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

~ Secretary of the Treasury, not OF single soS
ed neglect 81 duty bni continued aa,y' snS deal.
l ff,r;ng a period Of two years, impheauns
sIsrs Ms honesty his yeraciiy and capaciy, rlIs',
hawsver. will show what Importance The Ireasu-
:. Treatment attached 10 the duty incumbent upon
,Ieeic,s and receivers Of deposiling In bank, at
,a,ed prriods the public moneys IN their hanos pc
samss h was from the continued violation OF this
duy. that the defalction IN the case OF HARRIS as
well as in most others, occurreoi ana osSause = VII,
insgnicance Of the duty, for the gross and cupable
NEGLIGENCE on his own part which makes him, In
Justice and truth, pariieeps ersnints In The whole
affair.
paees. entitled Letter from the Secretary Of the
reasury transmitting copies OF letters collectors
and receivers who have failed 10 comply with the
laws and regulations for their government; and,
also copies Of reports Of examinations ofland Offices
since LIST January, 1884," &c. Il is Doc. 297, and
was furnished the House by the Secretary on the
3Oth of March, 1888. II Is the most extraordinary
publication that ever fell under my observation. II
Is moral, political, and literary curiosity.
II you are laughing philosopher, you VIII hnd
in it ample food for mirth II you belong the other
school, you cannot but weep al the folly and imbe-
cility which Il exhibits. The Secretary must have
been frightened when he compiled IT, for Il is with
out form, and darkness rests upon its face. II con-
iains two hundred and sixty letters to defautng col
lectors and receivers; In some instances, from ten
10 twenty to the same defaulier yet, so cnrousy is
the book constructed, that you must read the whole
of 1t TO trace single It's contents are strange
as the shell broth" that boiled and dubbed In the
witches cauldron. From this fragment Of chaos
shall proceed to extract and arrange such matter as
Is material to my purpose. And hIsf, TO show, as
proposed, what importance the Secretary attached
10 the duty oil deposng the public moneys in bank,
at stated periods that they might not accumulate
in the hands of the collector and thus afford tempta-
ton to defacation.
The first letter shallqaote was from Mr.. fancy,
CO. ~.~FtI.. 3 sc ALL
letters to receivers is dated January 10, 1884, d.
rected to r. b. Sterling, receiver OF public moneys,
and concludes as follows: "Iwill only further add,
that the obligation 10 deposife the public money prompt
ally, are imperat,rs, and mast in tsta,c be regarded
as paramount TO al other duties"
Again, under date Of 18th May, 1884, MIR. fancy
writes to J. w. Dickson, receiver at Mount Salus,
Mississippi: Certificates OF deposie are to be adj
dressed to this Office; these, and the prompt and
Pnetual dcpoite Of The public money, are to be regard
ed as paramount duties the strict performance Of
which will be insisted on"
On the 18th of July, 1884, Levi Woodbury. writes
the following circular to some seven eight re-
ceivers:
Iregret to be under the necessity Of noticing your
omissions to make returns for the months Of April May
and June last BY circular, dated the 18th Of Janu-
airy last you advised Of the necessity of prompts
tude in this respect II remains that should again
remind you, for all, that this is duty which must
oe punctuaiy OBSERVED.
In letter to the receiver at Augusta, Mississippi,
dated August 4, 1884, he says:
upon the subject Of the requst made in your letter
cannot relax in the regulations prescribed for the Pc
redical deposites of the public money"
On the 3Oth Of January 1885, he writes to the re-
ceiver at Helena:
"The Department having received no duplicate Of
the monthly returns required by its regulations, show
ing the transactions Of your Office since your appoint
ment it becomes proper to call yonr immediate atten
ton to this duty; and to inform you that puncualiy
in this respect and III the depos.e Of the public money
to be regarded paramount duties, and will be
insisted on accordingly"
To Linn, receiver at Vandalia, he says February
~, 1885:
'Once for all, then, will inform you that strict
observance of the regulations Of the Department for the
periodical deposite Of the public money and the trans
mission Of your accounts and returns, paramount
duties, the neglect Of which will be reported for the
ton of the Executive"
To the receiver at Demopolis he writes February
90, 1885:
81 embrace the occasion to say you, once for all,
that puncualy in making your returns and dePoste Of
the public moneys to be regarded paramount du
ties the neglect Of which will be reported for tho action
Of the Executive"
Again, February %, 1885, in circular to some
fifteen receivers:
81 cannot omit the occasion to impress upon you the
necessity of strict attention TO, and punctua COM
pliance with, the duties required Of you in regard TO the
prompt deposite of the public money and Transmission
Of your returns and say you that the performance
Of those duties must be regarded paramount to all
others in your official station"
Again, July 80, 1885, the Secretary writes to the
receiver at Helena:
"The regular deposite Of the whole Of the public
moneys as prescribed by the regulations Of the Trea
sury and the punctua Transmission OF your accounts
and monthly returns, are paramount c6fciat duties"
give these extracts from the letters and circulars
of the Secretary, 10 show the periodical deposte of
the public money was paramount duty Of the col
lectorS and receivers
If then, show that the Secretary neglected to en-
force the performance punish the neglect Of this
paramount duty 1t may be fairly inferred that he is
either unwilling or incompetent to enforce, in his
subordinates the performance OF any duty whatever.
! come now TO the case Of Harris, which will
present in the shape of fourteen letters from the Sc
cretary and rarer specimen Of official cores
ponaence cannot be easily found
Mr.. Harris was receiver Of public money at Co
lumbus, Mississippi. The correspondence COM
mences during Mr.. Taneys administration of the
Treasury Department, from whom there are some
three or four letters 10 Harris complaining OF his
neglect Of official duty.
Twill quote, however, only Mr. Woodburys epis-
ties; and beg you to mark how we'll he enforces the
performance of paramount duties.
Treasury Department,
February 6, 1885
Sin; regret that there should be occasion for
again calling your attention to the omission TO render
your monthly duplicate returns to this Office for The
months OF November and December, Chose being in
arrear) and to remind you that punctuality in this
respect is Indispensable 1 am, &c.
LEVI WOODBURY.,
Secretary OF the Treasury.
w. P. Harris, Esq
Receiver of Public Money, Columbus, Miss.
This refers to the previous defaults, and shows
that Mr.. Woodbury. was cognzant of Them. The
next Month he writes again:
Treasury Department,
March IL, 1885,