The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-04-03

H n ,sIy upln the enaclment OF the law organizing
The Treasury Department ahosnsr Iesosu, aeuueea
IRON on Denarlmenr The following examination Of
~ .ssk ia The Secfsarys office will explain this In
full: 49,. ned Bu Nj Cnyfis
o,eson 1. Are yol clerk 70 me once OF me
secretary Of the Treasury, ana wnen a'a you eh'ei
o,n YOUR duties as such eeiA
upon / am clerk in the oifice OF The Secretary
~. r rsasury and entered upon my du les on The
IN January, 1887, as ! now recoIiec.
nas,;nn Is i part OF your duty as such clerk
oaes.ion = If folio denomina,ed by the gill let
lo'"Ns ~ h,.l, If H. g Custom A0n~ oonds!
tefs gu VIC When took charge Of the duties which
Ian performed By Mr.. Anthony, ! found the
entry from returns Of bonds I'M anu ,'qu'uled
coiisewpi a ~, have since was appointed 10 the ST.
ms Nc" H. h.M eniered snch returns, as received
tellloI = he book marked "Cuslom-house bonds"
d ,nsider part OF my duty and II IS The book
49,. nave before the committee.
~" By way Of showing the nature of the
- mi mai there are two sub divisions, the one un.
der me head Of General account 81 oonds taken and
Iaidttsd for duties merchandise al the several Gus
iM h0usss" and the olher, Account OF bonds taken
-, S'r dI'ies on merchandise which fall due 10 the
month Of 49,, 1873 !" will you give copies Of Two
pages of that book
Answer. A gentleman Of the committee, whom
afterwards understood 10 be Mr.. Curtis, requested
me when was FIRST cited before them with the book
ma,ket "Cnsom-houSe bonds,n 10 make copy of
Two respective pages from said book which have
DONE and present them as true copy OF the pages
marked by said gentleman to be copied from the
hook These two pages embrace transcript OF the
manner in which the book is kept under the heads
. of General account Of bonds taken and liquidated
for duties on merchandise at the several custom
houses and an Account nf bonds taken for duties
on merchandise which fall due in The month OF --,
1888 :"
[Fhe Two copies we omit
A II. tnn he Nh, far ,.h,rh that
book is kept in the Secretarys Office, and what is the
use made Of 1t!
Answer | do not know the object for which the
book was originally kept or what use was made of the
information as my connection with the book has not
been long should think. however, that the object
must have been 10 aid the Department with information,
particularly when the system Of credit was different
from the present.
Que zion s. From what data do you make entries in
this book from time to time!
Answer make the entries from returns which are
received from the collectors Of customs they
made Of bonds taken and iqudsted monthly, think
Question 6 Do not these returns purpor to be
"monhly returns OF bonds taken aud liqudsed, ren-
dered BY collectors TO the Secretary
Answer. As far as have examined those have re-
celved, they are monthly returns.
Question 7. Has that book ever been cslled for by
the Secretary Of the Treasury, the chief clerk other
person in the Secretary Office. for examination
Answer II has not been called for by the Secretary
chief clerk or other person, for examination, since
have had charge of il,
Question g. Up to what period are the entries in that
book brought up and completed
Answer. January, 1889.
Question g. Does that book enable one who examines
It 10, see what amount of bonds payable IN any
gwen mouth at the port Of New York, and other ports
Answer So far as the returns present them, il does
Ii continuation and 10 complete the record view
cured TO the Secretary al all times, Of any Transactions
AZ.
complied for his office from the quarterly returns Of
collectors made to other accounting officers Of the
Treasury Il will be seen. from the following tes,imo
ny Of the present Secretary, what the nature Of
this record, and how far it has fallen into disuse under
his administration Of the office.
Lem Woodbury., Secretary Of the Treasury, examined
By Mr. Wise.
Question 81. When were you appointed to the Office
Of Secretary Of the Treasury Please look on the
book presented, entitled Collectors quarterly
connts" and say whether you have ever examined this
book. and when
Answer entered on the duties Of Secretary OF the
Treasury about the 4h Of July, A. D. 1894 The book
mentioned appears he that before referred to, in
which Of the clerks in my office in the habit
Of making the entries sent from the Auditors office.
have recollection OF having had occasion to ex-
anime that book for any particular purpose
have examined It ill since the question
ing the discontinuahce to make those entries On
some occasions have visited the Of the different
clerks my Office and made general inspection OF
the hooks in which they were then writing, Of the
business in which they were engaged, and noticed their
ndwnng, hling, arrangement vi papers, dc, aud
made such Inquiries 10 their business occurred
TO be proper; but have recollection Of examin-
ing this book
Question ~. Does not the book referred to in yonr
last answer show the following statement respecting
each quarterly account Of each collector in the United
States and distinct ruled columns and was not the
fnroty anf tyhi uivo ~.
last entry made said book Of the accounts Of Samuel
Swauwout, being for the second quarter Of 1895 and
have any entries Of like character been made in said
book, or any other book in your office, as to the
accounts Of any collector, since the third quarter OF
1885! (Staement omitted
Answer The book in which the entries were made
OF the aggregates Of several Items from the accounts
returned by collectors to the First Auditor, contains
such headings or titles described the above in
terrogatory; and the entries made suppose BY the
clerk my office, Mr.. DUNCAN, who had charge OF the
book In the sums amounts described ia the in
terrogaory
In the next pages the entries for the Sd quarter Of
1888, do not contain any for twenty or twenty
three ports, including New York among them and
no other entries for any port appear to have been made
III 'Na book afterwards Nor do know that these ag-
eega'es we're. subsequent to that time entered
Ieu IN any other book in my Office, either for New
iotN or any other port but presume from Mr.. Dun
ean statements, that the accounts not having been
e'"aas sent IN to him from the Auditors Office, he
omitted 10 go after them, or send for them, and the
aass'eed'es were not afterwards copied by him. and
''a' ne omitted also to make any report to Of these
circumstances for the reasons before stated in reply to
former inteTrogaory -,
Mf DUNCAN u.s. however, now clerk in the Office,
W"efs ne mas been, understand. over twenty years;
an can give to the committee, If they desire it, fuller
e'Pdnalions as TO the entries made by him. and the
cause oil his dlscontnnsnce make them and the use
any which had ever been made Of them during his
acquaintance with them
From the preceding testimony, it is NANTES, that
although all the before named records apperain TO one
general SYSTEM" which was devised TO secure an
independent superintendent Of the revnnues to the &c.
cTe'ay Of the Treasury. the same time the execution
OF the laws Tor collecting those revenues commit
'ea u" subordinate officers The system has, Of late
years been permitted fall into neglect and dis