Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-03-19

Examined sine. 1882 Before that time il had been the
practice in the Office Why it was abandoned we know
not unless opinion it not necessary or hat
there not sufficient number oil clerks 10 dschage
the duty all times very onerous, there being al mo
derate calculation not less than thirty thousand bohas
taken year in New York alone But whatever may
have produced the abandonment Of the practice u was
calculated 10 lead his successor in office into error
would naturally follow the practice existing al
the time in his bureau, the one adoP'eo from eAPT
ence, and found answer the public exigeneies' to
blame can therefore, be attributed TO the present s
Auditor he having BEEN previous TO these occurrences
but shsN tine in Office and OF course no: WEI. yuI
ed to Judge of the practical py 10 h sI lave to re-
ybrancFof his duty. On this subject we Deg isa'e " -
his testimony as contained IN The Of swar,
fhe fourth cause, was the non-eXecu'on U. h;
sou,s official bond for grea, length OF 'i.e GI ,e@a
last appointment in 1884 The bond bears oa'e W. 80
bn renamed in the custom house unexecued until 1884,
when il was certified by the district attorney OF NE"
Aotk Mr. Price and the Comptroller az washington
For early three years bond o, Inc coec'or o. I'VE"
York tho orinciraI port in the Unon was IN The Comp
oIiers office and the collector was lett to carry on the
fiscal operations of the cusiomho house without any
secury except that based upon his own responsibility.
As to The suaicency of The security afforded the Go
Eernnent BY the bond when executed, that subject
not eptbe Of positive pTouf Until tested by legal
decson, and must remain matter ot speculation anu
opinion.
Should the security in the bond be hereafter found
insufficient, will be attributable to Price, The dstc.
nltorney of The city of New York. where the surees
resided and who before he certified the bond CID MAKE
or ought to have made the necessary inquiries TO their
pecuniury responsibility. -,
The bond though executed at so late period, will
protect the Government far the amount extends
sarpe part of the deacaon having taken place after It's
execution and therefore embraced by IT.
Il s true lutte security will be afforded by TO the
Government when the penal sum, con'aneo IN 'he
bond is compared with the large amount OF The deiaca
tom and had regular account OF The bonds been kept
in the Auditor Office there svery strong and conclusive
testimony 10 show 1t would have nener Pe'ehleu hol
detected the defalcaton.
The bond Of Swartwout being executed and dcpo.
sed in the Office nor any entry OF his appointment as
collector made BY the Comptroller OF 1884, was SUCH
want of official diligence no one could have supposed
or Anticipated and could have excited any suspicion
in the mind of his immediate successor mot the Presen.
acting Comptroller, who into oince alter lhe ais
covery of these deiacolons so as to induce nun TO Or
der an examination He took il for granted the usual
course had been pursued in relation TO Swartwous op
pon,ment and bond The neglect therefore, of the for
Auditor and Comptroller, IN these particulars, u
strange and unaccountable.
The onlv excuse for il is to be found in the fact
short anterior these and long before,
the heads of these bureaus were two aged men, ncaPa.
be- from ysical and mental inrmitles to discharge
the duties imposed them with the diligence aud strict
supervising attention that these important Offices de-
Inanded The evidence on the journal on this SUBJECT
very strong The retention OF aged persons IN Office,
who have old in the service oil the Stale, Is TN
evil incident 10 all Governments and more particularly
10 our Democratic To dismiss all officer under
such circumstances is harsh measure, and we'll cacu-
lated shock the feelings and enlist the sympathes OF
the people To retain HIM when incapable Of perform
lug his functions, is dangerous 10 the security OF the
public treasure and injurious to the best interests OF The
people Better would it be 10 let the civil officers OF
Government, who have faithfully discharged their duty
tor many years, retire at certain designated period OF
life upon pension, than to have them remain in office
but the shadows Of themselves. Upon the principle Of
economy alone, dear TO The American people, the
course suggested would be highly advantageous 10 The
Country.
The fifth cause was The irregular and loose in
which the whole business OF the custom house was con
duced and which has been advered to before in this re-
port and from the fact that the naval officer no, under
the laws intended check upon the collector has
not in Of his functions, supervised the &C.
with that and diligence The Importance oi The
subject demanded
The sixth cause is to be found in practice grown up
Of late years the keeping by the collector what is termed
suspense account, under which head he retains large
sums of money meet protests and suits upon duties
overpad &c and which, for his security he is in
great compelled to retain, the courts OF justice
having determined in such that he is personally L.
able. Whether these decisions are founded on true anu
Just prnc pies and national policy, the undersigned Will
not undertake to decide but they may be permitted to
remark the there is some legislative action On
this subject the better for the country and the collectors
The seventh cause was the CONFUSION and total de-
rangement produced in the business of the house
by the suspension Of the payment of bonds by the Go
vernent and the suspension Of specie payments by The
Banks The amount of bonds operated upon by these
causes contained in the answers Of Mr.. Wn"dhnry
in these words:
"Queson 81 What amount Of bonds were due or
running maturity short time before, at the time, and
during the time of the CONFUSION produced ny the sus
pension Of specie payments by the banks, and coming
under The instructions Of the Solicitor Of the Treasury
in May, 1882
ANSWER In reply, would state that the amour, Of
bonds falling due between the first Of May and the first
of October, 1887, in the United States, probably
from five 10 millions. | have not examined TO see
the amount. But Of those some were put in suit
and neither paid postponed under the instructions OF
the Solicitor in May, 1887; and others were paid with
suit pos,ponemen,; so that The amount postponed
under these instructions was estimated 10 be not from
four millions o! dollars.
"Queson VIVA, amount Of bonds came under the
provisions of the of Congress of 1887; the pro
duced BY the fire in New YORK. and the other produced
BY the suspension OF specie payments by the banks:
"Answer. In reply, | state that the posponements
actually made under the in October TO for.
mer bonds and merchandise on Inch cash duties had
accrued estimated O have been from four to tour aud
half millions The amount coming within The opera
ration of relief asked and granted account OF The he
is supposed to have been about SlGG3,CcO
As also 10 the following question:
"Ques,ion J. Please state, should combination exist
between the district attorney and the collector to defraud
the Government by placing bonds which have actually
been paid in his weekly account, Transmitted to your De
partmen under the lead Of bonds suspended or 60nds
st if there any means in your power, as Secretary
of the Treasury make the detection except by person
al inspection and examination OF the bonds at ~ fork
MIR. Woodbury. answersin the negative ana gives ms
reasons an erteRSo will be by reference TO The
journal.
The suspension Of specie payments by the banks, s"
sudden expected al period OF profound peace,
and under the appearance Of great national prosperity
well calculated not only to derange the business ct
the custou,.house Of New York but did c0nvulse the
whole trade of this country and IN It's consequences al
fcct,d that of those States Kingdoms with whom We
had commercial relations. contingency so eIraord'-
nary could have been anticipated aud consequently
there existing laws 10 protect The Government
from lis baneiul effects
By rem derinq the Of Congress in relation 10 the
safe keeping of the public money dead letter. 1t made
the banks to be the repositories OF the public mo
ney took away the authority of the department to
ceive their paper in payment Of public Dues and from
necessity threw the payment OF the bonds into the
Lilo ,nHs Of Surar nnlh