The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-06-23

he Total disbursements specie during the same period
So5oo9,oH 81, or more than ten times as much specie
received and thrown into Circulation bv the Treasnry
Department IN seventeen months by the present Secre
ay OF the Treasury than by all his predecessors together
from the organization OF the government down TO The
present period appears also that the amount of money
coined at the mint during the period of the present Sec
ary er table s. hereto annexed) from the LIST of March,
lSi5 up 10 the 3lst OF May, lSs, $50 5o76l9 or
thus adding American CON to circulation during
the three Years and three months of the present admins
ration of the Treasury Department than in the whole
period preceding OF thirty years. from 1892 1890
In December last, the Secretary OF the Treasury est
mated the accrulng revenue for the year ending on the
30th June next at 1874 900 900, from lands, customs
and miscellaneous sources; and the returns sufficient
ly complete 10 enable us now 10 say, that the whole
aggregate is more than realized The estimate of the
for duties thirtyone millions for this wear
under the present tariff founded minute details made
by the Secretary himse going into estimate of the
imports OF all the dutabe articles separately, under the
present tariff with the estimated duties calculated upon
them in detail This estimate made in performance
of duty devolved by law upon the Secretary himself
1t was peculiarly financial labor, and not ques.
uon OF cphenng out results already obtained, upon
which the committee bestow much labor and in regard
to which, as we have seen, they make many
We all know how much this estimate of the Secreta
ry was denounced by his opponents; all know how
much, when the tariff bill prepared by him was passed.
that derded, and the revenue under es,i
mated by the distinguished statesmen of the opposition
sum ranging from sixteen to twenty millions OF dol
lars and we how great has been their mistake and
how fully the estimate of the Secretary has been realized
We have seen, Also that whilst the preceding
reports of the Secretary of the Treasury many of them
containing complicated financial details prepared by him,
and not the tables of others, that could be
the Secretary in his present report if they exist
ed, are not at all errors of the Secretary, or for
which he is in any degree responsible; but errors in
the tables of distinct and independent officer of the gov
eminent which tables record evidence in court of
justice; which tables is not the duty OF the Secretary
TO prepare compare with the books, but which he is
gress. We have shown however, that, with the excep-
ton of the item OF $s,s94 being mere arthmetical
clerical error OF addition as to stock-no OF the Secre
rvs report but in the table signed and furnished him by
the Regser-not one OF the errors imputed by the COM
mee exists, except that to outstanding notes before
stated in the table of the Register, first ascertaned
not by the committee, but during the extreme illness Of
the Secretary in February last by Mr. Hunter one Of
the Committee of Finance of the Senate, communicated
to the Register, and acknowledged by him.
The committee then, after many months labor on
this single subject, and such heavy successive columns
of figures have not themselves discovered single
The Secretary has committed of the impu
ted to him by the committee, whilst the committee them
selves have committed no less than sixty-four errors
amounting to an aggregate exceeding thlrty-thee mil
lions of dollars. Notwithstanding their numerous mis-
takes, in justice to our brethren OF the committee, we
have doubt that their all uninteniona
and that they will be happy to see these errors committed
by them now set forth and corrected
We have SEEM by the report OF $780, the loss of more
than fifty per cent on the loans negotiated by the Secre
tay of the Treasury during the last of 1872 and
shown by the report of the Secretary of the Treasury
der date of January II, ls43 millions of the twenty years
per cent stock OF April 1912, were sold either at par
to the extent OF and threeq uarte millions OF dollars
at discount and loss of two and half per cent? and the
Secretary concluded his communication by the following
remarks
"The repeated failures incurred in negotiating home
upol advantageous or credabe terms, suggested the poll
of sending agent abroad for the purpose of endeavo
continent, Accordingly, gentleman of the highest consd
GRAFTON for intelligence and integrity was selected for this
purpose and left the United States in July last regret to
communicate that he has since returned without
plshng the object Of his mission"
How great the contrast now We do not allude to
these negotiations either during the of 1912 in
1912, with view to any reproach but the
committee seemed, at least BY implication, TO assa the
financial ability of the present Secretary of the Treasury
by mpuling to him real alleged in the cpherng
contained in certain tables of other officers of the govern
ment, we have thought it just to submit these compare
tive views OF the operations of the treasury during the
war OF 1912, in S42 and during the Mexican war, the
consideration OF the House of Representatives.
We have stated thai not single error, charged by
the the Committee has been committed By the Secretary
Secretary but an error IN this table furnished and sub
scribed by the Register Although, in law the Register
these tables yet this table G, in which this clerical error
is found. was in fact prepared by able and eminent
chief clerk IN his Office whose duty it has been for many
years to prepare these tables and who, for more than
thirty years, under every successive administration has
been retained IN office in consequence of his integrity,
ldehty, industry, and capacity. We speak the more
whom; IN TACT this error was committed now is and al
ways has been member of the political party opposed
mai OF which we and the present Secretary are members
Thus It results, that the only in table G. as to
stock and outstanding notes, and enormously i'm
puted to the Secretary, is in fact error committed
Dy clerk OF Their own party in the table prepared by
him Tor the Register of the Treasury 1t is true this
able is signed by the Register but the error was in fact
committed by the chief clerk before stated And here for
The reasons hereafter stated are of opinion that no
can Justly attach either the Register to the chief
clerk, or to any other person. The Register is most
able and faithful officer, distinguished for his integrity
SKILL and ability In managing, comptroller for many
fhn hnan nnIac conptc
Of the State of Tennessee
1t will be perceived, reference to the report OF the
Secretary that there thirty two tables dated the Of
December, 1S47 and between that date and the Sh OF
December, 1871 embracing complete view from the
)rds OF the Treasury of commerce and finances from
1889 to the LIST OF December lsf7 and covering an aggre
gate amount OF thousands of millions of dollars When
we look at these numerous tables and vast amounts
consolidated on the 1st of December last and few
single error had been committed especially when we look
It the official acts and reports of the Treasury prior
ne th OF March, 1885, when far greater and more mpor
amt errors In such reports of preceding Secretaries have
been discovered and made known to Congress On this
occasion, however, deem it due to truth and the
Register OF the Treasury, also to his chief clerk,
say tha on TINS occasion they requested by the Sec
etay OF the Treasury bring the tables down to the s
d December lS47, instead of the LIST of October, he
abor was imposed upon the Register and his clerks,
and causing them to bring their accounts down to
few days before the meeting of Congress, and down
also to the lst OF December the middle of quarter
when, IN fact, the accounts settled quarterly the
books OF the Register. This duty the Register and his
clerks labored night and day to perform; and the same
circumstances devoved also amount of labor upon
n Snnr TraDa.. e