Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1839-08-22
Fro.a the Psnn.yirsnia State Journal.

PROFESSION reTsas PRACTICE.
twill be recollected that from the mo-
ment Gen. Jackson became a candidate in
1873 tho hue and cry Of exiravsSance,
corruption aud fraud. was raised against
tho administration Of Mr.. Monroe, and
other preceding administrations: but dur.
ing :he administrators Of John q. Adams.
the welkin rang from one extremity Of the
Union to the other. with charges most
.oul.-General Jackson was elected in
1873. His friends came into power the
boisiorouS advocates Of "RefreneAmeat and
Reform" denouncing the previous ad-
ministrations as guilty Of all msnner Of
corruption. Accordingly an invesiiga.
ton was instituted, and ONE case Of de.
falcaiion was found. II was ascertained
that . certain Tobias Watkins had appro.
pnated $1,000 Of the public money 10
has own use. He was found guilty and
Imprisoned 10 . cell for three years and
q half Here was confirmation strong
a. proofs Of holy writ Of the charges OF
corruption and extravaganee made BY
these pretended Rrformers. against their
predecessors-they had detected and
punished the guilty one. and was not
that sufficient evidence OF the sincerity OF
their Professions;
Having, by tie punishment Of Tobiss
Watkins. proved their devotion to the
public good. the people could not after
wards believe that the administration OF
General Jackson could possibly be guilty
OF anything like extravagance. corruption
or fraud. We do not undertake TO say
that General Jackson himself was aware
Gas be should have been) OF the fraud and
corruption Of his administration; on the
contrary We are incliued to think that il
he had been aPprised OF il, he would have
corrected IL. We have always given
Gen. Jackson credit for good int nlions;
but he was blinded by those about the
throne-hs was never permitted, for a
moment 90 remove the "gIory feation
specs" from bis eyes. Gen. Jackson was
elected 10 reform abuses. and when Wat
kins vas punished. he, a. we'll a. bic sup
PortcFs, imsgiEed that oil had been &C.
eomP!iShed that was implied By REFORM,
at least, as they "undeTsfoOd g." IL me-
yer occurred to them, that, having pun
iIhed the solitary case Of fraud found in
the late standardization. il would be their
duty to prevent the commission Of similar
frauds by their own party friends: for
they had no sooner secured the offices
than = system Of fraud and plumber was
commenced. the enormity Of which vas
never. perhaps. exceeded in Any govern.
meet. Instead Of eurisiling the expenses
Of Government, which previously had ne.
yer. during the whole term, exceeded
thirteen millions Of dollars in . time oil
peace. IN the first year Of Gen. Jackson
standardization. they were increased near
y = million. and continued 10 increase
annually. until they now amount TO up
wards Of forty RiHtOasl
To addition TO this, delalcations Of pub
lie officers have been going on, and in-
efeasing. until the princ,pai ones. only, Of
those which have been ascertaiLed amount
to TWO MILLIONS. SIXTY FOUR
THOUSAND. TWO HUNDRED AND
NINE DOLLARS AND EIGHTY. SIX
CENTS! Yet, IL seems Mr.. Van Buren,
sad bis Psriizans in Congress, oppose an
iaVes,igsiion Of these enormous frauds -
Ia order that our readers may see that the
slaioment We make 10 no; mere assertion,
We give from official documents, the fol-
loving list Of sOme Of the defaulters 10 the
Government. whose defaicaiioDs have oe-
cured since 1929, when Gen Jackson
came into power