The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-02-09
From m, Nep York Times

is THERE HOPE7 HOLD THEM TO 1T!
The following paragraph IS from recent number Of
the Globe at Washngton-the organ of the Van Buren,
administration:
There Is not man whether or Of Office,
friend or foe OF the administration. who may be shown
to have participated in pecuaons frauds, abuses Of
any KIND. that we are not willing TO exposed and
punished nor will we defend any rhose rHipabie
Negligence or connivance, has IN any degree eontribu
ted 10 he Of the actual depredaors Further,
we hold II The duty Of every citizen to contribute all
he can to the detection Of all wrong doors against the
Government"
In an article Of subsequent date Clan. 3O) in the
Globe maintained that the Secretary Of the Trca-
snry has nothing 10 do with ascertainipg defautcrs.
The object is palpsble, in putting forth such sen,
meGt at this tune, aud especially after committing
the administration to the pledge Of abandoning every
one - whom cuLPABLE NEGLIGENCE has in any degree
contributed TO the If The acual dcpredafors"
In word the Secretary Of the Treasury and the Pre-
sdeHt have responsibility resting upon them regard
to the dcreicon Of deauers u and therefore cannot
be guilty Of "culpsbe negligence" in the matter
What monstrons doctrine TO put forth, merely TO
from public indignation those hiYh func tonaries
who in truth created by the constitution and en-
olned most solemnly by every line of statute law,
all the laws faithfully executed But let this pass
still the inquiry returns.
Who are the officers of Government, according to
the ney, tangled doctrines OF the Globe to whom
taches the responsibility Of ascersinng defaults and
what class Of officers consequently, are IN position
TO be guilty 0f the offence which the Globe has defined
constituting sufficient cause for their abandonment
by the official organ and by the administration Let
Globe in its words by its arcle Of the
Goth ult.
I1"The duty Of ascertainng defaults and of insti-
tntng proceedings against delnquents EXCLUSIVELY be-
longs to the accounting officers and the Solicitor IF the
Treasury. We understand that Mr. Writ, while At
torney General during Mr.. Monroc's administration,
cd thatn m Sac ,f Tho
the President under the Constitution aud The laws
possessed any power Of interference IN the I'D nsnent
of such transactions. The only control belonging TO
the Executive then settled to he, merely the
val from office From that dav To the present. this has
been uniformly held be the of the power of
President public officers supposed TO be either
guilty of fraud rclnlss IN the discharge Of their du
ties"
So then. the wa,chword OF the party is, surrender
up the auditor OF the treasury, surrender up the comp
troer Of the treasury, aud surrender up The solicitor of
the treasury" VI there shall lie established in proof
cuipabe neghgcnee' resting upon their offices, which
has ''IN ANY DEGREE CONTRIBUTED SUCCESS
or THE ACTUAL nEFAuLrERs, but don't touch honest
Lew, or cunning Matty
Well, we say to the country. HOLD THEM TO 1T! 1t
IS Impossible wholly Impossible. opinion, for such
munslrons and astounding dralca,ios Swartwout has
committed TO take place amd all the checks and
ier-checks Of existing laws, without "caipahe neg
hgeHcc on the part OF the auditor OF the treasury, and
OF the solicitor Of the treasury, and solennly aud
firmly believe believe that day light is destined
to break upon the face Of the earth morrow, that this
truth WILL and MUST, appear manifest and beyond all
dispute, TO the whole country. whenever the committee
now investigating the SHart out aifr shall make
port This being So let the country mark with what
hdelnv the administration shall fulfil its pledge made
throughits accredited organ, 10 send into retirement
once. and stcrny sever from its places of high trust
these dIgnItarIcs who have thus, by their "cupable
negligence contributed to the of actual depre
dators" upon the public treasury Is THERE HOPE I?
HoLD THEM TO 1T
1t will be seen hv Mr. Woodburys second report on
the Swarwout dcalca,ion, published this morning, that
he adopts the doctrine Of accountability which is
set forth in the Globe