The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-04-06

They we're both gentlemen very much advanced ~ NE
II think over seventy years Of age; and they haa ~,
Tered (apd especially the former one) nom inc nnf
lee incident their great ago and oDg-conlnued Ia
bors But they were both men " much worm ana
ddeily and hence though less able than ~ former
wears 10 the calls them Of the usual business
Of their respective bureaus, and much more the incieas
inn calls aud business Of 1885, and especially 10 $780,
he Department felt reluctant 10 advise their removal
an ACCOUNT Of the complaints sometimes made oil their
ln6rmiiies and disabilities But after several
conferences the subject with the President under
,ood lhs, they both agreed resign and did Of the
times mentioned: but without the slightest complaint
or reproach rs 70 their integrity aud disposition while 10
Office TO exert all the vigilance energy, and labor, Of
which they were capable.
From the following testimony OF William d Ran
Ioiph now chief clerk in tho Office OF Treasurer sp'
pesrs that balances extraordinary were snscent 20
arrest the attention and excite the assonshnen' OF SUB
bordinsies Ia Office
Eramiaed by Mr.. Cartis.
Question O. Have you, al any time, while employed
Ia the Comptroer's Office. examined inc qnane,y
luns Of Samuel Swart~oot late collector 81 I'VE" iofk'
f YEA for what year those returns which you eS-
.h,nincd and was there any feature In the accounts
which attracted your attention .,
| Answer. During parts OF the years 1899 ana iooo
Iva, employed in the Comptroer's office TO revise me
Eecounts OF collectors north Of the Potomac among
fbem the accounts Of Samuel Swartwout late collector
bf New York, His accounts for the last quarters o.
S35 and the for the first quarter Of 1850 passea
Under nv inspection: in these noticed the large ana
Increasing balances Of cash hand amounting, on the
lslsr March, 1885, to nearly S700,000 for which was
moi aware OF any sufficient reason.
Question 3. Did you mention this fact to any person
and 10 whom
Answer spoke Of this circumstance frequently
among INV fellow clerks as affofdng Mr.. Swartwoui .
GlFa
perhaps beneftting HIMSELF and feel confident mat
mentioned the fact to Mr. Laub the then chei clerk,
who frequently acted as Comptroller; but J did not
Otherwise speak or il in calculated TO excite
the attention my spperiors
The House will discover. by recurring 10 the form OF
weekly record Of from collectors, formerly Kept
in the Secretsrys Office, minute the caro- then
deemed essential TO the security Of the revenue, That
one column devoted especially to recording the day
on which such weekly returns received at The De-
psrtmcnt. days omission Of duty in these returns
ihen was liable to immediate detection; and the care
with which Mr. Gallsn, while Secretary Of the lrea-
sury enoined the duty Of collectors TO have their re-
turns bear date regularly the last day o. me toeek,
and ineide only the pholeo the receipts 81 payments
for me entire meek The sad last day included may
also be appreciated by recurring the circular Of that
energetic end distinguished 6nancier also gwen IN the
early part Of this division OF the committees report.
How effcctuslly this scrutiny would have checked
the earliest misuse Of the public money by Mr. Swart-
won't apparent, wnen " Is shc
Of il was covered up and concealed prior TO 1887 by
uniformly emitting his weekly returns the official re-
cepts Of Saturday and forwarding his returns UNI
Ill tho following Monday, aud frequently not until Tues
day Of the succeeding week thus gaining the receipts
OF from two to four days with which to replace his
prior deficits The mistaken estimate by the present
Secretary Of the utility Of this precision on the part Of
tho Treasury, is easily measured by the advantage
which is seen to have been taken by Mr.. Swart-
wont Of the absence of il The practice Of Swart
10 this particular, will be found illustrated IN the
following examination OF Mr. Phiiips, late assistant
cashier Of tho customs and the indulgence Of il,
through the negligence want Of just estimate of II
by the present Secretary Of the Treasury. is less
clearly brought to view in the testimony which is also
| subjoned hereto.
| Mr.. Philips examined by Mr. Gurus.
| Question 80. In your statement. contained in your
letter of tho 9th Of November. 1885, addressed to Mr.
Gilpn YOU saw at the close Of the letter BY refer
eoce to the weekly returns made to the Treasury De-
partment it will be that large amounts were Ire
aucntly aimed, under the head OF amount due the
United States TO be carried to next return which ac-
counts have the signature Of Mr.. Swar'"om and IN
....v i.s,aaa.s would be forwarded until Tuesday,
| in order that the collections of Saturday and Monday
might place him in funds make the transfer from his
account that OF the Treasury OF the United States
Please state whether it frequent practice to delay
| the weekly returns required by the Secretary TO be
] made on Saturday and not TO send them forward until
| Tuesday; and when that practice began!
Answer 1t was the iule Of the Office 10 make up the
weekly return early on Monday Of each week, and it
embraced all the collection Of bonds up Friday after
noon consequently the bouds falling due Saturday
and Sunday and payable Saturday would not appear
on the account until the following week Il was the
frequent practice delay the weekly until Tues
day; and commenced, think in 1883 or 1884.
Question "a Until the banks suspended specie pay
ments and the collector ordered to withdraw the
bonds from the banks and collect them at the custom
house, was the practice of Mr.. Swariwout 10 pay
over the credit Of the Treasurer Of the United Staes
weekly, marty all the money in his hands aud does
not this appear from the weekly returnsl
Answer 1t was the practice, until the banks sus3
pended specie payments for Mr. Swartwou to pay
to the credit Of the Treasurer Of the United States
weekly, nearly all the moneys IN his hands and does
appear ID the weekly After the suspension OF
specie payments, Mr.. Swartwout retained all the mo.
neys collected in his hands, Except $4,000 IN
specie transferred the credit Of the Treasurer and
the same continued accumulate until he retired from
Office.
Mr. Woodbury. eraminedby Mr.. Curtis.
Question % Do you remember to have noticed that
Swawout got into the Practice during the last year or
two Of his term of Office, Of emitting TO despatch his
weekly returns from the custom-house until Tuesday!
/ Answer. do not remember to haye noticed any
general change that subject; should be likely
often notice the difference of single day IN their
arrival, the alterations the mode of transporting
the mail, and in its general speed and the interruptions
in the hours Of arrival have been frequent, and acc-
dents both in the house and the post office at
New York and this city may occasionally affect the
arrival delivery Of the letter here for twenyfou
hours. But for large a port New York, and
especially since the suspension Of specie payments,
should notice three days omission. The times,
or days, when the returns actually mailed or des
patched do appear the face of the returns; and
wrappers showing when the package mailed but
always with accuracy the day left in the post
Office and thus despatched by the collector, not
taken off and inspected by me, but removed by a
messenge, after that, the returns themselves
amined by me in person.
Question 20. During the time Mr.. Swartwout was in
office collector. did you regard the weekly returns