Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-03-14
PREPARATORY REMARKS OF
THE COMMITTEE's REPORT.


and 10Th ultimo, to investigate the de-
falcations Of Samuel SHarwout, late
Collector Of the Customs at the port of
New York, and of other officers, have
devoted to the faithful discharge of the
duties assigned them, the limited time
allowed for the purpose by the short
ness of the present session Of Congress.
1t was most obvious, however, that
tho whole field of inquiry presented by
the resolution appointing the Commit
tee, could not be properly traversed to
report thereon, either satisfactorily to
the country or to the Committee during
the short remainder of the present Con-
gress. This impressed upon the COM
mittee, at once, resolution, which has
been rigidly adhered to, of limiting the
investigation TO such branches Of the
subjects referred to them as had most
deeply excited public anxiety and alarm,
and to undertake only so much of these
as might be thoroughly exhausted with
in the allotted period Of the Committee s
researches. But the important results
which have been attained, notwithstand-
ing the disadvantages adverted to, can
not fail to inspire the country with a
confident hope that the high obligation
which will rest upon the successors OF
the present Congress in the Legislature
of the nation, to resume and complete
the great work Of investigation and re-
form of the alarming condition and abu-
ses ofthe Executive departments Of the
government, from the highest to the
lowest, and from the nearest to the re-
motest functionaries, will engage the
prompt and efficient attention which its
magnitude demands.
Guided solely by the character of the
Developments which the investigation
imposed upon them by the House has
elucidatcd, the Committee cannot resist
the conviction, that at no period in the
history of the Federal Government has
there. been deeper or better founded
cause than exists at the present moment
for every patriot heart to desire
prompt consummation Of that signal
task of REFORM" which public senti-
mcnt many years since inscribed on the
list Of Executive duties, in characters
too legible to be overlooked, requiring
particularly tho correction of those
abuses that have brought the patronage
of the Federal Government into conilic
with the freedom of elections, and th'
counteraction of those causes whicl
have disturbed the rightful course o
appointment, and have placed or con
tinued power in UNFAITHFUL OR INcoM
| PETENT HANDS. 80
The first procedure Of the Commit
tee, after organizing itself for business
was to visit the city of New York, tc
inspect there, in person the original re-
cords and papers of the custom-house
in conjuction with the examination Of
such witnesses as might be supposed
capable of shedding light upon the in
quiry involved by the deialcations o
! ilMr. Swartwout. Thence forward THU
branch Of the investigation was conduc
| ted pursuant to the resolutions of tn
! House, viz to ascertain "thc cause
and extent" of those defalcations +; tn
Length of time they have existed ; tn
correctness of the returns which hav
, been made by Mr.. Swartwout, and b
: the naval officer at N. Y, and by otht
;, officers connected with the adjustmeI
: of his accounts.
Concurrently with the investigatio
: of Mr.. Swartwout's defalcations, thos
of William NJ. Price, late district attoI
ncy in New York, were likewise KEEP
in view and the fullest practicable cx
tent of information respecting them ha
been obtained, and will be advertcd t
in tho sequel to this report.
!, The correctness of the returns whic
!. have been made by the present colleC
tor ofcustoms and the naval officer
the port of New York, was also sougl
| to be examined by the Committee Will
in that city. Considering that til
customs collected at New York equ,
J, to nearly two thirds Of the whole amour
| in all the United States, as stated in tn
special report of the Secretary of tn
Treasury on Mr.. Swartwout's defalcs
|, !tions, House doc. 10, p. 6, of the pres
ent session. the Committee did M
r suppose that they should faithfully dis
charge their duty to the House, or pa
a proper Difference to that patriotic din
trust which pervadcs the country at III
present time in regard to the affairs I
the custom-house at New York wei
; they to limit their inquiries to the r.
> turns Of the late collector and naval O
fcer, and neglect entirely those Of the
successors, which must at all times,
to the country of equal interest with Il
former, and, at the present time OF eve
more immediate importance to the s.
). curity Of the National Treasury. Bu
n in the execution of so much Of this pa
, of their inquiries as related to the pre-
r ent collector of New York, they wei
compelled to encounter most uncxpec
ed obstacles, intcrposed by the cole
tor himself, and setting at dehance u
authority delegated to the Comm'tt'
by the House. The facts connect'
:, with the bulIled endesvors of the Cor
Is mittee TO obtain information Tor Il
-lHouse and country from this officer
0, the executive branch of the Cover
mcnt. who is in immediate charge
aud control over public moneys th
: equal nearly two thirds OF the who
amount" collected from customs %
nil the United Statcs," will be mo