The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-01-08

prohi TO IA; bank in making the disbursements NJ
.nese TWO places, was at least Ten per cent On the
ION September, the Cashier Of the Bank informs
mr. woodbury. that the second inslalmcnl is placed
20 ihe credit OF the Treasurer, and will be paid:
SiooooO at New Orleans: 800 900 each, at Mobile,
Nashville, Charleston, Washington, and Philadel-
phia, and $4,000 each, at Norfolk, Erie, and ST.
Louis
we now come to the relation Of new scene that
occurred in this concord of sweet sounds. On the
siSt September, the acting Secretary Of The Treasury
enclosed Mr.. Bidde letter from the Navy Agent,
at Pensacola, informing him that a dram on his
bank, made payable at Mobile, had :" been disho.
nored by your agent at that place." The Navy
Agent in his letter said in relation 10 that dram OF
SdI,53i, on presenting the draft 10 the agent, he
aeefined paying IN any thing resembling MONEY!
more than Hobiic paper" consequently II was pro-
tested, He added, "Iwoid respectfully remark that
n1'tc paper is at his time trere or fifteen per cent
oeoT specie raiue. will endeavor to dispose of the
drait for such funds will best satisfy the creditors
OF the Government, and sustain as far possible,
inc public credit" On The same day, (2lst Sepl,)
Mr. Biddle informed the Secretary that "some de-
lay mas accidentally occurred in the payment Of one
OF The drafts" which he said solely attributable
70 The absence OF our agent, Mr.. g. Poe" and the
gentleman acting for him, he said, " had not then
received such instructions as he conceived, war
fah'ed his instantaneous payment Of the dran"
On the 22d September, Mr.. Bddle writes the Sc
creafy again, and acknowledging the receipt of his
letter. said, the circumstance TO which il relates
was matter of "eqaai surprise and regret TO me-"
But said he ii was merely accidental, owing |
believe, 10 The absence ofMe agent Of he bank frop
Mobile, achen The draft ras presented" He continued
as soon as the difficulty was made known TO the
agent OF the bark in New Orleans, il was imme
diatey removed by the payment orthe draft-SI7OOO
in specie and S2G 600 in funds mare ralua6le than
specie. You will have the goodness to apprize the
Secretary OF the Navy Of this fact and belere me- &C.
The Secretary of the Navy, under date of the 25th
September, after admitting the explanation given by
Mr.. Biddle as satisfactory" says, "a difference
exists between the statement Of the Navy Agent and
me information upon which il is presumed Mr.
biddie POUNDS his belief that the draft was presented
IN the absence of the agent Of the bank The Navy
Agent expressly says that the draft 1raS presented at
No6,te 10 that Jnnctionary" The discrepancy be-
tween The statement OF the Navy Agent and the in
formation which Mr.. Biddle relied upon as TO the
cause OF the protest Of the draft we have nothing
whatever TO do with; but the proposition TO pay it
in Mobile paper, which was IL to Is per cent below
par, We shall advert to before long, Notwithstanding
portion of the draft was paid as represented in
something letter than specie.
We come TO the correspondence again On the
Sd of October, Mr.. Dunlap addresses Mr. Wood
bury informing him that on the 18th, the bank will
credit The Treasurer the remaining part OF the third
instalment of the bond due in September; and he
said ii has occurred TO me that il might be agreea-
ole TO you and conrencnt 10 the Nrrice transfer the
payment OF IT, or some portions of il, from some of
the places heretofore selected such points in Flo
rida as disbursements there might require" The
object OF this proposition be obvious TO ALL He
continued, I've are DESTROYS of making all these
payments in the way and at the times and places
most agreeable 10 yourself and best calculated to pro
mote the good Of the service" To that letter Mr..
Woodbury. replied and said ~ BEG you TO accept
my thanks for The o6er therein contained" &c
We here complete the review Of the correspond
enee, with one remark and that liz, there seemed to
be something like an insensble process" operat-
ing on or reaching into more departments than one
or two; for as early as the 29th of April, Mr. Macal-
ester seems to have been aware of the operations of
the Navy Department; and in letter he addressed
to the Secretary of the Treasury, of that date, he
says AS ! learned from the Secretary the Navy
that his disbursements very large at Pensacola
would prefer paying 100000 there, in lieu of an
equal sum al Charleston"
We suspect the public will think that by this time,
there had been deyia,ions from, notifications of,
and additional immunites granted by the Govern
ment 10 the bank under the original contract to the
full extent that the public interests and "the public
service justified. But no, still greater were ex
execute his part as provided. The first evidence
that appeared before the public was the following
viz:
lCRcIIA