The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-02-26

a
doubt that Il was much less
Inc Iauer view, In pan, applies 10 the discount
Upon ansa !, Sof not land oce paper which he
upon which, enclose al his request
Ven, &c:
To Ethan A. Brown, Esq
BY this document Il appears that the receiver had
turned his Office into Ashayng-shop" for himself
ana bis friends II further appears that he had not
merely failed 10 deposite the public moneys accord
ing TO law, but had used them for, when he came TO
make settlement with Mr.. Wes', afier having
capped together all the means within ms reach
aner selling drafts, obtaining pirate discount al
hiedmosd bringing forward all the public money In
- hahds and, In the language of Mr.. West, some
AZ. MONEY still he falls short So 206 "a, which he
~nyds profess 10 account for In any way In DINER
~ ~ ms report Colonel Spencer stood before
.ne secretary and President an acknowledged, con-
Iessseu, ana convicted peeuator and embezzler Of
pubic money 70 the amount Of 81, 2O6 "a, without
shadow OF excuse or defence
ana What think You was done with this defaulter
py the moral, upright, sin-haiing Secretary And
what has Been done by the President, who thinks
This offence ought to be made felony, and punished
with the peniteE,iary1 Before answer this ques-
lion, viii read you letter from then Senator of
the United States, which will perhaps throw some
light upon the subject. Il will be perceived this
letter was written during the examination of the
Office by Mr.. West, and was doubtless intended TO
obviate the effect Of the report
Madison, August 3, 1886.
Sir: am informed that some things stated
recently to the prejudice OF Colonel John Spencer,
receiver at Fort Wayne and am requested 10 Writc
goI In doing SO, can only say that ! have been
grained In learning that his deposites have been
made to your satisfaction; and, if SO, / hope that
minor matters II mere Irregularities will be over
looked He is reputed TO be an honest and honoya-
BILE man. and do not believe that he has intention
Il would to some extent produce excitement if he
were removed, for he has many warm and intiuen-
tial friends both at Fort Wayne and In Dearborn
county, from which he removed to his present resi-
dence. Better let II be.
With much respect,
WILLIAM HENDRICKS.
Hon. Levi Woodbury.,
Secretary Of the Treasury.
with much respect" ha doubt it. The ho-
norable Senator could have had much respect for
the honorable Secretary, he would have dared
to write him such letter. Those last sentences,
like ady's postcrip contain the whole substance IL
would produce excitement forsoo,h to remove the de-
faulter I" he has influential friends" "Beiter ltH
BE-" SIR, in these few words you may behold the mo-
ray the policy and the strength Of the party in pow
er. Like the flash language Of the London swells,
they open to those whe understand the true meaning
the whole secret Of political roguery Being interpre-
ted, the honorable Mr.. Hendricks letter would read:
" Dear Levi am told Colonel Spencer is defauter,
and you going to turn him out. Levi, you're
fool; you must do such thing; il would injure the
party to turn him out; he's strong politician, and has
got sreat deal Of influence; he isn't cheating it's
only the people II yon know which side your bread is
buttered, keep him in Office"
And what says honest Levi to all this Listen, here
is his answer:
Treasury Department, September z, 1886.
Sir: Your letter Of the 3lst utmo is received, and
am happy to inform you that Mr. Spenceis expana-
tons have been such that he will probably continue
in office. ~
am, very respectfully your obedieni servant,
Secretary Of the Treasury
Honorable William Hendricks, Madison, Indiana.
Which, being interpreted, reads:
"Dear Billy Who's fooi / never intended to
turn him only talked about It TO gull the people,
and make them think was honest. lie shall be re-
tanned"
Az, and he was retained; and rendered such
good service his master well approved the sagaciy
which refused to part with him.
He has been continued in Office by Mr. Van Buren,,
and is now receiver Fort Wayne. There is more
circumstance developed by this document, to which
invite attention The Secretary in his letter OF the
23d Of May, Col Spencer tells him that any neg
lect nattention these requirements is, to de-
poste monthly the money on hand, and make monthly
returns kereof1 unless satisfactorily accounted for
will require of me- from OF official duty, that
you be reported to the President, with recommends
ton that you be removed from Office"
Now, connexion with this extract, read the follow
ing letter from Col Spencer, written just upon the eve
of the Presidential election and about siK weeks alter
the correspondence between Hendricks and the Secre-
taIy:
Receivers Office, Fort Wayne, Oct. n, 1886.
Sir: This is to inform you that have forwarded to
the depose bank hundred and four thousand dollars
in silver there remain until arrive with the gold and
paper money.
NV democratic friends think that ought not to leave
until after hold election for President, on the TIN
November which have concluded to await, and shall
leave on that evening, the next morning to deposte,
with all the funds hand up to that time. shall
write you again before leave The sales are rapid;
mostly paid in gold and silver. My quarterly report
will be forwarded by next mail for last quarter, which
ought have been done sooner, only for the want OF
help in the Office. Hereafter think can get my re-
ports of, without much delay, after the close OF the
month and quarter.
am yours respectfully
JOHN SPENCER, Receiver.
Hon. Levi Woodbury., Secretary Of the Treasury.
VIVA, think you Of thisl The repeated injunction Of
the Secretary had been, that at the end of each month
he should deposite the public money in hand and II
he failed to do so ritRo good ercasc he should be
removed from Office. Well, sir, he fails to make his
deposte in October, not by accident or necessity but
voluntarily and sends, in advance, his excuse to the
Secretary What is that excuse 1t Is that his de-
mocratic friends thought he ought not 10 eauc until a
ter the election for Presidents in other words that his
duty to the party was paramount to his Official duty;
that his obligations to Mr. Van Buren, (the candidate
IOI the TTesiucucyJ WCio Bicatci a'"" 49,
the country in whose he was at least nomnaly
employed.
Accordingly, he neglected his most important duties
for many days that he might in the election that po
litical influence which the honorable Mr. Hendricks
speaks with so much JUNCTION.
The Secretary receives this excuse; recognises It's
sufIicency, by not recommending his removal from Of,
ce as he had promised to do, the reason should
not be satisfactory and has thus convicted himself Of
entertaining and practising the profgae doctrine that
interference in elections by ofice-holder is not
only us,tiable but involves higher degree OF oblga-
ton than the mere performance OF official duty II
was not merely to exercise his elective franchise as
citizen tha, Spencer violated the injunction Of the De-
r,ment this roht he could have exercised where his