Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-03-26

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COnntrft tcc
lh laY ling Counties d ihs Ions
i've 81 made @
tepog s. he 21lh g Feb throng Ir AZ.
ram Chairman From ne National S..
sallgence we learn that tae Repor. very
vouninon occupying nearly 400 pages ID
which tie evidence aiken, extracts nom .ori.
gnal records and lie deductions, remark and
conclusions 81 the epmmittee are clearly set
lerlh nd systematically arranged i VIII be
impossible Is lo publish kle Whole 81 he
Report bit We have ne pleasure, today 81
laying before tie re deF, IA The following exc
tracts ne prelaiogy rks a the rsport, and
the conclusions which ne eopmiiiee deduced
nom ne testimony takenby item. Bythem
the public win become acquainted with the
manner inswhich the officers 81 Government
chiefs and subalterns, have managed The pub
lic ravenDe; and. we. think, see the urgent ne
cessitg Of producing reform ia the admins
tration Of Government, which can only Be ef.
iected At TIE ballot-box
REFAT0RY REMARKS OF THE
COMMITTEES REPORT.
The Select Committee chosen BY the
House Of Representatives on the ] 9Th and
l9lh pltimo, 10 investigate the defalcation
Of Samuel SWariwout, late collector 81
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 lime allowed for the pur-
pose by the shortness Of the present ses-
sion Of Congress.
Il was most obvious, however, that the
whole field Of inquiry presented by the re-.
solution appointing the committee, could
not be properly traversed to report there.
on, either satisfactorily to the. country or
to the committee, during the short remain.
der of the present Congress. This i'm.
pressed upon the committee at once a re-
solution, which has been rigidly adhered
70, OF limiting the investigation 10 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 exhaust
ed within The allotted period of the com.
mittee's researches. But the important
results which have been attained, notwith-
standing the disadvantages adyerfed TO,
cannot fail to inspire the country with a
confident hope, that the high obligation
which will rest upon the successors of the
present Congress inthe Legislature Of the
nation, to resume and complete the great
work of investigation and reform of the
alarming condition and abuses Of the Ex-
.ecutiye departments Of the Government,
from the highest to the lowest, and from
the nearestto the remolest functionaries,
viii engage the prompt and efficient at.
ntionwhich its magnitude demands.
Guided solely BY the character of the
developments which the investigation i'm.
posed upon them by the House has eluci.
dated, 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 a prompt consumma-
zion Of that signal " task Of reform" svhich
public sentiment many years since inscri6-
cd on he Isl Of EreeutiUe duties, IN char
acters too Zegibke 10 be overlooked, requir-
ing, particularly, the correctionof those
6 abuses that have brought the patronage
g Of the Federal Government into conflict
with the freedom of elections, and the
/" confederation Of hose ceases l0htch haze
g disturbed tke rlgh.fiil course Of appoint
nent, and hare Placed or ccntiHutd POaO-
g er IN UNFAITHFUL or INCOMPETENT
:; HANDS 9.
The FIRST procedure of the committee,
after organizing Itself for business, was to
visit the city 81 New York, to inspect
there, ia person, the origind records and
papers of the custoni.house, in coDjunc-
ton with he examination Of such wines
ses as mic be supposed capable of she'd.
ding light upon the inquiry involved BY the
deialcations Of Mr. Swartwout. Thence
forward his branch of the investigation
was conduc ed pursuant to the resolution
ofthe House, VIZ to ascertain " the cause
and extent of those defalcatlcns the
length Of time they have existed the
correctness Of Tie returns which have
been made by Mr. Swartwout, aud BY
The pava olicer at New York, and By
other officers connected with the ADJUST
nent of his accounts.
Concurrenily with the Investigation d
MI SwarlWou defalcations, those q
William ~ Price late district attorney
in New York were likewise kept @ view
ond die lullest practicable extent Of inioE-
ma.:oo respecting them has been obtained
and wi|| 81 adYerled to ~ lAe sequel q
Ihe correctness Of s returns winch
! have been nbde BY the pE eni collector q
GU toms and he naval officer Ct tae pqr
/ of New York Was also soQgh @ ns ex
amin ~ We conmittes white g ifa
eIE cons efine That BE- ca as SIT
|ecled a New ogk equal g tWo..alfa
81 ne Whole aWoart 90 al' ne gni'e'
e8fc stated 20 De e4s G
of he Secretary ne Treasury 81 Is
cdtioos oess 9e'
vs. oI We 1l 'oa
d M tta Eey should a
IolIy M
IS ray pIor
'e0
n H
ht 0aa 81 ae
m IaFol
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