The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1843-07-04
The Branch Mint.
CHARLOTTE, n. {. jane 10, lsi3.
70 me Editor of The Roitigh Register:

Mint AT this place, and to defend my repu- Il
tation against the malicious assaults OF n
few preludiced aud designing men, who d
have suddenly become the peculiar il'ends c
of the President, aud the seli-constIluIed
guardians Of the public interest
In July1s4I, | received commission
from President Tyler, reciting, &" That he
rcpesins special trust and confidence in my
integrity aud ability, had nominated, and
bv aud with the advice and consent oil the
Senate, had appointed me Superintendent
Of the Branch Mint ats Charlotte, North
Carolina" Wish appointment | accepted,
aud entered upon the duties Of that Office,
upon the 18Th OF August, with the fixed
and unallerable determination TO correct
the abuses and extrayagaucies that existed
IN that Institution, aud 10 carry out IN
practice, the patriotic pledges made by
our gallant party IN the political contest
Gf 1910.
In assuming the responsibilities oil OF.
fee, stood pledged, by the principles oil
the Wing party, TO drest myself OF the
character Of the Partisan politician, aud to
observe an honorable neutrality IN the po-
litcal scenes OF the day. was more fully
confirmed in the PropIIety OF this position,
by the declining condition in which | found
the Institution placed under my supeTyl-
sion, and which | believed had originated
in great measure, from the partisan
character given II by my predecessor 10
office. resolved 10 remove all cause of
compIaiat OF tins nature, by extending
courtesy 10 all, and 10 know 10 political
party IN nay official connection wita the
community.
By the act Of Congress, establishing
the Brach Mint, had the power 10 re-
move every individual here, IN the en-.
, plovmenl OF the Government, except the
Assayer and Conner and to have hl'ci
| their places with persons from my own poi
, liical party, bat n obedience 10 the prin-
cipes OF tha. party, ! enqmrcd not TOT
, their political opinions, but ior their abl'I
, " aud integrity and in justice TO them,
i must say that found no cause Of Jemoyal
. They were Democrats, but honest, caPa
bic and faithful. | was pressed by som,
. Of my political friends TO remove Mr. W
G +, STRANGE, the Clerk of my predecessor
/. and to give the appointment 10 some " hig
bu, | wa satisfied that re was a gentleman
t. OF sterling integrity possessing al, IN
o qualities of fine officer, aud | rciaIue'
: him as my confidential clerk, during m,
!. continuance 10 office. 1t Is true, ioun
{ one Wig ia the Office Of Porter or Door
keeper, AZ the annual salary Of two hun
bred and forty dollars, and believing Iha
r there was no law authorizing his appoint
o ment and that the public interest did 10
9 require his continuance, ! dismissed hir
d and abolished the Office.
,e NJ next effort was to remove the cnus
,e OF compliant, that was so general and ;
/; Justly maze, against The proiuse NAME
" IN which the public monies had bee
IF squandercd Icy my predecessor, upon oil
, lects that did not promote the public in,C
u rest, aud by rigid economy, to brn
II down the annual expenditures TO the SIN
II pie and Republican standard Of y. Car,
e Ina economy. How FAR | have succoc,
# ed ~ this, refer TO the records Of lh
o Mint and 10 the paper :, hereto anlexct
. which have caused 10 be made out b
II the Clerk Of the Mat, and IS a compau
tive statement, taken from the records
tie saa.r, Of the annual expenditures
the pubic monies appropriated By Cot
gress for this Mint, from It's commenc,
;, men, n 1887. to the end OF the year 81.
together with ,i.e value Of the Gold buIlic
received for coinage, each year respc,
lively and which presents in ju1lapos
ton, the administration of a Democrat
aud Wing Superintendent aud shows no
= far Wing promises and Wing praetic,
correspond. In drawing this compariSn,
e VII! take the year lsi6, which YOU wi
r observe IS tic last and chsGpsst year Of IN
Is predecessor, and the year 1872, (the onl
er whole year that have been honorcd vii
81 this trust.) In the year 1910, there ",
&c received for coinage Sl27, $50 Oh wort
y OF gold bullion, which costs the Cover
y meut 10 its coinage Sl3,s75 II; and
y the year l-i2, there WAS received for d
ae same purpose, Sl74,407 IL 10 value
10 gold bullion, that cost The Government
10 It's coinage SlI ,070 60, showing ihat
y the year $40, ihat the Mint did less bus
n ness BY Sf6,s2l 30, than IN the yea
81 l5i2, and spent two thousand eight bur
10 bred and four dollars aud thirry.one cent
u more money; and this too in the cheape,
u year OF Democratic superintendent. III
= most Of which you will observe, hy reie,
: ence to thls statement, has been saved Gu
y oftha, much abused item, in all appropria
ton bills, called Contingent Fund" Th
salaries Of the Officers aud clerk are IKE
by law the pay Of Iaborers by usage q
: the Mint, a, 50 much per day but the ex
: pendilures Of the contingent fund must ne
cessarly IN great measure, be Unite,
by the sound discretion Of the Supe rinlen
: dent, who IS responsible for all such eypen
= dltures Of this description in all the depar,
: rnents. In Angus, last, | put in operation
upon my individual responsibility alone, .
change in relation to tho service Of work
men employed, that brings down tina, item
Of expenditure, for the present yenr, seven
hundred and two dollars; and from the
entire SUCCESS of the exnariuan, IL NJ,