Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1840-07-16

present Administration ssffcent to blast The fair
fame OF any party. shall, refer, sir, report No
Sl3 Of the House Of Representatives, commonly
called the Report OF the investigating Committee
on the deialcation Of Swartwou. and Others. Tie
gentleman from Virginia was member Of that
Committee, and. although be did not sign he re-
port with ihe nsioriiy, he made special report 10
which he affixed his signature. l. sir, shall moi nj
this time enter into examination Of the merits oil
the document. II Is enough for me to know that
the genteman's name ID signed 20 IT. The follow
ing is the special report Of the gentleman, and, az
be complains that it is unfair to give extracts, will
give il entire:
"Mr. HOPKINS spsriai conc9vreaee in the Re-
part Of he Committee, appended thereto BY
vote Of The Committee.
" / have not had the requisite time for scrutini-
zng the report Of the committee with that and
attention which its length and importance deserve,
and which could have desired: ard should have
preferred, for this reason, 10 have presented the
journal OF the committee, without comment to the
House of Representatives. But as conflicting opin-
ions prevail in the committee and 10 be submit
ted to the country in the shape OF formal reports,
consider il my duty to say that concur with the
committee in all ID, conclusions OF which they have
arrived, so Far as those conclusions apply TO the
tent and character Of the defacalions OF Samuel
Swartwout and VIM. M. Price.
. should be faithless to my duty, and violence
10 the most conscientious convictions of my judge
menf, If did also declare my entire concur
renee in those conclusions OF the committee which
relate to the conduct Of the late naval officer Of the
custom house at New York to the late and pre-
sent Solicitor of the Treasury the Secretary and
accounting officers Of tbs Treasury Department. in
GLIDING the late Comptroller of that Department;
and in that par, Of the report which reviews the
conduct of. Hoyt, the present collector of the
customs at the port Of New York
&C. w. HOPKINS, Member Of Committee.
Now, MIR. Chairman We Grd by this report chat
the gentleman concurs fully in the Of the
committee passed upon the Secretary OF the Treu-
sury and, that there may be no doubt on the sub
ject, will read what is said by the committee
page 90.
1.-THE committee will forbear TO reeapiiulate here
the extraordinary subnssiveness aud want OF ener-
gy that betrayed by the Secretary OF the Irea-
sury in his tolerance, without known complaint
made to the Executive, OF the retention and use of
the public money collected by the present collector
at New York for duties on imports against and I'M
der the protests of merchants
Again, cir, upon the same page, the committee
further say:
1t is believed TO constitute an im5eeiltiy Of ad
ADMINISTRATION the part Of the Secretary that calls
for immediate correction whether regard be had TO
the honor Of the Government or TO the security OF
the public money"
And further, sir, the report Bays:
The negligence and failure of the Secretary 81
the Treasury to discharge his duty the head Of
the Treasury Department, charged by law with the
superntendenee Of tho collection Of the revenue,
and his want of correct appreciation OF the before
named records in the supelintendance Of the coli
lection OF the public revenues and the consequent
neglect to continue and complete them, are justly
regarded primary cause Of the escape from
detection for so long period Of the immense deial
cations OF the late collector at the port OF New
York"
Here, sir, is direct assertion made by the gem
tlemsn himself, that the Secretary of the Treasur,
has manifested =" extraordinary submsslyeness'
and " want of energy that he has been guilty OF
d" tmbeciilty of administration; and that such
conduct requires =" immediate coTreetion;' and
farther sir that the Secretary, by his :" eegsnce
and failure TO discharge his duty" is directly re-
sponsble for the immense dealeation Of Ssartwout,
amounting to million and qaarter Of dos,s.
Sir, where is this +" imbecile Secretary I" Ha.
be been dismissed by the Executive 7 Has an
inquiry been made by tins House into these grave
charges preferred by the commiIteei No. sir. no
The same negligent mbece. criminal Secretary
still presides the Treasury Department. In
stead OF having been discarded, he gentleman
said he should be-. he is the pamrered pet Of the
Executive, and the gentleman from Virginia, lsnotc
loud in his piaIse as he was in his Remuneration;
ana ne mas tue Insurance 10 itciufe tHc OppoAhoh
for complaining OF this gross outrage perpctrated
the ehaIa and honor OF the Government
which he himself assisted in exposing.
But, sir, the committee may check the expression
OF asionshment which tins time seems so sens-
bly, to pervsde il. | have but commenced with the
gentleman's coaslsseacy.
On page al OF the report find the following
charges made by the gentleman against the late
val officer Of the custom house, New York, (Enos
I. Throop:)
From the preceding testimony, the committee
report as established facts;
|. That the late naval officer at the port OF
New York, Throughout, the Of his service, from
1929 to 1888. wholly disfegarded the requirements
of thc law prescribing the duties Of bis uiheo.
-. That said naval officer, for the same period,
wholly disreearded the Instructions Of The Comp
troller Of the Treasury Of Novenber 10. 1921.
80. That said nsvul officer, by diuegarding
the requirements of law and The ustrue Of the
Treasury Department. culpabiy neglected TO Keep
the accounts and records nppertanng TO ms office
and thereby rendered the Office nuga,ory a cheek
upon the accounts of the collector.
a. That If the duties of said naval cfirer au.
thorized and directed BY existing laws, had been
executed with proper care and vigilance, they
would have rendered imprsriicable for any fraud
or error in any of the accounts of the collector OF
said port to escape immediate detection.
IS. That the cuIpable disregard OF the plain
quirements Of law and Of Treasury instructions pie
scribng the dates Of naval officers, by said naval
officer, and his continued neglect of official duty
are primary cause Of the immense delalcatons Of
the late collector at New York"
Here, sir, is charge muse against this officer
by the gentleman from Virginia. Where sur, is this
same Enos + Throopl Ha. he been dismissed
from tho service Of the country No sir! This
man, who vas proved TO be Incompetent TO
g" naUal officer" instead Of being immediately dis
charged, he would have been by any honest TX
ecuiive, has been sent Charge to Naples ufht
to discharge the duty Of subordinate in a custom.
house; he is fully qualified 10 minister Of
this great nation at foreign Court Add lie cen