The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-02-08
suD-TREAsURY DEFAuLTERs.


customs: agreed to-
suD-TREAsURY DErAULTERs.
| Mr. GARLAND, of Va, offered resolution au-
thorzing the Secretary OF the Treasury to employ
many temporary extra clerks as would be necessary,
for The purpose of enabling him, during the present
session. TO complete the answer 10 the call made by
this House, in regard to the Public. Deposites.
| Mr.. G. said that the Secretary had communicated
portion of the reply TO the Resolution and the So
citor ofthe Treasury had stalled that he could not
comply with the last clause of the Resolution, for
furnishing the correspondence connected with the
subject
| Mr. WISE remarked thathe hoped that we should
be able TO the whole of this formidable list of de-
| faulters.
Mr. MCKAY said he did not think the list would
be found SO formidable as was supposed. He was
| not opposed to the object of the resolution but he
| doubted whether il was competent for the House. by
| mere resolution TO provide extra clerks for the
Treasury Department.
MIR. WISE did not, he said understand the gen.
tleman TO oppose the call but he showed his DISPOSE
lion on the subject by questioning that the list would
not be SO formidable one, as was expected. The
number, SO FAR was very great.
Mr.. MCKAY said, the list of defaulters, he
understood, was complete: what was now cali
ed for was the correspondence between the De-
partment and disbursing agents.
| Mr.. GARLAND said the object was 10 get the
true state and condition Of the collecting and dis
bursting agencies. The original resolution called
for list Of defauerS for the amount Of the defal
and lastly, for the correspondence touching this sub
jecl. The Solicitor of the Treasury had reported
that he was not able, for the want of clerks to fur
nish the correspondence called for by the last clause
of the resolution.
Mr. WISE remarked that the list Of defaulters
was not complete. 1t gave the defauers who had
been turned out, but not those who were still in
Office.
Mr. GARLAND said the resolution sought no
new information; but to carry into effect resou-
tion already agreed to- The information inn
portan at this time, when the Sub-treasury bill
before the country. He had no disposition to con-
ceal his position in regard to that He
opposed to IT,; and he wished the means of showing
that there had been more money lost through en-
bezzement, by Individual agency, than by State
banks He now wanted to furnish the department
the means of complying with the call. He would
TO obviae the objection ofthe gentleman from North
Carolina, Mr.. M'Kay,) make the resolution joint
one.
Mr. CAMBRELENG called the attention Of the
House to the document already published, contanmga
list Of defaultefs. more perfect libel dead men
was never before published Upon examination, it
would be found that half OF the persons the
list defaulters. Some Of these were dead
Some Of them had been sued, and upon trial. it had
been found not only that the balances reported against
them were reduced to nothing but that the United
States were indebted to them. The late District At
torney of Philadelphia (Mr Ingersoll) was reported
defaulter the extent Of $4,000 but judgment for
only s3 900 obtained against him. and vouchers TO
amount oil or seven Thousand uOllarS were not
included Bonds were sent to the District Attorney
to be collected, and charged them, though
yer collected.
Mr. GARLAND said there was no doubt that inus-
tice was done in but enough Of de-
facaon left to show that the Sub easury system
would be unsafe.
Mr. REED said the District Attorney Of Phiadel-
pha had made his good by oyerchargng the Go
vernment.
Mr. SMITH said, the argument Of the gentleman
from New York, showed the necessity Of bringing out
the whole correspondence.
Mr.. E. WHITTLESEY stated that he should
support the resolution and had intended 10 call for
special information in relation TO the case Of the
District Attorney of Philadelphia. He wanted 10
know from II how his bills Of services against
the Government had in four years enabled him TO
balance debt due TO the Government Of $15 900. In
case he said the attorney had charged one thou
sand dollars for collecting three thousand and had
then pocketed the whole money
Here the discussion was cut off by the expiration
of the hour.
NORTH EASTERN BoUNDARY-MR. GREELY's CASE.
The House. at one o'clock, resumed the conside-
ration of the Presidents Message, on the table,
relative to the North Eastern Boundary, and the ar
rest and imprisonment of a citizen of Maine, by the
British authorities.
Mr.. EVANS moved the reference of the Message
to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, with nstruc-
tons to report bill TO provide for surveying the
North Eastern Boundary of the United States, ac-
cording to the treaty of peace of 1883.
The bill was read, and Mr.. EVANS spoke at
length in support Of the motion.
After which the House adjourned.