The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1840-08-20
Sir, youi obedicnt servant,
(Signeu) t. L. SMITH.
JoHN II. WHEELER, Esq.


1t is here seen, that IN the year 1884, instead of
tSl0,466 So ten thousand, four hundred and
sixty six 6G.l00 dollars, there was spent actually
less than half that sum, and that tue Director of
the Mint suent at Phil ldelphia portion OF il for
this Min, and the balance was appropriated "to
the incidental expenses OF this Branch Mint"
What these incidental expenses were, is shown in
the vouchers and was for tho transportation Of
heavy machinery. and erection thereof, the hire
Of artizans to erect the melting furnaces tse
purchase Of materiel, and other necessary cxpen-
sos. But, Mr.. Stan!y's assertion is that in 1881,
there was paid for Salaries to officers and clerk
SI0,4G6 C6. He knew that this was not true, for
he had before him the receipts of these officers
and clerk for that rery year, in amount less than
FIVE thousand dollars
In regard to the item Of wastage of gold
much was said. 'Fhe ass iyer, meter and refiner,
has Published a statement which must satisfy the
most captious and fauitinding This article
never saw, until in the public prints. 1t shows
the fact, which | knew TO be true, that there was
NJ wastage Of gold in 1887, because there was no
coinage; that the whole wastage for ISIS and
1889, was very inconsdcrable, and that this mat
Ter is legally placed beyond my control and as
the article states, any charge OF unnecessary
waste falls directly upon the Meter, Refner and
| Conner"
| Bot the chlsf burden Of complaint is, sornc
| trees purchased with the Government funds Il
decorating the grounds and edltics, which wa
located in barren old field, thought that bu
1 faithfully discharged my duty. The building anC
! grounds cost the United States large sums of mo
noy. 1t is visited as part and parcel of the ma.
| tonal property, by not only our own citizens, but
by Europeans of science and character. pity
any mans heart who docs not wish that his ma.
ton, through her public institutions, should ap.
pear respectable and dgnlfied. But the expendi-
ture is made no similar IL, or will ever be ne
cessary. If | erred, hope that it is not an un.
pardonable error, and in the idea of Burke,
trust " something may be pardoned to the spirit
Of Patriotism
Tho speech quotes " bill for paper, wristbands,
and penknives, purchased for the use Of the
Mint"
These, in Mr.. Stanly's opinion, are large items,
for with them he occupied the attention of the
congregated wisdom Of the nation, Can the pub
/ lie correspondence and accounts be kept without
these essentials There wero three penknives in
tho bill named, and they were given out to The
three officers Of the Mint for their respective
desks These large items will be considered We.
nv little things by the rejecting portion Of the
community but they should recoect that Mr..
Stanly is 4 very little man, and Goldsmith has
beautifully told US, that
aTboso tt,o ,b;rc,r ara ,rost f, nm. ,,,s,, ;,
D!1 this sGrupu'ous l',t'e meiliosr OF Songress
rc'ls' lne hilile gwen 90 nun anu PdG iof oy inc
hl'eu states mas he TelHseu the various
other PefqulSi'es' Such aS satil post giiteqge
paper nancy sea''p g"aA' oooAS, &C" "hlch Ut,
Ie'rlNlh OF fenhsy'Fah'" aSseTsou on the moor oil
congress iaS' s'Ssioa' eAcoeueu IN value 'ile pay
OF MEMBER II ne u'u receive thGse pergaiS-
ltes' what consistent l''.ie Je"el ne DFo-
ther' "cast the neanl out oil 'hihc own eye
But the speech iufthet complains OF some pur-
chases Tor hxtures ana turnInFe' ana states that
II never was deSlgneG by congress 70 attach a
dwelling mouse 10 me ESTABLISHMENTS ana addu-
ces the ACT OF congress o. 1000 70 prove 'he p
shlon' Now, here take issue with the gentle
man, and VIII show ms error. Not only act OF
1888 as quoted, estaoliShng the Mint was passed,
but by act OF 1857 there were seven thousand
dollars specially appropriated, !" Tor enclosing the
grounds OF TINS Mint, Tor repairing building on
the lot, and for outhouses' This was specihcll-
ly appropriated on the estimate that 1t was Tor
the oathoHses to be established to the Supera-
tendeRfS Dncting See act OF Congress 1881,
page %. Why DID not Mr. Stanly quote also
this latter law Why suppress material part