The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-03-02
PART Nv. DEFALCATIONS AMONG RE
I CEIYERS OF PUBLIC MONEYS

The committee, in fulflment of that portion of
The duty assigned them, by which they were direct
ed to inquire into "any defalcarons among receiv-
ers, DC which may now exist" report to the House,
that the limited period which they had for thorough
investigation Of the subjects with which they were
charged, and the time necessarily consumed in the
examination OF the cases Of the late collector and
district attorney of New York have prevented a
minute investigation of the extent, nature and
causes OF the defacations of receivers of public
moneys, arising from the sales of public lands T he
committee have, however, prepared from reports
made BY the Secretary OF the Treasury at the last
and present session of Congress, tabular staten mt
exhibiting the names of such defaulters, the amount
due from each, when due, and the penalties of their
otciai bonds, respectively; Also the correspondence
had between The Treasury Department and fifteen
oil the individuals whose names appear on said state
ment-the committee having called tor, and been
furnished by the Department, with the answers of
the receivers to the letters of the Secretary of the
treasury as contained in House document No.
~ ihoSe hiteen cases are reported specially, as
examples merely of the manner in which the Presi-
dent OF the United States and the Secretary of the
treasury have executed the laws in respect to the
pubic 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 law provides for the appointment by the
Executive, with the concurrence Of the Senate Of
receiver OF public moneys at each Of the places
respectively where the public and private sales of
the lands TO be made, who shall give bond, with
w.
trust who shall transmit tcitkin thirty days, in case
of public sale, and quarterly IN case private sale,
account of all the public moneysby him received,
to The Secretary Of the Treasury and to the registers
Of the land offices, as the case may be- He is allowed
a salary of FIVE hundred dollars per annum, and
commission of one per centum on the moneys re-
ceived but his salary for any one year shall not
exceed $3 OOO The Secretary of the Treasury may
allow 10 the several receivers of the public money
at the several land Offices reasonable compenSa-
tion for transporting TO and deposting such moneys
in any bank or any other place Of deposit that may
from time to time be designated by the Secretary Of
the Treasury for that purpose. He is also auho-
rized TO prescribe such further regulations in the
manner Of keeping books and accounts by the Sc
veral officers in the land offices, as TO him may ap-
pear necessary and proper. II is made his duty, at
least once in every year. TO cause The books OF the
officers of the land Offices TO be examined and the
balance of public moneys in the hands Of the seve
raj receivers 10 be ascertained.
The foregoing synopsis Of the law relative to land
receivers and the correspondence with portion OF
those who have proved defaulters and faithless
TO their trusts submitted, without further COM
inent than that the facts and circumstances here
exhibited show snch dereliction Of duty on the
part of the Executive department as calls loudly for
searching examination into this branch of the public
service, and for thorough reform.
The practice which the foregoing correspondence
exhibits Of retaining men in Office after gross and
repeated violations OF law in keeping and using the
public moneys for private speculation, and the cha
racter Of the correspondence ITSELF but too clearly