Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1839-03-14

the time necessarily consumed IN the exami-
nations at New York prevented u minute
examination Of the extent, nature and eau.
ses OF tho defalCations Of receivers of public
moneys, arising from sales Ut lands They
however prepared from repurts OF the
Treasurer to tho last and present session OF
Congress tabular statement exhibiting the
names oi such defauiler, the amounts due
from each, when due, and The penalties OF
their official bonds. They also Submit the
correspondence between the Treasury DE.
partment, and fifteen OF the deiauIters, as
examples merely o! the manner in which
tho President of the United States and the
Secretary Of The Treasury have executed
tho laws in respect TO the public money and
other property of the United States in the
hands Of this class OF public officers, and in
respect TO their official duty"
The Committee give synopsis of the
law relative to the appointment, duty, sc. 3,
of land receivers and disbursers to which
they annex these remarks:
The foregoing synopsis of the law relative
to land receivers, and the correspondence
with por:ion Of those Tho have proved de-
faulters and faithless To their trusts are SUBJ
united without further comment than that
The facts and circumstances here exhibited.
show such adereiiciion of duty ON the part
OF the Executive department as calls loudly
for searching examination into this branch of
the public service, and Tor a thorough re-
form.
The practice which the foregoing corres>
pondence exhibits OF retaining men in Office
alter gross and repeated violations OF law in
keeping and using the public money for pri-
vate speculation, and the character of the
correspondence itself, but too clearly poinis 10
the inference that such officers were retained
IN place because they possessed extensive
political influence, and we're useful and ac-
tive paItisans. Whether such NAL admins.
traiion constitutes official corruption ia those
superior officers of the Executive depart
men.s who knew of and permitted in their
subordinates the conduct which has been re-
!erred 10, is question which the Committee
submit TO the House and the country TO de-
eide
PART v. FACTS Connected WITH
THE FOREGOING DEFALCArioNs, AND
DEEMED MATERIAL TO DEVELOP
THEIR TRUE CHARACTER.
10 conclusion, the Committee cannot for
bear remarking thai, during their whole in
vestigation, they have not found the case, TO
which the laws, as they already exist, do not
apply, or in which they are defectiee. The
permanent provisions OF the laws, consi-
tute every necessary check upon collectors,
receivers, and disbursers of public money
and the checks which, by law, have been and
may be created, m the discretion OF the Ex-
ecutive, have only TO be attended to, and az.
piled by those whose duty j, is TO superin.
tend the execution of the laws, to ensure
failhiulness, and detec, derelictions or Gefal
cations in public officers.
Indeed, in all The new recommendations
which have been proposed by the President
or the Secretary OF The Treasury, the CON-
mittee has found either y hat alresdv ax;,,s
or. what might have always been prescribed
and enforced in the form Of Treasury regu-
iaiions, and which, if enforced, would have
prevented the late defalcations and these
new recommendations can, indeed, be re-
garded as So many proofs Of what reguIa-
tons IN respect 10 the late defaulting colIec-
tors, receivers, SC. have been hitherto
wholly neglected by the present Executive
and heads of Departments