The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-01-22

pause 10 draw your attention to the Message OF Pre-
sldent Van Buren, Of Dec, 10Th, 1888, transmitting
MT secretary Woodbury'S report OF Dec. 9th 1898
, IN relation TO the RECENTLY DISCOVERED default OF
samuel Swartwout," &c. Such is the neo title Of
ms old work. The fact disclosed in this report TO
winch wish TO call your attention. is that the deficit
Vi MT. Swartwout al the end Of each successive
year was as follows:
On the 3lst December 1890 1922 "a
On the 3is December 1881 I6s "a
On the Dist December, 1892 3OSOl 80
On the 3lst December, 1888 35 29s 81
On the 3ls December 1884 5O37O O4
On the 3ls December, 1885, I46O6I GO
On The 3lS December, 1896, 3367IS GO
On the 3lst December, 1887 lOl6955 30
On the 2Sth March, 1888, 1925, 705 GO
Thus is il nor officially reported by Mr. Wood
bury in 1888, who was himself Mr. Secretary at the
head Of the Treasury Department in December,
1886, when the certificate. waS given that Men at the
rery date of the Presidential certificate Of honesty
and probity, ability and integrity Mr.. Swar :
wout'S deficit was $33G,1lS CO. So much for the
Integrity" OF the chief officer of the custom. house
at New York, While was denounced for insinu-
ating even breath of suspicion that any of the
PRESIDENTS pets was impure, here the officer in
receipt OF customs at the very food gate of duties
The very emporium OF commerce, embeZZling pub
lie money TO the tune Of $4,000! And was he
alone deiaulerl Was il at the receipt of customs
al ne that the public money was purloinedl No,
sir. Other Judases held the other bags The re-
cctrerS al the iand Offices too were at the same date
equally in de aut morally and in pecuniary point
OF view. There were tens and fitteS of cases even
worse in moral turpilude, though less in amount of
dollars and cents Than the Of Swartwont as |
will show directly by House document No 291, dated
March Both, 1898, containing the official correSpon-
dence OF Mr. Woodbury. with receivers and the re-
ports Of commissioners upon the "cOndittoR Of their
offices; a document which shows deiaulting receiv.
ers were as numerous as land offices themselves
did not kH0r oil these cases then no one had heard
whisper Of the defaca,ions of single one Of The
long list which is now reported. All was then kept
quietly and Snuglv concealed in the dark chamber of
Mr. WoodburyS secret cabin I. did not kHo,r, bur-
in Yankee phrase, |" gaSMd" great deal, though
not half of what rs since told
return TO mr. history. ! challenged the opportunity
of inquiry and investigation and not until the l7h day
of January, 1887, the session necessarily expire
the 4h Of March,t was granted grudgngly deusvely,
hypocriticaly, it is true, but 1t granted
Now, let what then the doctrines and
practices Of the Administration, Of the President of the
heads Of Departments, of the Speaker of this House.
of the committee appointed by him, Of the House It.
SELF and the whole party touching the rights ard pow
and duties OF investigating the official abuses and
corruption in the Government
Sir, the whole party, from the President down TO you
sir, resortcd to every device to cvade and finally deed
and denounced all inquiry and all investigation. You
all ATTEMPTED 10 bell the cat! You warned the rats You
hid them After osenslby giving full scope in The
solution Of inquiry gull the people with fair preten-
sions you shut the doors Of the Departments you
mitlee rooms
On the nth day of January, 1887 the House OF Re-
representatives. passed the following resolution
'Rcsoipcd, That so much OF the Presidents Message
as relates to the condition of the various Executive
DEPARTMENTS the ability and integrity with which they
have been conducted tho vgllant and faithful discharge
OF the public business in all Of them, and the Of
complaint, from any quarter, at the manner in which
they have fulfilled the objects of their creation, be
feryed to select committee OF nine members, with
power send for persons and papers, and with nstrnc
TONS to inquire into the condition of the various Elk
ecutiye Departments, the ability and integrity with
which they have been conducted, into the manner in
which the public business has been discharged in all OF
them, and into all abuses Of complaint from any quar-
ter, at the manner in which said Departments or their
bureaus or offices, any OF their officers agents OF
every description whatever directly, indirectly
nected with them In any manner, officially or unoti-
ciay in duties pertaining to the public interest, have
fulfilled failed accomplish the objects Of their
ation have violated their duties have injured and
impaired the public service and interest and that said
committee, in It's inquiries may refer to such periods OF
time as TO them may seem expedient and proper
The committee appointed by you, sir, constituted
thus Messrs Wise, Pearce. of r. L. Muheuherg,
Campbell Hanncgan, Parks, Lincoln Mann, of N. Y,
and CLANCY.
Sir good liege men and true, to three in favor of in
vestiga.ion! Thus constituted-stocked, the commit
tee went to work, proceeded with task until the Sd
OF March, UH udy iDduc tWtt
as was TO have been expected One report signed
by the majority of the other by the minority OF three
and made separate report, IN which Messrs LIN
coin and Campbell did could not unite for want
Of time to examine it in detail II | am wrong III as.
signing this reason for having his signature with
nine the gentleman (Mr Lincoln) now present will
correc, the statement Mr.. J.. here nodded assent to
its truth This report at large, written aud composed
wholly by myself beg leave read part the best
commentary now can make upon the history and pro-
ceedings OF that committee.
Here Mr. WISE read that part of his report which
showed that the committee not organized untll the
2ls Of January that the resolution OF the committee
broad enough 10 embrace every species OF legll.
mate inquiry; that there were many subjects OF IN
curry at hand which the committee could pursue;
that they took up our of them and adopted four resou
tons lst As to patronage Of The pWbfic press; I'd,
As to appointments without consent and ddU'cc OF the
Senate; 81. As to contingent expenses OF Depart
ments 4h As 10 SiHecmcs; that these resolutions
were all amended by the Presidents own friends by IN
seIting the words "ieiihoM authority 81 iap;" that
they adopted on the odd OF January, 1887, and
he, chairman, was ordered to communicate them to
the President and Heads of Departments and that he
did Communicate them the Gath Of January, in
respectful note. ! hat on Friday the eth Of January
Mr. WISE was called on, together with Mr. Bell aud
Others by Mr. Manu. OF New York, answer the ques-
ton: DO yOu, Of your kRolrledge, knolc Of any
act By cthcr Of the heads Of the Erecunre Departments,
,rh,ch IS either corrupt rotation Of their official d.
t,csl" That he (Mr Wise) was proceeding to answer
this question, when The private Secretary Of the Pres
dent entered the committee room, and presented 10 the
committee the following letter in reply to his Of the 2lIh,
communicating the resolutions OF the committee.
WAsmNGToN CRY, January &c, 1887
"SiR received, on The evening of the Gath instant,
your letter. covering copy OF certain resolutions pur-
porting to have been adopted BY committee Of the
House OF Representatives, OF which you chairman,
b.T, AZ
my reply which hasten to make
" II appears, by the published proceedings Of The
House OF Representatives that the committee Of
which YOU are chairman was appointed on your mo,
ton. The resolution offered BY yon, and lnaiiy