Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-03-26

lated o. HE present collector 81 Ne
York they We compelled % encounter
most unexb 81 es "a IS,
lie collector hin and setting q def
anee hs authority deleg ned the com
nis 81 ihe house Ia facts connect
ed ifh he bafied en1eayofs a the com
rlisiee Is obtain Information tie onse
ana country from this officer of he 81
ecusiye branch ot the Government whr
IS II immediate charge q and contro oveI
public moneys that equal aedrh ~,
birds Ell Gle agl0le aalouns collected from
customs n an ne United Staies wiI
be raOre specially detailed II a subsequent
portion Of this report.
The committee will remark here, that
ia lie onset 81 he investigation they have
mode, they sup osed il both proper ane
safe 10 place themse res somewhat conf.
dinghy under tie guidance Of the several
special reports which have been made "a
the House upon the subject of Mr.. Swart.
wout's defalcations, by the Treasury off.
GERS, previous TO the appointment Of the
committee combining, in this view, re.
ports from the Secretary Of the Treasury,
The First Comptroller, the Solicitor, and
First Auditor of the Treasury, as ex-
hibited in House document IS. 1t, how
ever, very soon became evident that those
reports were not TO be implicitly relied on
as auxilieries in finding out either the law
on the facts Of the case and that, on the
contrary, they furnished bot an oblique
view of both the causes and duration 81
Mr., Swartwout's defalcations, as also o.
the law and many material facts which de.
velop the true character Of those defalca.
tons. OF necessity, therefore, these re.
ports, although elnanating from the high.
est orders Of official functionaries employ.
ed in the collection and disbursement Of
the public revenues, became the subjects
Of as cautious and critical examination as
any other portions of evidence which the
case presented. and as such it will be obi.
gatory upon the committee to treat them
in this report.
In reviewing the details Of their labors,
so that the progress and results Of them
my be presented in the simplest form,
the committee propose to consider
PART. /. The defalcations Of Mr..
Swartwout.
PARr II. The dofalcations Of Mr..
Price.
PART III. The correctness Of the re.
turns which have been made by the pres
ent collector and naval officer of the port
of New York, respectively.
PART ~. The defalcations among
receivers of the public money.
PART v. The facts connected with
the foregoing defalcations, and deemed
material to develop their true character.
Each of the divisions thus proposed viii
properly involve the law appertainlng toit,
as the appropriate adiunc. of its facts.
And as the language Of the law itself viii
in each instance be cited in detail, that its
authority and injunction may be correctly
understood, by every one, so the language
of individual testimony relied on in each
instance Will be adduced, that its import
and force may be left neither to uncertain
construction or doubtful inference. The
increased fidelity of their report, in the
estimation of the committee, will be, by
this mode, an ample offset to its consequent
enlargement.
Before proceeding TO the general topics
of this report, as already laid down, it may
be proper here to express the deep sense
of disappointment and regret which the
committee feel, in not being able to com.
mnnicate to the House one document that
was called for at an early day, regarded as
having an important and interesting infiu-
ence upon the Judgment which the House
might form on the subject of defalcaiions
among public officers, and the causes
which have led to their multiplication. Il
will be perceived from the following letter,
that the committee awaited itself of the
earliest period after their organization to
make call upon the President to furnish
a list Of the defalcations that have taken
place among the collectors, receivers, and
discussing officers Of public money, and
other public officers, since the 4th d
March, 1893, showing the amount q
each, DC.
More than four weeks have now elaps.
ed since that call was made upon the Pre-.
sidenr. and the only information which the
committee has obtained to report upon e
the House IS contained ID the following
letter; the Distinguishing feature Of which
information IS, that still more time thar
even the whole remainder Of the session
viii be requisite to answer the call. From
this tie committee are compelled to infer
either
lst. That The accounts and records q
tie several Departments il generals az
S. incomplete ard detective as aot 70 ex
hibil without great labor and delay tal
true reations of collectors. receivers, uni
disbaIsers d the public money and 9
ether officers 80 the Government IS Z
distinguish debtors from daLapl anl
6aitois from both.
dy M tie number q deianllen
haY multiplied IS apie inee 1929 an
der fhe era 81 bllltY pnEsue
toward collectors scef md dlsbuI
90 public none nq other ON
e|ade he llg 81 &
account her aeie
nm " M clerical ee g
Aoss enas
6ppTc
non
s.
sen e M