The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-02-21
THE COLLECTOR OF NEW YORK.
THE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE.

The Globe, OF Thursday night, occupies four
columns with memorial Of Jesse HoYT, presented
10 Congress on Monday last, and another column of
It's own commentaries, jusiiiying Mr.. Hoyl's course,
and assailing the Committee. That the object Of the
whole is 10 endeavor TO forestall public opinion in
favor OF Mr.. Hoyt and against the Committee, in
anticipation of their report, is fagranty manifest
We consider the conduct Of Mr.. Hoyt, according
10 his own showing more disrespectful towards the
Committee than that Of the Bank Of the United
States towards committee, which recommended
that the President and Directors should be arrested
and brought to the bar Of the House. to answer for
a contempt Of its lawful authority.
Says the Globe, "nothing can be palmer than that
the committee was not empowered, under the cir
cumstances to set on foot investigation into the
transactions and accounts of Mr.. Hoyt" We should
like to know what was meant by the House when
they passed the following resoluiion1
BE IL further resolved That said committee be re-
qured to inquire into and make report Of any de-
facation among the collectors, receivers, and dis
bursers of the public money which may now exist;
who the defauters, the amount OF deiaications,
the length Of time they have existed and the causes
And that said committee have power to send for
persons and papers.
According to the Globe, then, and the position as
sumed by Mr.. Hoyt, II while the committee were
examining into the defalcation OF Mr. Swartwou
they discovered that Mr.. Hoy was defaulter, they
were not empowered TO inquire into the matter !
We suspect the country will put different con-
slruclion the power delegated by the House TO its
committee.
IL all was fair and correct, and there existed moth
Ing, whatever which he wished TO conceal, why did
Mr.. Hoyt question the authority of a committee Of
Congress to examine into that which concerned the
public2 Why not throw open every thing 10 the
broad light OF day before them2 These are the
questions which the people will ask, instead of ques-
| tioning the authority Of the committee.
Hr. Hoyt 1t appears keeps the public money at his
private credit the books of the banks in which il
is deposited and he refused 10 allow the committee
to examine his accounts at those banks, as is shown
by the following question and answer, contained in
his memorial
| Mr. Smith to Mr. Hoyt.
Question-Are you not willing for the cashiers of
the Bank of the State Of New York, and Of the City
Bank to furnish this committee with statement OF tho
weekly monthly balances OF your deposits IN said
banks since you term Of office as collector commenced!
| II nay, please state your reasons IN full
| Answer From an occurrence that took place in the
committee room last evening, made up my mind That
| it was necessary TO make communication In writing
to the committee. stated TO the committee before
commenced this answer what desired that the letter
would be before the committee in about two minutes,
aud, since commencing the writing OF this answer sad
communication brought to the committee and hand
ed by me the chairman thereof and, until an answer
is made that communication, some form or manner,
to indicate to me the sense Of the committee upon the
same, decline answering the intenogatory.
Will not the public be amazed, afler what had oc-
CURED with his predecessor that mir. Hoyt should
have hesated for an instant, to let the committee
examine his accounts of the public money in his
hands, Surely they will and by such refusal, they
are left to draw the worst conclusions. We forbear
saying more, but wait the report of the committee.