Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-05-10

gress, and when, finally he nominated by the
PRESIDENT Tor reappoinment splendid service Of plate
was presented to him, in the mos, utlerng manner by
way OF compensation for his "peIseculuns." II wus
impossible to be more popular, or more praised than was
the courageous and independent" Chief Of the Con.
servativcs. MIR Samuel Swariwout, who Ind made such
great sacrifices irom devotion 10 tie real interests Of his
city and country Nay, mole-l have before
Federal newspaper, published in the Spring Of 1887,
from which make the following beautiful extract:
"Iioters IF the Lnittd States:
"Allow US to present for your suiages at the next
Pres dental Election, the following TEAM,
binlng legal knowledge and mercantile tatm Of The
highest 01der, 10 wit:
For President,
DANIEL WEBSTER.
For lice Prtsidth
SAMUEL SWARrWOUT!u"
This was then the strong team OF Federal Corserva-
tive Whiggery, two years ago. few months after his
resignation, the late Collector sailed for Europe, and
shortly after upon final ttlemcnt of his accounts, it
turned out that he deiauter 10 the Government
for nearly million and quarter OF dollars Ii was at
first denied, then pnliio,ed Lu, finally reluctantly admit
ted by his Wing friends, but particularly his Conservs.
tive admirers, who were not very willing TO give up their
"hagnus Apollo" They have now other heroes and
other martyrs
Scarcely had the public mind recovered from The stun
ming effect Of this disclosure, when il
founded by The elGpemen Of Mr. Price, the late District
Attorney Of New York, who was found 10 be minus a
little fifty thousand dollars This pretended
Democrat VINO the mask TO the last, conceang
his dup!iciy and dishonest under popular professions,
frank air and joval, cornwall habits No attempts
were made by any party, to palate excuse his of.
fences in which respect there is striking contrast be-
tween his and iNat OF Swartwout The nrjoriiy
OF the Investigating Commiee make great forts 10
show that he nOt0rously disqualified for his appoint.
men, which took place in 1884, and for that purpose
bring up witnesses to prove hut he devoid Of pc
cunary responsibility" to employ their iavore phrase,
and that his habits expensive relying among othe
upon The testimony of the officer whom lie displaced,
who made large fortune cut Of the office in
IIy shn lime yrhp haHu
ton. 10 say that man is unfit for such Office be-
he is not rich and is fond Of high living, would
be 10 debar great many members Of the proiessIon
of whom you will recall, r"ithout being paItlcu
larized by
The ports of the Secretary OF the Treasury Solicitor
and Comptroller, aud other documents which acconPa-
MED the Presidents Message give full information
on the subject of these defaults!
1t appears from these documents, that Swartwout be.
gan early period after his appointment, TO make
Of The public funds, aud that his deacalory sPecu
laons have, sometimes gradually, and at others by sud
den Increase, accumulated 10 The present enormous
amount The ayowals of his colluding suGordInaes,
his admissions the final settlement OF his accounts,
and a thorough investigation OF The affairs OF the Gus
house, u testify to this effect Now, how did this
default happen-why it 80 lrg concealed: few
words will make il sufficiently clear. The first mI@use
Of the public money by MIR. Swartwout, as Collector,
appears TO have commenced in 1880 series OF deia
cations various items Of his accounts followed and
continued through each succeeding ye?r, increasing con-
santly in amount ill near the close OF his Official term
They consisted in Withholding part OF The Tonnage du
ties, and portion Of The fntItures and hnes IN not
accounting for all The bonds collected all the moneys
on hand held her for office expenses return duties or
in advance Of the adjustment OF unnscertnned duties
and in procuring from the Treasury, under the act OF
1884 and smila. ones larger for The balance Of Of
fee salaries than actually reqnrtd. AS near as
can be ascerained The following statement exhibits The
items and pr portions Of his dealcatlous
Tonnage duties S,''23 -
ForIeiiuFes $50 ~
Treasury Wauaat, 5lSlV 70
Office Expenses 'osJl q;
Cash refunded o the merchants eo,'69 81
CASH 10 ~ Get :. protests" 1872 Sc 10
G a. 1seSons to meet dO''' G5i s.
