Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-06-03
From the National rntelliscneer, June l.


Vehement objections having been made 10 the sp-
paintment 10y the Executive Of Commissioners for
tie examination OF alleged errors or abuses in par.
cular branches Of the public service, and the lega
~ of such agencies having been questioned, we
(some days aso) quoted from memory Sc !oral instan
ccs IN which, under preceding Administrations COM
missions had been instituted to discharge duties dc.
rolving upon the Executive, such us il was Obvious
ly impossible for the President or the head of any
Executive Department TO discharge in person. We
cHed few cases only, because we considered II
unnecessary 10 multiply precedenls. We cited those
e'ses from the elder administrations because We
considered preccdens from those administrations TO
be the hes, authority.
The Richmond Wig, however, expresses a wish
that we would "collect all the commissions which
were issued by Jackson and Van Buren," Such
collection would be work of time, r. quirng labo-
Tous research into the records of all the Executive
departments, and is therefore beyond our power
Nor, alter what we shall further present on the
subject, will such collection probably be deemed
necessary.
Agencies Tor commissioner under the Executive
have been so numerous and frequent, and especially
OF late, that uiey may be divided into classes We
need only allude 10 some ct them to bring them at
once TO the recollection of the Editors OF the Whi
and 81 Others of our readers.
Agents 10 inspect The Land ORess have been re.
Peatedy appointed, and the results Of their abors
are, IN some cases, too memorable TO Je forgotten
The reports of MIR Garesch, one of these re.,,s
and especially his recommendation not to remove
one of the Receivers because his pockets were nj
ready Jih and he would therefore not he likely To
appropriate TO himself any more OF the public mo-
ney, were frequently quoted during the late Presi-
dental canvass, and cannot Toe forgotten by anv bo
dy. These agencies, 1t must he admitted may be
OF the most useful character, atlsrding indeed t,
only means oil detecting and guarding against abu.
Ses IN the Land Offices. They were established IN
the hrst instance I've think) 10y MIR CKAwFoRp Sc.
crctary of the Treasury, under the Administ,ntion
of MIR Monroe. During that Administration il is
certain at least that such agents were actually an
pointed.
Post Office agencies have been more numerou.
and frequent than any other description Of agency:
and they have been of all sorts and sizes from n
commission TO detect and apprehend a mail.robber
up to al embassy to Europe. They have been ON
a yet greater scale than foreign embassy. On
one occasion a grand Commission or Convention nj
PosimasIers of the principal post Offices OF the Uni
ted States was held in the city Of New York by
order OF the Executive, to deliberate upon matters
submitted To them by the Postmaster General, and
their expenses we're paid on; Of the public money
gs
come part of the post office system. That these
agents travelled occasionally under the last and pre
cednS Administrations Tor other purposes than TO |
detect abuses and misnnnagcment, has been fre
queniy alleged, and we suppose IS true.
Commissions Of Military or .Ndpa! Officers have
been instituted at the public chirgc Tor various
purposes, under different Administrators and
generally for purposes entirely audabe in them. |
selves. Under the last Administration such a |
commission (oi officers of the ARMY was N. !
pointed visit Europe and examine mo the |
improvements In military science and tactics in !
the Old World, duty which, we believe, they dis |
charged honorably and useiully. The dgties, how !
ever, which Boards OF Offi,ers wera nppointed IN
discharge under the late Administration were not |
always either useful TO the country, so credits-
bic TO the Executive, so agreeable TO the officers
composing them, as those OF the Board Just referred
TO.
OF this last class Of Commissioners by way Of |
selecting single case sample, TO meet rs Tar as
we can the wishes of the Editors Of the Whig, We |
offer 10 them and TO our readers the following brief
history Of one in which, under the Administration |
OF Mr.. Van Buren,, both law and precedent were |
set at defiance.
In cases Of Officers Of the Army e, as premise. |
tribunals provided bV lao for the nVes ont,on
OF alleged mis- onduct. II the offence bc palnabis
and the good Of the service requires that the nccu
sed be Tried the law provides the tribunal cal eli |
General Court Martial" II there he suspicioo or
room tn believe in any misconduct then the Laio pro
ydCs for Courts Of Inquiry TO examine into the |
nature OF any Transaction, accusation or mputation
against uny officer" See Dist Article OF WsrI
Bm, continues the law, ARTICLE % "as Court. OF
Inquiry may be perverted to dshonorable purpo.
scs, aud may be considered engines Of des,ruc.
ton to military men m the hands Of toeok and en-.
" vlous commindan,s, they are hereby prohibited
unless directed by the President Of the United
States or demanded by the nccusedr Thus can
tious has The lao been IN guarding the reput,tion
Of Military Officers from faint by the institution
even ol lawful Coipis Of INJURY on doubrnl
grounds OF the same time that II docs provide the
means NJ both inquiry and trial where either maui
" or trial - deemed necessary by the President
Now 10 the case IN question.
Just year and a month ago, the following order
was issued by the President Of the u. States
ADJUrAHr GFNgRArs OrrioE,
WAsHiEoToH, Mar ,, 1910.
SR ! am instructed to inform you that the Prcii.
dent Of the United States has directed Board Of
Officers, to be cOmposed Of Big General J r. Wool,
Inspector General, Lieutenant Colonel ]. Garland
Of 9Th nisntry, and r. =. Andrews, to assemble at
Btlrmore, Maryland on the 25h Of May, 1870 or |
as soon thereafter ne practicable, Tor the purpose o.
investigating certain allegations made against Major
r. w. Lendrum, COmmissary Of Subsistence and |
Capt s. u. Dusonbery, Assistant Qunttsmnste,, |
IN relation to the manner in which they have per |
formed their Optics in the Subsistence and quarter
masters Departments.
The ounrtsrmsster General and the Commis,,ry |
General Of Subsistence will furnish the u,uers con-
| timing the matters 10 10 Investigated. Payms,lor
| r.. y. Andrews will act as Recorder oTthe Hoard.
The Board will report the facts and their opinion,
for tho information Of the War Department.
am, sir, very prespectfully,
your Obedient servant
EDMUND SCtIRIvER,
Assistant Adjutaht General
To Brigadier Gen. JSo. f.. Wool. &c.
This. the reader will perceive, is not an order for
Court MARTIAL ora Court Of Inquiry, but II s an
order for Commission or BOmd OF OHice,s author
ized by no Law hot the will Of the President. Cov
bidd,H, indeed, bv the SPIRIT II not by the terms OF
the rules and articles Of war, established by law
On what ground let ~ NO NJ ipo,,,,. ,os. tht.