The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-01-24
SOMETHING VERY MYSTERIOUS.

L 1ASAhA 'LnI
| The Globe Of Monday night, contains the follow.
lowing appointment, by The President; By and pils
The adUice Of The Senate, viz:
"Isaac o. Barnes, NavaiOaice di,,rict of Ros.
ton and Charleston, Massachusetts from the 27ib of
February, 1880, when the present commission viii
| expire"
II will be remarked, that the commission Of Is,A.
| o. BARNES Is the only one that had not expired at
The time these appointments were made and that his
former commission would not expire until The 27th
proxmo. Was il either necessary expedieht Ia
renew this appointment so long in advance of the
expiration Of the former oneS1. There is something
mysterious in this matter. Mr.. B,RNEs is the bro.
ther-n law OF Secretary WoopBUaY; who, as is
generally known, lays before the President the
names Of all officers connected with the customs for
appointment. No doubt he laid before the President
the name Of his brother.n-aw for reappoiRtmeal at
this time; and wbyl Had he not good reason Ia
apprehend that before the eth day Of February
next, such developments would be made in which
Mr.. Barnes acted conspicuous part as would lead
the Senate TO regret his nomination We think he
had
The franklin Bank of Boston, with capital OF
only 100000 was selected by Mr.. Woodbury. as a
deposite bank, under the act of June, 1886 Al the
time II was selected II excited little surprise that
II should have been. The bank failed in 1887, and
an investigation was instituted, and report was
made by a j0int committee OF the Ma Sachnssts
Legislature, appointed 10 examine into the doiRgs Of
he F-ahiia Baak, and h,ar he Bank thereon" The
iofowing extract from that report shows how the
Franklin Bank came TO be selected by Mr.. Wool
bury and the par his brother-in-law. Mr.. Barnes,
who was President Of The Lqfayeti2 Bank at the time
enacted in the affair.
The report of the committee SAYS:
During the summer of 1896, application had been
made To the Secretary of the Treasury Of the United
States Tor portion Of the Government deposiles. The
application was not immediately acted upon by the Sc
cre'ary The Lafayette Bank had been inc orporaed at
the previous Session of the Legislature and IN the course
'he summer had been organized 10y the choice Of
resident Directors and Cashier and the 18th Of
~" commenced ITS operations. AT the commence
mem VI Tue operations Of the LAFAYETTE Bank 500 400
OF ITS stock stood in the names of Thomas Rcbardsop
JOSIAH Duhhain Ebem Ger Stevens, Benjamin F. Ila.
thorne, Isaac q. barnes Josiah Durham, Jr and
Thomas u Durham; the four first OF whom were d.
rectors and cashier Of the Franklin Bank and of tie
three last. the President and Cashier Of the
LAFAYETTE Bank, and the other minor son of Josiah
Durham. senior Before the Lafayette Bank CON.
nenc.d operations. but after the choice Of officers,
as testified by lahorne. and admitted 10 be true by
some OF the directors ef the Franklin Bank. It was
agreed that, inasmuch the application Of the Franklin
Bank for the Cove derostes remained und cded
the Lafayette Bank Should also apply for share of the
deposes, and If they could not be obtained by both,
that the Franklin Bank had first applied, the claims
OF the Lafayette Bank should not DE pressed TO the
prejudice OF the prior applicant, and that il The Franklin
Bank alone should receive the Government money, the
amount should be shared between that and the La
fdyeite Bank; bn, IN what proportion does not fully
appear by the evidence. The lafayette B INK inne-
ddtey went into operation, and the specie vaults
counted conformity with the provisions Of law
Inc President Of the Lafayette Bank, (Mr. Barnes
and Of It's directors after started for Washing
ton TO press the application Of both banks for
Of the public money. The application Of the franklin
Bank alnne successful; and check upon the Com
monwealth Bank, the amount of 5 100 600 was for
warded the Franklin Bank from the Secretary Of the
Treasury
This explains the of the fatal selection Of the
Franklin Bank as depository of the public money
OF the public money thus obtained, according to
the report of the Solicitor of the Treasury upwards
Of fourteen thousand dollars have not been refunded
and for which a suit has been instituted This is one
Of the defalcatons The investigating committee is in
structed 10 inquire into; and the public Judge
whether the facts have here given not sufi-
Glen, to have led Mr. Barnes and his friends to fear
that, when the committee shall make their examina-
ton the whole of the affairs connected with this
Bank, the agency he had in Obtaining the selection,
would place him in such position before the world
tnat the senate would refuse 10 confirm MS nomna-
ton if it should have been made.
In this suspect will be found The true cause
of The rcappontmen OF Mr.. Barnes at this time.
THE COMMITTEES OF INvES TIGATION.
The Committee as now organized and about to
proceed to business, consists Of the following gem
tlemen:
WulGs-Messrs HARLAN, CURns, WISE, and
DAWSON
CoNs-Messrs. SMITH and HOPKINS.
ADM-McsSrs. FOSTER OWENS, and WAGNER.
Mr. Harlan is chairman, and Mr. r. r. FeadaH
clerk.
In connection with this subject, We mayb' excused
for noticing some remarks OF the public press, and
correcting very general mistake.
The following extracts are from the editorial CO.
umn OF The Nc,o York Courier q. Enquirer of ia
nuary 81
Glorious Triumph of The Pcople.-The letters from
one OF our Washington Correspondents, in ano her
column chronicle the over brow Of Mr.. VAN buren,
in the popular branch of the Federal Legislature
For several weeks the admin'srai N M me House
have been combating the attemW NJ Mr.. WISE To pro-
cure the appointment OF Committee OF inVeS'iSa-
ton They were willing To give HIM Commute
appunted BY The Speaker; -" 10 spite OF all the
,educ ions and le rrorS OF Executive power, the PEG
ple have triumphcd-dnd 10 their ardent, eloquent,
unconpromisiag, galllnt and generous champion,
HENRY A. WISE, OF Virginia, belong the laurels OF
the victory!
Concurring very cordially in the high and deserved
enc amiumS paid 10 Mr.. WISE, Of Va, and adding