The service. but because the President 81 cannot approve of
20 mnch c' tho fnding oil the Court as declares that Lieut..
Randolph, though he had fallen into error, had committed
no offence, nor intended any-nor had intended TO deceive
any one. These conclusions. in the opinion Of the Pre-
sideh', wero :" Incompatible with Lieutenant Raniolpb',
failure" SC. &c. No reference whatever is made IN n.
a'tnow produced; the reason assigned Tor the dismission
: not That, being a disbursiDg officer, he refused to render
his account, sc. but that +" To the opinion of the President
The iacts which appear in this case, and the conduct OF
Lieut.. Randolph Throughout the investigation, prove
him 10 be unworthy the Naval service Of this Republic.
and an Unfit associate for those sous of eh;rnIrv. ;nscg,
q, and honor, 'cho ddorn oar Many" II . clear, then,
missed. The Court OF Inquiry was of opinion Ina, I;,ut.
H. had done nothing ~derogatory to hs character as an Of.
ncer' oc PRESIDENT OF The United States came to a diae.
ren, conciu.ion, and for that reason dismissed him.
But THIS iato, which, by an after -thought, is brought for
ward ny the government writers as the ground of tho
d'smission OF Lieut.. Randolph, not only did not, bat could
no'' apply to his case in any view Of il. IL il. an act. not
Tor the government of the Navy, but ..ar act to re.
gn"fe me disbursement Of public money" MIR. r..
tGds NOT a dis6ursing officer. The duty of taking
charge OF the effects OF a deceased Furser was deyoiv,5
on MN by a Commander In the Navy, he then sailing as
Lieutenant under him Those effects were never aysn
regularly de!iuered 10 him. How could he then regular.
y account for themi This chance medley certainty did
not place tho Lieutenant on the footing of q regular dis.
bursting officer, TO be dismissed If he failed 10 render his
accounts every sin months as the law has il. So lar from
IT, The irregu!aaty Of the whole proceeding rendered the
thing impossible. II $ a mere sheotatioH, therefore. 10
consider the case Of Mr.. X. as coming within RE Ia,,'
In q iormer number, the Official seemed to consider , ,
port oil the Fourth Auditor on this subject as sthe bssi,v
u ue proceedings which resulted in Mr.. ia dismission
AS we desire 10 "dismiss" this case finally from ~ 90.
lumn', we will here add the remark, that Il il a new th;nc
under the sun, that a Report OF tho Fourth Auditor is,o Inc
conclusive against the character Of an officer. Ifit were
God help the whole Marine Corps, whose officers. in a ho''
dy, congress were under the me- essity orinterpo.inp to 70.
hevs from the same Auditors RcportsT How MANY off.
GERS OF the land as well as naval service, have had 10 an.
ply To- Congress for special acts to relieve them in emily
from decisions in law by the accounting oficersi In The
case actually before US, we should consider the Report If
tne Fourth Auditor Just as much Of authority az an ed;to.
weight or worth. "o'e