Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1839-01-11


have II line upon line--precept upon pre-
cept-here a liille and there great deal
until their ears must have been tired some
what with the tedious repetition of a twenty
times told tale. But the mischief ia il never
went farther than mere talking when what
was wanted was ACTION.
The first instance OF deialcation cited by
Mr. Prentiss, was that Of Spencer. receiver
ofihe land office at Fort Waine, Indiana.
in 1896 Il will show you an example"
said he, III you are imagining philosopher
you will have plenty OF food for Inerrimen,,.
II OF the contrary sect, you may weep for the
balance Of your lives" He then read Sc.
ries OF letters addressed at different times by
the Secretary of the Treasury TO this indi.
vidual, couched in the mildest terms, reques.
ting him to render his monthly accounts,
and deposi, the very large balance OF public
money in his possession and other letters
to different persons on the same subject, in
one OF which the Secretary says 1T would
produce an unpleasant political excitement
Il he were removed. he has influential
friends better let 10 be-" As for the last
phrase MIR p. said he did not exactly under.
stand i, perhaps it was a cant expression
among office holders, like the language OF
the swell mob in England.
AT last answers are received from Mr.
Spencer, ia one Of which he says" have
deposited 100000 in silver-,be rest in
gold and paper (abont S60000,j have sill
in my hands. and have not deposited it, be.
cause my democratic friends think had
better not leave until after the elec,ionn--
This letter was dated early in October--the
election referred TO was TO lake place on the
7ih November next So that this large
amount ofmoney was 10 be kept 10 the hands
OF the receiver for a, leas. month beyond
the Legitimate period for deposiiing it.
"fhese men," said MIR Prentss, "had be.
come like the Pashas OF The Sultan. 100 pow
eriul to remove-they did not dare to re.
move them" 1t was stated repeatedly BY
The Secretary ofthe Treasury that the duty
Of making monthly deposits Of the public
money was a paramount duty. Yet il was
not paramount in Spencar's case--he had
higher duties 10 fnift
One man was permitted TO resign quietly,
without prosecution with coal sixty thou
sand OF the public money in his pocket
The correspondence shows that the SEcRE-
TAEs knew all the time that this officer had
applied this amount TO his own private uses.
That amiabe iunctionary had written re.
peatedly TO his subordinate. noticing the de.
Tialcaiion. and earnestly calling on him to
pay up''-and at last told the defaulier that
the President had directed him (he Secre,a-
ry) to write decisively, that unless the &c.
counts were settled at an early day, he
should be dismissed
But he was not dismissed. although he
resolutely held out against the acquisitions
and menaces OF both President and Secreia.
~. The correspondence shows an entire
want OF common energy and spirit-of ordi-
nary manhood on the part both of Mr. Van
Buren, and Mr. Woodbury. Aker the lapse
OF weeks. the threatened defaulter receives a
letter from the Secretary. Is il the an.
nouncement OF his removal Not at ALL
The farihesi from it possible. Ii is mild
gentle, iiinid, almost obsequious remon.
STRANGE with him for Withholding the public
money, aud hoping that hereafter he would
not fail to deposle it 10 the credit Of the
Government. us he was bound TO do. Real
ly, Mr. Van Burenand NJ Woodbury. mus
be the linral descendants OF Jon; Tor patience
equal TO theirs was never exhibited since his
day.
The best Of the affair is, that in the end
the delaulier RESIGNED. He was not re
mored, for the action Of the Executive had
never gone beyond a'severe menace and be
carried oh-not sec, ,--.but TWO HUN
DRED AND NINETEEN THOUS
AND DOLLARS. lH
Truly did MIR Prentiss say, that no man
possessing ordinary sensibilily and patriot
ism, could read the letters which had passed
in this case, and others contained in the re-
port, without mourning over the deteriora
ti0n Of the country.
!. He noticed in this connection the case o.
the Receiver in Mississippi, referred TO in
the Secretary's report, who was recommen
ded 10 continuance in office on the express
ground that, although he had specialized
largely ,oih Tie public money YET HIS
HANDS WERE NOW PULL AND HE HAI
NO REASON NOR TEMPTATION TO sPEcuL
ATE MORE
This is very bad but the Receiver who
, succeeded him made case we're liule better
He embezzled the public property, in tbs
shape Of lands, to the amount of 80 or AZ
, thousand dollars. The honest. pure mind
ed people Of this country may see from thi.
how the system of the spoils party works.
is only one example The rich lands o
the Southwest have been bestowed. in fee
on these public plunderers Never did III,
Norman Conqueror Of England give hi:
ieudatories possessions half SO ample or SC
productive as this Republican, Adminislra
/, tom bestows on its tavorites and pariisans.
n nna n 6 H., haet ,b;coe a.. .-.L-I.i1.