Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-01-31
Extract from the Speech of Mr.. Wise, or
the subject Of the late Defacations, as pub
lished in the National Intclligeucer.

Extract from the Speech Of Mr.. Wise, on
the subject of the late Defalcations, as pub
lished in the National Intclligeucer.
! ] will give you another case. take il
from fifty par example, and for the special
benefit of my friend before me Mr. Prentiss. J
| II is the case OF Harris, the receiver at Co
umbus, Mississippi. lie was notorious
drunkard and defaultcr, kept in Office for two
years, with oil his sins about him, in full
knowledge of the Department, until lie be-
came minus to Government in the pretty lit.
tie sum of about $l60,O00! find addressed
to this man no less thar. fifteen warnings con.
tinued through two years or more, and at last
was never punished.
/ Was there ever such fragrant case be-
fore confessed, under the official hand and
seal, by a head Of department? Yes, sir,
| just such one in the instance of this llar-
rs's successor man named Boyd Sir,
would one not have reasonably supposed that
the Secretary would have been careful to
prevent his very successor from doing the
very same thing? Was it too much to eX-
pect that be would at least have been watch.
tul to prevent the same abuse Immediately
in the same office? Sir, it was even worse.
The Secretary had appointed V. NJ. Garesche.
citizen of Delaware, l believe, an examiner
of this office at Columbus, and others, to re-
port upon its condition.
lie reports to the Secretary that Boyd is
deiaulter to the amount of T55, ,965 81, in
less than twelve months And, sir, he is
recommended to be RETAINED in preference
to another appointment for the reason that
the dog or the fox gave for not driving of
the gorged swarm Of flies: lest lank and
hungry swarm would Immediately fasten Oh
the body! He has his hands .juH now, and
will not speculate any more! Sir, his assets
prove that he must have been guilty Of per-
jury as well as defalcation. He must have
returned lands rs sold which were never paid
for he must have filed his receipts for mo.
neys paid which never were paid. And this
fact must have been known to the Depart.
mcnt from this very report. What has been
done, sir, to recover this $40 900 Of unsold
ianF-publc land, never in fact sold by CO.
vernment-to recover this S37 900 for its
land, which was sold by Boyd as his private
patrimony! Let Mr.. Woodbury,hs marshals
and district attorneys, answer me these ques-
tons. Sir, l will tell you what has been
done with Boyd. He permits him to resign
and commcnds his course as frank and hon
orabie " Boyd is retailing land plundcrcd
from the People at an immense profits
making fortune by his defalcation-is per-
mitied by the Secretary to strut off with bis
hands .JuH,' unscathcd by prosecution.-
These are the crying abuses, sir, the flagrant
cncrmties, the damnable oulrages upon the
public interests and morals, upon my patience,
which have so reused my spirit oft times as
to afford you and your party grounds for rep
rescnting me to be mad! Yes, sir, and APP
peal to every honest man if such monstrous
abuses are not enough to make the blood
boil-to frenzy! Would q pure Secretary
ever have allowed Garesche to address him
us ho did Woodbury.? Did not Garesche
know that Woodbury. was himself corrupt, or
would he, subordinate, have dared to ad.
dress to him such reasons for retaining in
public trust such faithess villain? Would
a Crawford, or even Rush. have been thus
addressed' Would pure President retain
such a Secretary, who could unblushingly
report such appeals to his dishonesty in an
official communication.
Why should not such q Secretary be i'm.
peacbed? Impeach him,and will 60 before
that humbled and disarmed Senate, and con-
vct him out of his own mouth and the mouths
OF his own lpinions. will call no other wit
nesses. will dare the constitutional Judges
to acquit him in the face. of these facts, and
in The face of the people, it they dare ? To
read The Swartwout report, one would think
Woodbury. was astonished, astounded by al
defalcation; yet here are fifty cases Of like
character with those Of Linn, Harris, and
Boyd!