The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-01-19
THE UNION.

financial statements and tables are brought down 10 the
LIST day OF December. few days preceding the date OF
the report.
The table B. from which Mr. Barclay failed to trans
Ter The sum omitted, is dated the Isl OF December;
and when II IS considered, will appear by refer
ence to the report, that, in addition to many pa
pers accompanying IT, preceding IN date the lst OF De-
cember there than forty OF that and OF subse
quent date idea may be formed of the labor attend
ing the preparation of the report and especially between
the LIST and sth OF December, when the error was made
by br Barclay and due 10 him to say that no other
error can be found in the report or tables, and that
II is the hrst known omission made by hun.
from his youth upwards during period OF more than
forty years OF most useful, arduous, and uninterrupted
abors In the Treasury
Under these circumstances the confidence OF the de-
partment and OF all its officers IN Mr.. Barclay remains
mistaken as well as regards his high moral worth and
great experience, accuracy and knowledge OF all the
financial operations OF this department
II IS matter OF congratulahon IN this case that the
omission is OF credit given table Is, communicated
with the report Congress- and which, therefore, they
must have ascertained the report and tables
printed and laid before them-the omission being
mere failure by Mr. Barclay to transfer the sum omitted
from the table referred TO, and accompanying the imam
cla statement, into the corresponding column OF the Il
nanca statement prepared by HIM for the Secretary IRON
that table The insertion OF this sum IN those columns
OF the financial statement, where 1t should have been
placed, would have increased the receipts and means OF
the Treasury, shown by Mr. Barclay, $69l5,O7S,
TO a sum exceeding twelve millions of dollars.
The amount OF labor performed by the head OF the de-
partmen from time in October till the Sth OF De,
cember, IN the preparation OF the annual report dS wei
by the several officers and clerks OF the Treasury,
is unprecedented in the history OF the department.
1t being the first time when complete review was at
tempted Of the operation of financial system through
period embracing the existence OF the government
and brought down complete TO the first OF December pre-
cedng the date of the report During this period, IRON
labor night and day. several OF the officers OF the
department subjected to attacks OF Illness but none
the Secretary himself. He was attacked
about the last of November and remained under medical
treatment until the report was signed and transmitted to
Congress, when by increased Illness his physical powers
became so entirely Frustrated that he was compelled
TO renqush the performance of his Official duties and is
still unable to resume them. This omission took place
but few days before the report was communicated to
Congress, and when the Secretary suffering great
by Mr.. Barclay it will appear very similar to another
actually inserted at the place in the financial
statement both being Qhe inserted well as the one
omlted) 'irom avals OF treasury notes and loans,'
and both for a sum of between six and seven mil
lions of dollars-the in table G., accompanying
the report which is inserted properly and the other
in table b. which was, as above stated, lnadver-
tenty omitted otherwise, notwithstanding the illness
of the Secretary when he examined the financial
statement and read il over as well as the report to the
proper officers and clerks in the department, with view
to comparison and to insure accuracy IN the financial
statement and report the error must have been discover
ed Blu. any discovery of the omission, either by the
Secretary or by any of those cooperating with him. and
anxious to secure correct statements in every parlcu-
lar, prevented partly by the confusion arising from
the great resemblance between the item omitted in table
TO that properly inserted from table G partly by tho
well mered confidence stil unabated) in the accuacyof
Mr. Barclay, so well justified by more than forty years
of useful abors in the Treasury and partly by the
illness of the Secretary HIMSELF at the date of the final
comparison; but still more from the exhaustion OF Mr.:
Barclay by his long continued and ncessant labors and
his consequent absence the date of the final COMPARE
SON. otherwise is not doubted but that he would have
observed the in his own statement and that it
would have been corrected before the report signed
and transmitted to Congress-
In looking the pursued by the distinguish
ed predecessors OF the present Secretary in this Depart
ment, when an committed by them in any OF
their reports, the best practice to communicate it
fully and frankly to both houses of Congress and
those best presidents and examples now adopted.
Whilst ii is deeply 10 be regretted that any error was
commted-ahough in this omission to trans
fer from statement to another the sum in question,
and although that omitted in the statement was
communicated to Congress in the accompanying table
referred to in that statement, and therefore must
have been observed the report and Ia
bles prntedyet is matter OF congratulation to
every friend of beloved country, and OF every MEM
Der of both houses of Congress- that the thus omitted
be transferred from the statement to the other d
mnshes omuch the apparent of the govern
ment, and enables to reduce the loan requested to
sum not exceeding twelve millions of dollars.
am very respectfully your obedient servant,
McCLINTOCK YOUNG,
Acting Secretary of the Treasury.
To the Hon. r. c. WINTHROP,
Speaker OF the House of Representatives.