Madison Whig advocate. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1839-1841, 1839-05-18

commissioners appointed by Inc Presi
dent himself-cases not only of default
bu. fraud, of repeated applications Of
public money to private uses--no less
than 40 since 1885, in three years-and
yet the officers were retained in office
and reappointed to Office after their de
linquencies and moral turpitude were
known to the Department. | will &c
further: they have been countenancec
and encouraged to become defaulters
and TO perlure themselves and defrauc
the Treasury. | am not declaiming-
| will prove what | say. When | say
forty cases, mean that number, at least
which | can enumerate since 1854
can give the names; have them before
me. will first take up the case Of
Joseph Reckless, collector at Peril
Amboy, New Jersy. | advert to thi:
case particularly to do General Jackson
Justice. believe that he was imposed or
in this case by false abstract of testi
mony made out at the Treasury Depart
ment. VIM. Van Hook, of New York
preferred the charges against Reckless
in letter to Secretary Woodbury..
Here Mr.. Wise read several letters
which passed between Mr.. Reckless and
Secretary Woodbury.; and also between
Mr. Woodbury. and several of the Re-
ceivers of Public Money, which we are
obliged to omit for want of room. These
letters shew that Mr.. Wood bury had
been acquainted with the defalcations oil
Swartwout and the Receivers for two
or three years.
Is this not wilful, base official corrup-
ton? Shaving with the public money
was mere "irregularity," and "improp-
, er practices,n thrice proved, admitted
reported, became '.unfounded imputa-
tions" as soon as a political partisan
whispereo-"Better lett be!' Sir, these
words ought to be inscribed over the
t doors of the Treasury Department, and
to be branded, like Cams infamy, upon
the forehead of Levi Woodbury-.Bet-
ter let it be!n Sir, this embrace all your
, principles and practices in respect to in
vestigation OF fraud, embeZzlement, cor
ruption, and official malversation for
/, years. These words converted of a
sudden the Secretarys frowns and
threats into the clearest perception OF
difficulties" and the clearest proofs IN
to ''unfounded imputationsi'' After this.
what should be thought of this Secreta-
rvs denunciation of any charges as sun
founded imputat;ons?
Sir, | will read no more of these ca
ses; these few | have given as speci-
mems are not the gravest or the last of
forty or fifty | can enumerate In addi-
ton to these, | could show YOU facts in
the instances of Lewis, Alsbury, Dick
son, Sterling, Sheldon, Rogers, Taylor,
| Ryland, Allen, Hawkins, Black burn,
Carlin, Owens, Cannon, NJ. ]. Allen,
Hutchens, Benson, Holleman, Mitchell,
McCarty, Simpson, Hays, Skinner, Blake
| ly, McRoberts, and numerous others,
''too tedious to mention,'' all going to
the same point-official neglect, viola
t on of law and duty, and corrupt adj
ministration. All going to show more
that the losses have all occurred by fai-
lure to deposte in banks, and by leaving
moneys in the hands of Sub-Treasurers.
And more still-that, notwithstanding
the pretensions set up in the Presidents
| Message to this session, this Admnistra-
ton is guilty beyond all former exam
pes Of ''the improperly of diverting
public moneyto private purposes"
| No, sir, will wade through no more
| of these cases. come at last to that of
Samuel Swartwout, the largest, though
not the last of the list.
Samuel SwaTtwourt went out of the
office the 29th of March, absconded on
the 18th of August, and was not pro-
ceeded against until the month of No
vember, 1888. How does the Secreta
ry account for this delay2
According to the report to this House,
Swartwourt's return, March %, 1888,
showed a balance against him amour
ting to the sum of S201,096 40.
Letter of Swartwout to Sec etary, da-
ted April Is, states that he holds this
sum subject to sundry suits at lao then
pending TO recover back duties.
Letter from Woodbury. to Swartwout,
April 10th, hopes that Swartwout will
deposite one half of that amount to the
credit of the United States.
Letter from Woodbury. to Compt rolIer
Barker. April 10th, ,couid thank him to
have Swartwout's accounts settled.
And here, sir, you must permit me to
digress moment to show you piece of
Mr.. Secretary's chicanery In the num-
bering Of this last letter. You Will per-
ceive that it is dated the 18th of April,
prior in date to Swartwout's excuses con-
tanned in his letter and those of Price of
the goth, 2lst, and 25th of April; yet,
in the Secretary's report. page Sd. it
is referred to as if subsequent TO those
three letters of later date. This is some
of Mr.. Woodbury's obfuscation, some of
his muddy water to escape by. 1t is inn
portant, and you would not observe the
effect of this upon hasty reading. You
will see the effect directly.
The next letter in the series is that of
Barker, the Comptroller. to Miller, the
First Auditor, dated April 18th, reques-
ting him to settle the accounts of Swart-
won't.
Letter of Barker to Swartwout, dated
April 18th, requests him to return his
accounts to First Auditor.
Letter from Woodbury. to Barker, da-
ted April 18th, arould thank him to call
on the Solicitor to get from the District
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