Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-12-30
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The discussion in the House of Representative
touching tho reference Of the Presidents Message
= is taking wide range. The subject matter imnc
diaely under consideration is the least Of all consd
cred, and by some speakers Is not adverted to a
all. Such rambling discussions arc characterize,
of this country; and probably they arc rs good a
any other-certainy they are generally the mos
interesting. Pablo speeches, however able the,
are, rarely produce any effect. Horace walpole
: who lived in the time OF Chatham, tho first Fox
Pulteny and host OF others of like celebrity sal,
he never heard hu, one speech, which had any cf
ieet-which convinced those who heard il of the or
ror OF their own cpinions-that was n speech @
Lord Mansfield, IN opposition to the uabcas Cor
pus. The noble author adds h. never knew tina
he himself was Staunch q friend 10 liberty. unit
he found that he was not staggered by that sp,ocl
a. every todY else were. Public speeches hev,
somewhat more effect now than in that dsy-bu
! only because they now printed and read
As a specimen Of the scattering character of IN,
debate, we copy in another column the speect
Of MIR. Arnold Of Tennessee. The sneaker doe,
not pause to consider the Tariff, but plunses in,e
the mifs, of the politics of the day twill be seer
that he is no special ajmircr of Mr. Tyler-wbos,
treachcry to the Party which elected him. he mr..
ralgns in terms Of vehement indis nation. The cir
cumstanoes attending that trcrchery are well c,leu
lated to excite feeliug-but that which in parteu,,,
provoked Mr.. Arnold was the impuden, speecb nj
Locotoco, Ossni.ins the Wings for the course o.
! Mr.. Tylcr's Administration. The prepos,crous
and mons,rcus injustice Of such charge was enoush
TO roll Siint and Mr.. Arnold who Law, no claim,
to the character of sanc;itv acted as man FIRED
! xvith met md
injurious imputaiion. lie gave way TO his feel.
irss, and spared neither tho seducers nor ,bo;-
victim.
/ In the course of his remarks, he refers 10 the
burning Of the Treasury and the Post O1,e bniid.
incs-always suspected to have been done 10 rom.
ccal frauds and dspredations upon the Treasury
and he wishes to know, il similar occurrences were
again to take place, if the Wings would be held re-
'ponsiblel IL wouldhe just and proper tina, they
should be nnsweTable for what they have no control
over! Ii with Loco Foco in the Presidential
Chair, and Loeos in the subordinate stations, il
would be in accordance with equity to hod the
Wings Omenable1 They had FIR, proof buildin,s
in Vans time, when the fires happened, and thew
have fire proof buildings now-There were Loco
Foeo Office holders then, and there arc Loco Foco
cfice-hO'ders now
As sernHne to this matter, we copy the following
from the Independent, TO indicate the rloriou, p,o
sress Of reform, and to advise the public of the
character of those, ION MIR wise's showing, ubo
still realm high and important stations in the Go.
vernment-and u enable the people TO determine.
vino are responsible for the conduct Of public affairs
From IA. Tndrpsr dent
WHO HAS DECEIVED THE PEOPLE
"~ho have then dsce we'd the peop!e2 C.rt,inlv
not President Tyler. The people were induced IN
give their support TO General Harrison and 10 him
because they were persuaded that certain reforms
IN the administration ofthe Government we're neces.
slry, and that these candidates for the highest Off
ces of the country, would honestly end enerse,caI
ly labor IN the prosecution Of them"
lhpiisouiin, l7th OF December, ls4I1
In the House of Representatives, January 10
1889, on motion Of Mr. Wise, u committee Of nine
were appointed to proceed to New York, to invest-
the dealcaiIons of certain public officers Tai,
report was drawn 40 by Mr. Wise and er,bodes
vast amount Of useful information in relation IN
the conduct of several of the officers now retained in
office by President Tyler IL is known fnI vel thai
Joseph y Barker was dismissed from office by Gen.
eral Harrison IN April hst.-lt Is also full well
known ,hnt he has been appointed by President
Tyler, FIRST COMPTROLLER.
