Liberty advocate., 1839-03-14

leare until after Ce hold our elections for PreSi-
dent, on Tie Nh TJremAr, ,chich haze conclu-
ded to a,cait, and shat leave on thai epening, or
The neat morning. 10 deposite, wih all The funds
on hand uP 10 that tmle, shall write you again
before ! leave. The sales arc rapid mostly
paid in gold and silver. Ny quarterly report
will be forwarded by next mall for last quarter,
which ought to have been done sooner, only
for the want Of help in the office. Hereafter,
think can get my reports of, without much
delay, after the close Of the month and quarter.
Lam yours respectfully
JOHN SPENCER, Receiuer.
Hon, LEVI WOODBURY.,
Secretary Of the Treasury.
| What think you orthis? The repeated injunc-
lion Of the Secretary had been, that at the end
ttsts each month he should deposite the public
money in hand; and if he failed TO do so, NTH
out good ercuSe, he should be removed from Of
flee. Well, sir, he fails to make his deposite
in October, not by accident or necessity, but
voluntarily; and sends, in advance, his excuse
to the Secretary. What is that eXcuse2 1t is,
that his democratic friends thought he ought not
TO leare until after the election for President, i'll
other words, that his duty TO the party was par
amount to his official duty; that his obligations
to Mr.. Van Buren, (thc candidate for the Pres
idency) were greater than his obligations to
the country, in whose service he was at least
Inominally employed.
Accordingly, he neglected his most impor-
tant duties for many days, that he might use
in the election that political influence of which
the honorable Mr. Hendricks speaks with so
much uncton
The Secretary receives this excuse; recog.
nises its sufiicency, by not recommendinglhi
removal from office, as he had promised to do,
in case the reason should not be satisfactory;
and has thus convicted himself of entertaining
and practising the proAgate doctrine that in-
Iterlcrcnce in elections by an of1ce-holder is not
only justifabo, but involves higher degree of
obligation than the mere performance of official
duty. 1t was not merely to exercise his cleo
tive franchise as a citizen that Spencer viola
ted the injunction ftho Department; this right
he could have exercised where his duty called
him, as well as at Fort Wayne. But that would
not do; he had influence at the latter place,
which it was important 10 the party he should
exercise. Having thus violated his solemn Of
fetal obligations, for the purpose of assisting
Mr.. Van Buren into the presidential chair, it
was Of course no more than fair that the Presi4
dent should return the favor. He did return
it He continued Col. Spencer in officej and
thus, at the same time, exhibited his gratitude,
violated his duty, and prostituted his high sta
ton. This. Mr.. Chairman, is but specimen
of that corrupt reciprocity of service which
constitutes the igature that binds together like
the Samese twins, the Executive and the Office
holders.
Sir, the document from which have made
the foregoing extracts is public record, and
was furnished to the Senate at the time when
Mr. Van Buren, was President of that body
OF course, he cannot plead ignorance of its con-
tents Yet, in the face of the report of
West; Of the prohigate letter Of Hendricks; of
the shameless avowal Of the receiver himself
that he neglected the paramount duties of his
office for the purpose ofexercising his influence
at the election in face Of all this, the President
neglects and refuses to apply the power Of re-
moval, and the unblushing partisan still remains
in office, ready, doubtless, at the next election,
to play again the game which proved so profit.
able at the last.
1 will not longer detain the committee with
this disgrace(ul case, but. leaving it and the
parties concerned TO the judgment ofthe coun.
.Itry, proceed to the consideration of another
I'll will take the case of Harris, receiver Of the
land Office at Columbus, in my own State. In
this instance expect 10 convict the Secretary
of the Treasury, not ola single isolated neglect
of duty, but a continued, daily, miserable wink
ing and connvance at malversation and de-
Cacaton during period oftwo years, impca-
ting alike his honesty, his veracty, and his Gu
pacity. First, however, will show what inn
portance the Treasury Department attached TO
the duty incumbent upon collectors and re-
ceiyers, of depositing in bank, at stated periods,
the public moneys in their hands, because it
was from the continued violation Of this duty
that the delalcation in the case of Harris, as
well as in most others, occurred ;and because il
will leave the Secretary no excuse, from the
4 supposed insgnifcance of the duty, for the
| gross and culpahle negligence on his own part
which makes him, in justice and truth, par-
ticepS criminiS in the whole affair.
4 hold in my hand book ofsome four huns
dred pages, entitled "Letter from the Secretary
d, Iof the Treasury, transmitting copies olletters
Ito collectors and receivers who have failed to
comply with the laws and regulations for their
government: and, also, copies Of reports Of ex-
aminatons of land Offices since 1st January,
l834,n &c 1t is Doc. 297, and was furnished
, the House by the Secretary on the 30th Of
March, 1888. 1t is the most extraordinary
publication that ever fell under my observa.
lion. 1t moral, political, and literary curi-
osty.
If you are laughing philosopher, you will
find in it ample food for mirth; if you belong
10 the other school, you cannot but weep
at the folly and nbecility which it exhibits
} The Secretary must have been frightened when