Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-05-10

- mo renort in personal interview, than IN Nasty
oorresoondence You do not speak OF such an "''e.
- - matter desired by you at this Tune, ana your
| vac" 20 that anbect leaves me to infer that you
A. "a, consider il necessary on your own part ou''
am mistaken in this inference, SHOULD oe 'noS'
mv 10 be corrected. You are pleased 10 express TIE
Information Of much pleasure and iniorna,ion W Pc
~ NV report when it shall be printed: out your
a ? on continually occupied during the day, that
con snop,s the idea oftakng II with you IN your cha
bar ri NIGHT / hope you may mol De disappointed ~
The estimate you place on the value oil this documtn.
II will cover the whole ground oi our e3ai'"at,ou'
I 40 s,;II ,rcya at the New York custom house. ana
.h;ch in nv Judgment, ought TO be reformed but
cannot atter myself that The dement's resulting iro
| tbese abors will correspond with the hopes "hch
| entertained in the commencement. causes nave
snrunr up we'll calculated 10 dampen my
Irhsn I undertook the arduous and delicate duties Oh
ves,rating the official conduct OF the oilicers OF Tue
customs at the port oil New York; but Whatever can oe
done 10 bring these matters fairly before the uoVerh
ian, and people Of this country, shall be iearessy ana
n;,hcIIv attempted in closing my connection with the
commission which you instituted Tor the purpose
These causes would greatly prefer explaining to you
yoieIv rather than be compelled 10 bring them before
The public gaze. The alternative IS uhoer your con.
,, and will he conformed TO your wishes, when mace
known. So :; ,,o,;on ond
ho b,en fDr some time in relation to your (my) nVes
,oaon and that resolution IS before you, au"pteu
bv the House of Representatives, on that supJec' au
,Is,eorc are pleased learn that my report WIZ ne
annlo,ed in two or three days. The resolution OF
which YOU speak has relation to my proceedngso OF
of The other commissioners, as no call IS maze Tor
The evidence, but simply for the power under Whcn
the commission was created and the expenses a''eho
inn Il and the fund out of which they have oeeh
Maid The answer to this resolution must OF course
he confined to the call, and will mol embrace my eP
or that ofmy colleagues the evidence taken oy 'e
commissioners When these shall be called or' anl
l ,all 10
before the commission at any moment am aware
that msrepresenations, Intentionally made 10 m'seaa
Won have emanated from the guilty custom house OH.
GERS and their accomplIces, and Tear that, 10
extent they have been successful ms aeePy -.
oret because harmony between the appointing power
and The agent is indispensable TO give effect TO Inc IN
vasoatioos when they shall be communicated TO Con-
sress, and through that body TO the public
"You must be sensible that, without union oil action
no beneficial result can be expected from any dsclo
.n,es made under the commission, of corruption in
The collection and pecuaton the public revenue re-
ceiyed at the custom house IN New iork, "heie Two
thirds of the imposts Of the country are coecea lou
cannot expect that those who hold ONCE ana WHOSE
conduct will form the subject oil investigation, VIII
deal canddly with you in their representations oil
that conduct, or speak favorably of any commission
er whom they cannot bend TO their own purposes;
Fidelity in the agent TO examine INTO Their oihc'ai
acts is the worst crime, in their estimation when such
agent could commit But, however it may be in their
power TO bring to their aid the influences winch over
shadow my own cannot be deferred from Tue 'hoc'
pc ndent attitude which have occupied and shall con-
,nue 10 occupy in placing their conduct IN bold reie'
before the Government and country, whatever may be
the responsibility personal injury when may incur
4 in The performance OF this high duty
i "The idea that have unnecessarily delayed areport
TO the Secretary Of the Treasury by any one OF lhe
OF the commissioners, utterly fallacious ana
ed which am ready to verify, and shall verify, "heh
it may become proper to do So find IN letter writ
ten from this city, by correspondent oil newspaper
in n York who is not unknown to you, the following
| paragraph:
"Oid poins is expected here in day or two; and
then we shall learn something about the custom house
investigation Mr.. Steuart has been anxious TO make
his eport but Mr. Pondexter had The books and papers
in New York
Ths suteme is utterly false, come from what quar-
ter may have never, at any time since the comIs-
sion opened in New York, had possession OF single
original paper appertanIng to the proceedings OF the
board for one single moment, otherwise than as had
right of access 10 them in the hands OF the secretary
OF the board
nssioners fore Messs Steuart and Bradley lett New
York which placed all the books, papers, and records
a Of the commission in the custody of T. L. Ihruston
and George Wood Secretaries to be delivered at the
Treasury Department to the commissioners Tins or
was executed and the only hooks and papers in my
possession al New York were copies OF the Originals,
which were safely delivered at the department The
paragraph Of the letter above quoted IS "anton Vo-
n
eyery thing else which has appeared IN that PRINT COM
inc through the same channel. have had no other
object in view from the commencement OF inns inVes
tigation down to the present time, than The pubic IN
teress and your fame the Chief Magistrate OF Inc ma
tion have made great personal sacrhces, both Of
feeling and interest in the discharge of my duties
The ensation has fallen short Of my actual expen
dtures and my business in the West has suffered 10
an extent which cannot now estimate with any de-
, gree of accuracy. But all this should SET down as
LIZ in
kennel of corruption and fraud, the New York custom
..To accomplish this object thoroughly the Govern.
ment would be the gainer IT were done at the COST Of
half million of dollars. But, confess, looking at
PASSING vents my mind despairs Of reaching consum
nation so devoutly TO be wished. II is not my inten
lion 10 press this correspondence further by asking any
repv to this communication. | should not have
written line to you on The SUBJECT had you invited me
TO personal conference in relation TO IT, ii IS, now
ever due to myself and TO you, that your mind should
in some form or other be dsahused of the volume oil
premedita,ed falsehood which know has been commu-
nicated to you to withdraw from me that confidence
which has so long subsisted between US, and there.
nv defeat the great ends for which you caused the
. commission of investigation TO be instituted. | will
add because it is strictly true there is not in e1-
sten nee man sincerely and disinteresedly your
friend than myself do not deal in deceitful haery
10 recommend myself any favor in your gift; for
seek none and have sought none at your hands; but
when all the devices put in requIston by such men as
. Curtis and Webster TO destroy me in your estimation
shall be detected and exposed, you will find that there
is more value in unpleasant TRUTHS than in receptions
: pracsed under the guse of friendship, which never
fail to end in cruel disappointment.
IS "Accept assurances of my high respect and conside
n ration, GEO. PoiNDExTER.'
- Letter from the President to Cor Poindcrter.
lei uWAsHISGToS, February ii, ls42
" "Dear Sir: must express my surprise at some OF
the remarks contained yours yesterday; espe
IS cay the npprehensons you express that official har
mony between the appointing power and the agent
;, myself and you) may have suffered interruption
q through representations made TO me by guilty custom
y house officers and other accomplices. leave the re-
y mark without comment.
aNor | do less than express my regret that you
n have found it necessary to couple the name of Mr
8 Webster with conspiracy to destroy you in my est
: nation; procedure which, it have existence in any