Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-11-29
Correspondence Of the Journal Of Commerce.
WAsHISoTos, Nov. 24th.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24th.
! One OF the earliest and most important du-
ties Of Congress, at the approaching session,
will he an investigation into public abuses
Before Congress, as the grand inquest OF the
nation, some inquiries will no doubt be made
in regard to the conduct Of several high Of
6cers Of the government, and the admnistra-
tlon Of some Of the departments. Special,
instead Of general Investigations, will, hope,
be rcsorted TO, at this juncture. There
should be, and there doubtless will be, u
Special Committee upon the subject Of the
administration Of the Treasury Department
in relation to the accounts Of Collectors of
the Customs. lf the late defalcations in the
New York Custom House were unknown to
the Treasury, as they probably were, it shows
that there must be something very defective
| in the organization of the department, and n
system that will better secure accountability,
on the part Of the Collectors, must be adopted.
A system must be very rotten which will
enable a Collector, with million Of dollars
OF Government money in his pocket, to de-
lnand of the Secretary of the Treasury money
10 pay the current expenses of his office =
But this has been the case in regard to tho
New York Custom House. Sixty or seventy
thousand dollars were at one time sent by the
Treasury TO the New York Collector to de-
fray the current expenses Of his Office. The
Secretary of the Treasury was warned Of the
situation Of things there, and was urged to
institute an inquiry into them, but the sug-
gestion was not needed. The fact was that
no one, at that time, dared to distrust any Of
those officers who had the confidence of
General Jackson. Any attempt to investi-
gate abuses, in his day, was secuted. All
his favorites were presumed, by the heads Of
department, to be immaculate. But the state
Of things is now changed. The corruptions
which General Jackson's popularity for time
plastered over, are now uncovered, and are
a stencil in every mans nostrils.
The Indian Department was repeatedly
charged with corruption in both Houses of
Congress, but no facts could ever be proved
which inculpated officers of the Government.
When General Jackson retired. he CON-
mended 20 the especial confidence of his sue
cessor the Superintendent Of Indian Affairs,
Mr.. c. A. Hnrris,-saying to Mr.. Van Burcn,
"if leave you single honest man, it is
Carey a. Harris" After while various re-
presentations were made TO the President in
regard to Mr. Harris speculations upon the
public with the MD of the public funds, and
he finally required an explanation from Mr..
Harris, in respect 10 some particular transact
ton. Mr.. II. furnished q statement, and the
President endorsed upon The paper, mot sat-
isfactory." Mr.. Harris accordingly resigned.
He declined giving any information in rcla.
tIon to the public officers Tho were connected
with him in his specuations, but public sus.
picion has fastened upon some individuals
who were as high in General Jackson's con-
fdencc as Mr.. Harris himself. II is well
known that in several branches Of the public
service, the disbursDg officers ofihe Govern.
mcnt made il a regular business TO speculate
upon the specie funds sent to them. In
Florida, for instance, they sold the specie at
an extravagant premium, and paid the public
creditors in local or other paper, which an
swercd Just as we'll. One paymaster in
Florida, however, credited the Government,
in his account, with the premium which he
got upon his specie.
The infection has spread into other de-
partmen,s. There have been for some days
rumors Of deficit in the accounts Of the
chief the Engineer department. This may
turn out TO be incorrect, but nevertheless il
is confidently asserted. One version of the |
rumor is, that Gen. Gratiot retained in his
hands balance Of some forty thousand dol. |
lars 10 indemnify him for certain services or
advances. All these things will demand the
and earnest attention of the re-
presenta,ives of the people. 1t is time that
there should be general ovcrhauling; IN
searching operation" must be instituted, and
The Augean stable cleansed.