The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-04-23

10 pursue Wuos0scf ~, euu ~ss'~" " 49,
dice tho public lnind against an dual who only
asks TO be heard upon the charge specifications
which il 10 said have been prefsJ ainst him, but
which hs has never yet .sen. %
proceed to disabuse the publ 1nind in regard to
'As ca.... i. The .1-so,l.so. 60 H.rasn) pur-
sued course which no hsasss pinistia alton could
sanction. 49,
Specification l. lnasmuch q having failed to pro-
cure sureties upon his official bond he proposed to
subordinate officers in the custom. To furnish him
surstes on his bond a condition of their being
retained in Office. This their oaths forbade them TO
accept. (Quey-whereinO
Answer. This have fully explained to tho Score
tsry ofthe Treasury. did require Of the then acting
deputy collector who in fact the cashier either to
put his name my bond or to give bond for the
faithful performance OF his duties the condition OF
his being continued in tho office. Both Of which he
having refused to do, removed him from Office.
| Specification 2. Ins.much as he then proposed 10
individual to give him Office, upon the condition OF
his procuring for him a surety on his bond to the
amount oftiO,OOO. This wa. rejected.
Answer. This is wholly untrue. An individual
did write letter TO (Which is now in my posses
sion) offering be my security for $40, 900 i'll would
appoint him an inspector, ,oAich rejected
Charge =. Pursuing course unusual and unheard-
of in our Government, and one well calculated To
infuse corruption into Office.
Specification Inasmuch he, soon after his intro
duetion into office, conferred appointments upon the
uncle and the nephew, and retained in Office the bro
ther Of one Of his suretes, and lastly without any
hesitation conferred Office upon two Of his suretes
themselves thereby con,ravening the very spirit and
object of the law which places each officer under the
control of the collector
Ii is sufficient answer to this, that my appoint
ments approved by the Secretary of the Treasu
ry, and if judged to be wrong by the present Secre
,ary, would have been readily corrected, for was
unconscious of having done wrong.
Charge g. lie was uniathful to the party to which
thisD
| Specification lnasmuch as in order to consummatt
his arrangements, he removed from Office severa
consistent Democrats, and retained and placed in
Office of the bitter and Objectionable Clay
men.
Answer. 1t could not be expected that would hus
to my bosom those who were aiming daggers at 1t
This was explained to the Democratic members from
Georgia, and, according to their letters in M
possession, justified by them But this also could
would have been rectifed immediately If thought Il
he wrong by the administration
Charge 4. That he was laboring under a dis
qualification for Office at the time Of his appointment
TO the collectorshp.
: Specification. lnasmuch as he, General Edwart
Harden, being marshal Of the district Of Georgia
was as appears record in the State Department
defaulter to the Government at the time he wa
appointed collector of the district Of Savannah.
Answer. This is abuse and foul calumny. wa
appointed collector whilst acting IT, s. Marshal ant
could not be defauter before my accounts were ad
jus,ed.
As TO the alleged insufciency of my official bond
all that have to say, that received the sanction
of the proper officer in Savannah, was approved b,
the President, and Afterwards, upon inquiry, proved
to be entirely sufficient; but have always stoot
ready to strengthen it if required.
EDWARD HARDEN.
Washington, April % l845.