Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-04-19
EDITORS CORRESPONDENCE.
WAsHIseros, April Is, 1898,

which was established, by order OF President
jackson, to take into consideration the cause or
origin Of the late fire at the Treasury Depart
ment; and although it would seem the report was
destined to do away, in some degree, the great
cause Of alarm to the public, it does not appear
that the examination reported by the Court mas
gone into single circumstance to lnvalidate
phaf was so generally spoken y by the caf.ze"s
of this place themselves; and from whose ln'or'
,nation nv COMMUNICATIONS were entirely made
up. The report Though long and tedious, and
carving with it the idea Of much scrutiny and
infinite soiemnity,) leaves the subject in as un-
expIained situation as any thing can be. The
community are left to grope in the dark just as
much as before the publication Of it: and indeed,
If we are to conceive any thing and to Judge
with any kind Of reason about the fire, instead
Of at all removing the numerous suspicious and
very great alarm that ia excited by It, the report
il exactly calculated TO fasten upon the public
mind a strong belief of the many rumOrs that
have gone abroad about it. Ii is IN 20 wise ex-
planatory; neither does ii 60, among number
of other omissions, to clear up the point as re-
lates to the cause of fire having been made up
in the office on that night, Of all others, saturday
nisht,) when il had not been usual before to have
one; Sunday being day Of cessation, no cause
can be assigned why so general rule happened
not to be observed on that night. Aud, to make
the matter yet much more suspicious, the eve
ming was a very calm one, uncOmmoniy mild,
with a state Of atmosphere requiring scarcely
any FIRE to give warmth. Aud ask why the
report omitted TO explain the cause OF the
absence Of ladders, bags, ire buckets, and 81
the other FIRE appearances! These were all
absent, or nearly so; and such as were to be
found-buckets, for instance, were placed IN
the garrett room, or rooms, entirely a,oay from
the usual places of fire deposites, and beyond
the reach of those whose business it would be to
get them with CELEBRITY and to use them with ef-
feet.
In making such Investigations, have never
before understood that it was meet or proper to
omit the smallest particular even; for every bo-
DIV knows, that, in such cases especially, II Is
from apparently very small circumstances that
leading points are deduced. and the largest mat
tiers are frequently calculated. Besides, after
the occurrence OF an event involving so much OF
the national concern as this destructive fire has
beyond all do1bt whatever) produced, 1t is es-
sentially necessary that every thing should be
brought before public view, that the community
al large may ascertain, for themselves, the truth
or falsehnod Of the various public rumors, and
the consequent heavy suspicious attached to
them.
Ii is not my purpose, in treating thus frequent
ly as have upon this painful subject, and Of en-
largins so much nv ideas about it, to produce
any unnecessary perplexity. My view solely is,
to have the subject deeply and properly prObed;
SO that if the melancholy event has been one Of
accident altogether, disrobed thoroughly Of every
thing like favpritism and objectionable uegli-
seuce, and utterly unlinked from all inceadiary
purposes, the country should be informed Of 1t
aud made satisfied.
The vague account, too, given by the re.
port Of the actual loss OF the public papers, books,
&c, is one Of very unusual indehniteness To-
deed, as will at once be seen.-lt says not
what the losses are; to what actual extent; and
what are the missing documents. 1t would
thereby seem to be the most natural inference to
be drawn from the peculiar inexplicitness OF it,
that, taken in connection with the great degree
Of rumor and public suspicion which has gone
abroad 50 prevalently, the loss Of the public
books and documents is too alarmingly great to
be officially announced.
The great contradiction and discrepancy that
exists, between rumor, suspicion, and the ex-
tremely unsatisfactory statement that has been
made bv the Court, will have the worst tenden.
CIV Imaginable, and will, beyond all doubt, con-
strain the couutry to sustain legal Investigation
Of it, 50 as to bring to view matters that have not
yet been at all satisfact orily cleared up.
am told that tie Globe has taken up the sub
jsct OF my remarks somewhat, and has endea-
vored to throw before the public an idea Of in
correctness 10 tn, m. the article have Mt seen;
but from the representation given me OF it BY a
friend, who has seen and looked carefully over
il, there is no occasion TO take any ootice Of his
observations. The editor is therefore ut perfect
liberty to cast abroad what discredit he pleases.
to either what | said or may say about the
FIRE. His peculiar situation is enough to guard
the community against adopting any Of his mis-
statements. 1t was never, | am sure, my de-
sign to appeal at all to him about it; and unless
he IS prepared to give something Of official cha
racter, and such as he may be enabled to attach
validity TO. shall assuredly not trouble myself
10 notice at al! any thing ne may say about it,
/ gave publicity to nothing but what has been
freely, nay generally, spoken Of BY the inhabit-
ants aud vlsltsnrs OF this city. His duty, if he
should continue to write unofficially concerning