Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1839-05-17
VOL. XH..No. 621

81 Will only further add, tina. the obliga.
tions to depos'tc The public money promptly.
and to render your returns and accounts
punctuaIly, are imperative, and il must in
future be regarded as paramount to all other
duties.
Again, under date of 18th of May, 1884,
Mr. fancy writes to J. w. ID ckson, recsiv
er at Mount Salus, Mlssssippi;
"Cerlficates of deposile are to be I'D.
dressed to this office f; these, and the
prompt and punctuai deposite Of the pubhc
money, are to be regarded as paramount
duties, the strict performance Of which will
be insisted on
On the 18th Of July 1884. Levi Wood.
bury writes the following circular 10 some
seven or eight receivers;
~ regret to be Uudcr tho necessity Of
noticing your omissions to ma Ike returns for
the months of April, May, and June last.
BY circular, dated the 18th Of January
last, you were advised of the necessity Of
promntudc in this respect. 1t remains
that | should again remind you, once for
all, that this is Il duty ,ohich must be pune.
tuaiiy Observed"
10 a letter to The receiver at Augusta,
Mississippi, dated Angus: 4, 1884, he says:
Upon the subject of the request made
in your letter Of the 9th instant, have TO
observe that the Department cannot relar
IN The regulations prescribed for the period
icm deposites Of The public money!"
To Linn, receiver at Vandalia, he says,
Feb. 12, 1886:
"Once for all. then. I will inform you
that strict observance of the regulations
| ct the Department for the periodical depos
lie of The public money, and the transmission
OF your accounts and returns, are para
mount duties, the neglect of which will DO
reported for the action Of the Executive"
To the receiver OF Demopolls he writes,
Feb. 90 1895;
81 embrace the occasion to say to you.
once for all, that punctuallty in making
your returns, and deposiies of the public
money! are to be regarded as paramount
duties, the neglect of which will be repor.
ted for the action of the Executive"
Again, Feb 90, 1885, in a circular to
some fifteen receivers:
| IL cannot omit the occasion to impress
upon you the necessity OF q strict attention
to, and punctual compliance with. the
duties required Of you in regard to the
prompt deposite cf the public money, and
Transmission of your returns: and to saw TO
you that the performance Of those duties
must be regarded as paramount to all
others in your official station"
give these extracts from the letters
and circulars of the Secretary to show that
the periodical deposite Of the public money
was a paramount duty Of the collectors and
receivers.
If, then, show that the Secretary neg.
lec,ed to enforce the performance or punish
the neglect of this paramount duty, it may
be fairly inferred that he is either unwil.
ling or incompetent TO enforce, in his sub.
ordinate. the performance of any duty
whatever.
come now to the case of Harris. which
| will present in the shape Of fourteen lc,-
tiers from the Secretary, and a rarer speci-
men of official correspondence cannot be
easily found.
Mr.. Hrentiss then read the letters allu.
ded to from the Secretary Of the Treasury
10 Mr.. Harris. The espondence en-
braces period of nearly two years. during
which time the Secretary threatens and
begs BY turns, all to no purpose. Finally.
Mr.. Harris, with 500 900 of the peoples
money in his pockets, resigns-and Mr..
Woodbury. in his last letter expresses
his regret that legal steps had been take"
to "altempt to recover" what was due the
{ Government
i Now, will any one dare deny that Ger.
j Jackson and Secretary Woodbury. wer"
, literally guilty OF this defalcaton. Did y
not result from their wilful neglect of dur
, from absolute and unqualified comm
vance, For two years and half this
receiver was never for a single instant on,
of default; he was during the whole period
in continued violation Of the acknowledged
.paramount duties Of his otfce." Tho
Secretary was aware Of the whole of il.
The case at length becomes so ripe tina, ~
falls of itself-a good round golden apple
of the value of 100000 and upwards.
And vet the Secretary swears that no such
fruit grows in his garden.
: But let US again take birdseye view Of
this correspondence, Let us groub it,
without giving the exact language, we "; II
take the meanlng--the idea.
Letter LIST. Mr.. Harris, | am sorry n
tell you again, you hav'nt made your re-.
turns.
%, MI Harris, you haV'nt made You
returns.
Sd. Mr. Harris, if you don't make you,
returns, III tell the President.
4rh, Mr.. Harris, you had better sotlln
up, if you don't, out you 60.
5rh Mr.. Harris, please to tell me WHY
you hav'nt settled do that's a good MAJ
9th. Mr.. Harris, now don't behave 50.
7lh. Mr. Harris, how would you fee T..
! YOU were dismissed from Office. Betrrr
nav up, or you'll know.
8lh. Mr. Harris, it's lucky for you YOU, ,
, got strong friends; that's the reason w..
] don't turn you out. But you'd better min |
yonr eye.
0 9th, Mr.. Harris, fe!
e 10Th. Mr., Harris, amt you ashamed,
nth, Mr.. Harris, perhaps you don,
d know it, but you are very much behind
e hand. Do you intend to pay up or moi }
d | wish you would. IT'S very strange yo,,
will hurt my feelings SO, and The Pres,d us
u too.
', 18th. Mr. Harris. how comes il tina, yo
rs are deiaulter for Sle8,884 7O' d."
B. wish to hurt your feelings, but l ehoDn