sl,aaj7O5 %
or these the first, viz: tonnage duties, is doubtful The
second item amounting 10 SD S23 ~, extends through
period Of four years, from 1852 10 80 his was i"r
furieues aud penalties, under The act OF Leg anu we
amount has never been paid over 10 the w. ). The 81
item is made up Of three Treasury warrants, amounting
together TO $50 2iO %. which he received under the au
thority Of the act Of 1894 to moke up an alleged dell
cheney in the fees and emOlumens OF his o!ce, inc pro-
ceeds of which have been debited IN his cash &c
count The Ash item, amounting 10 STU vi a. is cash
withdrawn for the alleged purpose oil paying Inc e.
pensts of kt oce, beyond the actual amount OF hese
expenses as exhibited by his accounts and vouchers -
The 5h item Of $50 100 50 is cash, retained Ur eiund
ing merchants, under The benevolent, provisions OF the
act Of Congress to the sufferers Of the New YORK hfc
but was applied to this purpose, or Otherwise &C
counted for. The two next Items are cash Tor p'oess'
1892 SGG 46 and cash deposited TO meet unasceranfa
duties, SlG4 III "a When the merchant differs with
the collector about the amount OF the duty auh"t2eoU
the law which often difficult to interpret, he pays Tue
demand with "prolest," which, according 10 The deci
sion of the District Court, gives him recourse against
the collector personally, should suit sustain his pre-
tensions Upon this plea the collector 'e'as NE
in his hands Unasceftaned duties are those Paia ihto
The Custom house. by mercha who are ANXIOUS 'ooo
tain possession Of their goods before the precise amount
due The Government can be estimated Nheh ''''S "as
been properly ascertaned The difference is returned 10
Tho mnorer The collector has al all tIues large sur
plus Of this kind on hand Both these amounts nave
been appropriated TO his own use ny Inc a'e c"'e'o'
Although pressed 10 surrender t"e'h a't.I I'e ,t,
so,;on of his official term he refused, on The pea mat
thew were INDISPENSABLE 10 his security unt the su's
md Questions involved should be determined, referring
10 The decisions of the Court as his Justification r
Tic lac, md LARGEST item is that oi The bonds mt
d,lcaiion occurred chiefly in the LIST quarter 81 1881
When The banks suspended pay nen there were que "
the Government about lOVOO bohuS, Tue ugg'teNs W
which was So 100000. Upon these, an extension "oS
granted bv the Secretary Of the Treasury, on account o
Tho nnn,cceden,ed pecunary PRESSURE and Congress,
oil the xlra session. blended that 10
period uf nine months. Swnrtwout hao' III 'ne '"' W.
quarters of lc7 disposed of these BONDS 10 Tue a"nn'
rr S6i IA ~ which he continued to represent IN MS
accounts as unpaid The suspension, Inc g'nt'ai e'"
barrassmen, the indulgence of The Secretary 10 NE e
chants approved Of and extended ny congress az
ltated this enormous pecuation. Whether o"a,'"ou'
prohled solely Ivy this fraud, or whether Inc o'huS
were cancelled at discount or exchanged Ia" S'och
or oudated by sumo other arrangement, is mol kn""
,s The Committee Of Congress most unaccoun'abiy, .,
Taher most culpaby absaIned from this important ana
interesting enquiry
, oonce,I his early dealcatipns, this: The weekly
,ansfers to the Treasurer of the u S were usually
made on Monday bu, did not a'Sde the
esysd ny n the se receipts due on Saturday Sunday
embraced in the succeeding week and thus that
amount %ns which was often Oo co. could be
kept and used by him without detection Inc I eGep pts
Inc tsO vous deficiency Thus successive weekly
Ipnuser was from the start, deficient in The reee'ps