Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1840-09-23

AotalniHtratlone ana tauntinSiy shseIs az Us as
fault finding Opposition :
Again, sir On page 100, the Committee
q Investigation, after citing repeated instances
ofneglect in tho Solicitor Of the Treasury to
discharge he duty report
Il That William NJ. Price, as dletiict atior-
rev, is q defaitlteT TO the Government in
large amount.
p. That his defalcations are attributable to
the notorious irresponsibIty and want Of char
acter ofsaid Price at the periods Of his appoint.
ment and re-appomtment, and during his entire
terms Of Office and 20 The continued neglect OF
ne proper and Efficient discharge Of duties al
me office of NE Solicitor Of the TfeasaTu b. he
late and pressni incumbent Of ofics.''
Again, / ask the gentleman from Virginia,
has this officer been dismissed from the service
Of the State Has the Executive discharged
that duty, which the gentleman deemed so
imperative when he signed his rcuort? no.
CT This man, who neglected his duty, vio-
i2ted his oath of Office, and permitted an I'M
ne1se detacaton, has been sent as Charge
d'Afaires 70 Belgium9 Neglect Of duty il
now tae sure road to preferment. Let a man
manifest palpaele Incompetence &c Solicitor Of
the Treasury, and he is Immediately made a
Foreign Minister. |, sir, will not attempt TO
express my astonehment at the course pursued
81 he gentleman from Virginia. He proves
that Mr.. Van Buren, has violated every trust
feposedia him by the people not only bY con-
unuing NniaIthiul mel IN office, but by promo
ting them for their misconduct He then,
most unexpectedly, becomes his champion and
eulogist, and petulsndy complains that we are
over.nice IN cor demands for correct Govern
merits
Page i4O, the gentleman ia loud in his de-
nunciations Of Mr.. Hoyt, collector at New
YORK. thinks his conduct unjustfabIe; and
yet sir, Mr.. Hoyt is still Collector and the
gentleman now breaches to Us PASSIVE obe9i.
s'i'e Page 20, we find the Committee saying
that,
From the preceding evidence the committee
report the following fact as established:
81 hat The late Comptroller oCthe Treasury,
Geofge WOLF Esq now collector Of the port OF
Philadelphia, was guilty. while in said Office Of
Comptroller, Of cdlpable disregard Of law and
neglect ofduty. both in regard to the bonds Of
collectors filed in bis office; and the records
thereof required BY law; and in settling and
certifying to the Register the accounts Of Sam
ucl Swartwout, late collector without having
transmitted 10 him the vouchers thereof re-
CURED by positive injunction Of law"
viii tread lightly here, sir. This officer is
now % present no more. But. sir, after this
downright charge of culpabe disregard Of
law, made BY the gentleman from Virginia.
tins officer who had neglected his duty and
violated all law, was appointed Collector OF
Customs at Philadelphia Unfit 10 be Comp
uoier, he was fully qualified to superintend
some hundreds Of officers, and 10 receive mil
lions Of the pubic money annually!
Page Al. The FIRST Auditor IS denounced
~ Negligent and incompetent Yet now, not
word ofcomplaint from the gentleman from
Virginia; and al this criminal neglect and Of
hclal negligence (which in 1880 appeared 10 the
gentleman so unlustihable, so monstrous, Is. IN
iolU. quite innocent, very excusabe. and en-
urely unworthy Of serious considerations
This Is, indeed, change Of opinion. Last
gear, 10 denounce the administration, Sub
Treasury and al: his year to support IL warm.
y, and It's darling Sub Treasury too. know,
slr, that with some politicians it becomes ne
cessarY 10 alter ;heir opinions; and this charge
Of the gentleman recalls 70 my recollection
passage once read in one OF Bulwer's works
N which the polite courier finds 1t necessary
70 change his opinions in order to keep pace
with the shifting policy Of the Court
"Well! have decided on my change OF Efc,"
said the lawyer, with a slight sgh
$50 have on my change of opinion" CHM
cd IN Tie Earl al VIII tell you what opinions
~ the like
"What!" SAID Brandon.
"Trces!" answered Mauleverur, quantity:
at they caH be made serviceable by standing.
don't part with a stick: but when they are of
that growth that sells well, or whenever they
smut out INC prospect, cut them down and
pack them of by all manner of means."
], Mr. Chairman, shall not inquire INTO the
causes which led the gentleman from Virun
IA 10 this sudden, startling, and mysterious
change ID his political opinion, am MOI even
lnqulslhye or interested enough to inquire
whether his former opinions shut out a fine
prospect. II is sufficient for me to know that
nc has cut them all down. The reason IA with
hmtet But sir, he will excuse me when
say, that think it is bad taste for him to crit
c'se too narrowly the ground we tread, wher
he 50 recently taught us that II was our duty t,
walk It tearlessly, as being the path Of Iecti
tude and honor. When the gentleman shal
tayo: Us with clew tothe labyrinth, the ma
Ses OF which he IS treading, and shall Civ
Us something ike convincing proof that he pur
sues rs tortuous winnings, not from persona
aggrandizenent or ambitious aspirations, then
srr, we may again, with indulgent eve, looI
upon his course. Until then, sir, the gentle
man must excuse Us if we look suspiciously o.
bis advice, and distrustinely uponAhe PROPOSE
ton he has assumed. / viii, Mr.. Chairman
give one other extract, from the report of tn
Committee of which the gentleman was
jealous member, and then leave It to the gen
tsnan to reconcile the opinions then expresses
with his present course.
but the important results which have bee
attained, Notwithstanding the disadvantage
aiverted to, cannot fail to inspire the countr
with q confident hope that the high Obligation
which wi rest upon the successors of the pre-
sent Congress in the Legislative councils of tn
nation, % resume and complete the great wor
of investigation and reform of the alarmin
condition and abuses fthe Executive Deparl
rnsnts OF The Government, from the highest {
the lowest; and from the nearest to the reno
test tunctionaries, will secure the prompt an
efficient attention which is magnitude de
mands.
'GuIdei solely by the character Of the de
vc'opcrnents which the investigation impose
Gpol them by the House has elected, the CON
nlitss cannot resist the conviction, that al n
period iu the history Of ths Federal Govern
mont has there been deeper or better founde
cause than exists 81 the present moment fc
every patriot heart 10 desire A prompt consum
nation Of That signal Task et'rejor1n' lohich pad
Ne sentiment mann years since, inscribed on N
lisi If Executive duties In characters too legi
bls 10 BE- ocsriooked, requiring, particularly
the correction Of those abuses that hav
brought the patronage ofthe Federal Govern