Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-09-15

rn,s i x be seen page 40 OF Document N". olo
that in nine of the fifteen cases n alleged ueiaca
toms under Mr. Van Ruren, credits are claimed by Inc
parties and because they await sui to Obtain tuei
they are charged with being ''Lo;" f"co detanters
who have .'stn!en the amounts What VIII De thousn
of this wholesale mode OF SANDER. when we see tue
name Of 'Morgan Neville thus put down as oeiils
THIEF nj the very time that Congress was having maze
for him. and considering him worthy 70 feceVe,a s"iu
medal TO replace that voted to his ancestor 1ehefa
Morgan!
Such is the manner in which this list of"Loco Foco
defaulters is made up such IS the attempt by gross
instrumentation and BY suppression OF the facts
stated in official documents, to manufacture oe nr
political purposes, which justice TO individuals IS
reckessly violated and the conduct OF the hSecuuse
officers IS assaied without shadow OF foundation he
nnhc record, show period since the days OF
Washington IF except the case OF Swartwont,
which was detected during the administration OF Mr.
Van Burep1 has there been vgIlant supervision
Of the officers entrusted with public money, so
small defalcation proportion to the sums collected
and paid OUT and it may be safely affirmed, that there
are very few if any, of these of money "ost and
.stolen, in which the last cent that is legally due will
not be recovered.
III Surprising however that these defalcations had
been truly stated instead of being, have shown,
grossly msrepresented yet with what justice are they
charged to the administration OF Martin Van Buren,
Every one of the persons named was appointed before
he came into office. Not single of these officers
had been originally selected chosen by him; and from
the CONNIE ncpmpnt of his official term, he has pursued
the rigorous TO detect, prevent and Pu'
nish misappcatons Of The public money. Had the re-
gula,ions which were urged upon Congress by Martin
Van Buren, passed INTO laws, not single loss, pro
badly not single dealcat0n would have occurred un-
der his administration The losses solely attrbu-
table to the refusal Of the Federal members of Congress
unite in making the necessary regulations ~ Proect
the public money.
In the first Annual Message of Martin Van Buren, III
the wear 1897 he submitted Congress reports made
By his rectins from the ferent departments, con
tanning .such suggestions rs their experience enahrd
" them to make to what further legislative Prov.
sons might be advantageouslv adopted to secure the
faithful application Of public moneys to the Objects
" for which they appropriately to prepentthelr ms
" application or embczzlement by those entrusted with
" the expenditure of them and generally to increase
the security Of the government against losses IN their
SC disbursement. 1t IL needless says MIR. Van Buren,,
: to d,late the Importance OF providing such ne"
safeguards within the power Of legislation, to
promote these ends.
Mr. Van Buren, submitted to Congress for the express
purpos. Of their legislation upon them the following
propositions prepared BY the several subordinate Off
GERS most c,nversant with the provisions tina, were re-
anred. They will be found al pages lb9 and l12, OF
Document No. 3, session Of -31 ::
sit might be attended with : I'd effect, as regards
the security of the public m"nlrs Il all who are DIS
bursting officers n-rey should be- required 10y law To-
settle their at the Treasury, at shorter inter
walls (sav monthly in all practicable cases: 'nasnnr
as il would furnish the Department means of as
" ceran,pg the amount in their hands, and enable IT
to Judge how far would BE- proper I" increase their
balances by additional advances, and generally TO re-
gulate, and control, and keep within proper Ni'ts
the issues To such agents.
Although generally averse srntn the policy Of ad
d ~ to the catalogue of crimes already known TO our
laws and tor which they have provided appropriate
g punishments vet strongly incline TO the opinion
that no un,rnp additional security would be at
tnrded the public funds, against fraud and emb"z
element, by throwing around them such penal sane
tons would subject the offender TO such nlctions
would have tendency t. deter others from me
commission of similar offences; aud to this end,
would respectfully suggest that II be recommended
TO Congress, To pass law, making 1t high INSIDE
meanor every receiving diShurSing agent TO EN-
bezze msapply the public money, entrusted I" MS
care any part thereof, and IN any other person. or
persons knowingly and witully, aiding or assisting,
o, participating therein, and subrctng the offender,
or offenders to i"o and 'mPr,S"n mont ~ hard labor
in the Penentlary is Congress may ''''h PfSp"s "
Is direct | an persuaded, that the endorsement oil
the public treasure and its application Ia IMPROPER
q n.ss have been heretofore treated with too much !en
ty and the wluI bareaced public derander mas sell
dom realised the deep and damning urgiauat'"h 70
Is which his conduct should have doomed hun, III the
estimation of yirtuous community -"Cl"the .he
transaction with the niainy u hieFits, anu 'ne
g will be different
There is no regular AMI uniform system for the ap.
prevail of official bonds, although there IS nothing OF
greater consequence the ultimate security OF the
u ~
attached to this; and if uniform rule was adapted,
BY which the parties all official bonds should be re-
qured produce their suretcS, and have the b"hus
executed before Judge in open court, under forms
similar to those adopted IN the entry OF spec'ai p"'
such course would not only tend 10 procure secn-
rity undoubtedly good but would also save the OH
GERS to hose discretion the approval IS now submit
I" ted from slant appeals TO indulgence. announcer
regulation that mi ht be adapted with great adVah-
tape would be- To require the examination by another
- ofkra info rh
comes of the accounts Of collector and receiver;
and the certificate of the former as to their correct
ness afor instance by the register IN the case OF
public lands and by the naval officer in that OF Gus
toms. To these might be added periodical rxarna-
lions by agents of the Treasury, at places where large
amounts of public money are collected, and the duty
i" of such agents make full and minnie reports IN
every instance to the T easury should be rgdly en-
forced | am very confident that, with additional
provisions of this character for obtaining adequate
security and detecting defaults so soon, that the
amount involved would be comparatively small, M
stances would seldom occur OF much loss from col
" Letting officers
$50 far as regards the faithful appropriation, BY pub
lie officers of every class, of the funds nrts'cd 10
/" them, itappears cxPedrnt that general reputation
should be adopted by which they should De require"
" in every case give bond, with adequate security
belle ved thai II is only done al present where II
is expressly required by law but there instances
" constantly occurring, for which such provision Is
" made, aud general law requiring such security ~
" every where person Is entrusted with pnoic
" money, would be proper. In taking this security,
" the same regulations should be adopted, have been
q heretofore suggested
The Democratic party in Congress, readily seconded
these efforts of Pres dent Van Buren, prevent, detect
and punish dealcations On The 10Th Of Jan, 1875,
Sas Wright, introduced into the Senate Of the U. $,
bill containing in its 2th section, the following pro-
vision. (see Senate Bills, 25th Congress, I'd Session.
No. 1879
'sIf any Of the said officers shall convert to his
" own use in any way whatever or shall use by way
Of Investment in any kind of prnprr;y or nerchan
die or shall loan with without interest any p"r
- ton of the pnhlc moneys intrusted to h'n tor safe
keeping disbursement hansrr or for any other pnr.
" pose every such shall be deemed and adJudged
" to be an ENHANCEMENT Of so much Of tie SAID mo.
" shall be thus TAKEN converted, invested used
" loaned which is hereby declared TO be high ms
demeannr; and any officer person convicted there
I" Of before court of the I Of competent lurs.
l.,4.. HILL