From evidence adjuced before the Com, no;trsa ,h ~,
report the following facts as establish, d:
THAT the present Comptroller OF the Treasury
Joseph n Birker) mas been guilty Of cup,ble dis.
regard OF law and neglect of duty, in stating and
al
Samuel Swartwoui, Collector instead of having
Transmitted to him the vouchers therefJf required Nv
pn sItIve injunction oflaw.
'2 That the said Comptroller is also guilty Of
culpable disregard OF law and neg ect Of dury first
IN not having sought and ascertaIn-d from the sin
voices and Hppralsements" at the Custom Houss nj
New York, either through the Solicitor of the Trea
surY or other Vise the true amount of Swartwout,s
c iIm upon the S2Ol 900 retained by him on coiny
out OF office, suggested by the letter Of the District
Attorney that was before him. dated pril 25 ISIS
secondly, IN not causing the accounts of said
SwartwOut TO be forthwith stated, or such mean,
taken therefor Immediately on the neglect of s,id
SwnTtwou to return and settle his accounts al the
expiration of the time al owed him hy lny for lie
purpose, to wit, III the early part of July-IS3S:
thirdly, IN continuing the same neglect and TO issue
warrants OF dI-tress against said Suartwout and
rs suieies, from the 3lst OF August, 1888 when IL
appeared by the letter Of the First Auditor that .,id
accounts remained unsettled uuti the month of No
vember, when the detection of Swauwoups large
jesicaons was communicated from New York
SO. That the admlnI.tr4til of said ofi,e is
marked with such signal in,fficiency, a, well "a
neglect Of duty, to render nugatory many Of the
most important checks upon the First Auditor and
Collectors and Receivers Olthe pubic money, which
the laws creating and regulating It's duties con.m
| p ated, and have sufficiently proyidedp
- That IN sad dlsreg rd oiau ard neglect OF
duty by The said Comptroller, and .neihcieney of
, the office as nov ADMINISTERED, is to be found
| primary cause OF the immense dsraIcatons nj ,hs
II n
/ quently the loss OF the public money"
The foregoing is literal copy Of the report rs
made by Mr. Wise. The portrait the Comn,roller
| IS we'll drawn and his conduc, strongly reprnbsted
and this IS the officer continued IN power by Pres
! Ident Tyler. Is this the reflrm eontendej for IN
| lS4Ol See page 1903, yo'. 56, Niles Register
We will now examine the testimony as presented
| in this report.
Mr. Underwood, one Of the clerks in Mr. Jesse
MlcT's Otl:e, who Is the First Auditor deposed he.
| fore the committee 10 the following facts:
/ Mr. Underwood re- examined by Mr. Smith
/ Question D-ReefrDg to the act Of Congress
pissed March 81 49, entitled "an act 10 pr9viJs
for the prompt settlement Of public accounts - sec.
ton 4, which provides as follows:
/ "Ihat II shall he the duty Of the FIRST Auditor
to receive oil accounts accrulng IN the Treasury De.
pnriment and alter examination, to certify the bal.
dnce, aLd Transmit the accounts with the vouchers
and cert hcate' To the CJmptrocr for his decision
thereon"
"Plesse 10 state whether in pursuance Of said l,w
Mr. Swarlwou's quarterly accounts of bonds ,ksn
and pad have been Transmitted from the FRS, Audi.
tor Of the Treasury N the Comptroller of the Tre,-
sury, With tho Frst AUDITORS certificate thereon n,
any tne Tor any period between the fourth uu,r
roi lSj2nnd the present timer And If yea Sbeo
, and 70 what extent has t been done7
"Aoswsr-They have nor, out still remain in the
First Auditors Office "
Here Is positive proof that Tor SIX years Mr. Mil.
Ter suffered the accounts OF Swartwout 10 remain IN
his Office, without even taking the necessary stsn.
10 procure an investigation INTO their corrsctoess
surthor sustained by proof Of the most conco,ve
; char cter, int for four Ycars he permitted Mr.
i; Swauwout IN net as the Collector OF the port nj
Nov You'll gH kuftf rga rI.a.a