The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-08-22
THE REPUBLIC.

II
Mr.. Secretary MAsoN's last report, and find
no mention whatever made of the loss OF
$780, 200, or any other sum. On this
we ask how Mr.. MASON can reconcile
with his public duty the omission to com
municate this fact to Congressi Then we
refer to Mr.. PoLK'S last annual message,
and discover that he told the people that
under the operation of this act no public
money had been lost in making ''the
most distant transfers." On this allega-
ton, we ask if Mr.. Polk was deceived in
this respect; and if SO, by whom, and for
what purpose3
The Union takes up these allegations
and interrogatories, and desires to be in
formed if we dare to make certain other
allegations in respect TO Mr. MASON and
MIR. WALKER. The Union might just as
well have incorporated the decalogue in
its article, and have asked US if we dued
to say that Mr.. MASON had stolen, or that
MIR. WALKER had borne false witness
against his neighbor, or that either of them
had coveted his neighbours wife, or his OK,
or his ASST When we make any such
charges it will be time enough to ask if we
dare to make them. The questions that
the Union puts, and the form of putting
them, admit that we have as yet made no
such allegations.
But since the Union has dared us to
charge variety of matter that we have
not yet charged, and shall no. charge till
the Opposition throw little more light on
the subject by the production Of the rest
; of their witnesses, we will make up few
issues for the consideration of the parties
in interest, which seem to be material to
proper understanding of the case.
5 |. We aver that from September, 1845,
to September, 1916, N. DENLY, temporary
naval agent of the United States at Mar
settles, had balance of $4,000 in his
hands, and that during the whole period
he did not pay single dollar for any yes
sci in the Mediterranean. Mr.. MASON
commences his annual report of 1916, by
statng-that "since the last annual report
no naval force has been maintained in the
Mediterranean.
III. We aver that in his account of Sep
TENDER, lS47, Mr.. DENNY admits that he
had received, during the year previous,
100000 in addition to the unexpended
balance; and that up to May, l84S, the
amount of his payments to the Mediter-
ranean squadron, on purser's acquisitions,
was S76, O00-leaving in his hands bal
ance, on May 1, lS4S, Of $4,000.
iii. We aver that, in October, 1S4S,
Mr.. DENBY acknowledged the receipt of
100000 in two drafts of $50, 900 each,
noting on his account against them-"BoTH
WHICH RECEIVED NO ADVICE Of" We
aver that from May to November, pc
riod of six months, no farther payments
were made on account of the Mediterra-
mean squadron by Mr.. DENNY, excepting
purser's draft of 500 francs. We allege
r that Mr.. DENBY's account OF November
|, 1913, admits balance due the United
States of S154,S72 So. II is admitted
that, as far as Mr.. DENLY is concerned,
this amount is a total loss TO the Govern
ment.
Now, we should like to know how il
happened that, at a period when Mr.. DEN
BY had an unexpended balance of S63, 600
in his hands, further sum Of $4,000
was placed in the hands Of his agent, Mr..
OSBORNE, to be hazarded in commercial
+, speculations' How did it happen that Mr..
DENNY had no advice that this 500, Zoo
had been placed in the hands of Mr.. Os-
BoRNEl II does seem that il is Mr.. D. N
BY, after all, who has been made the dupe
, in this matter. Wrong as he was, in con
, niving at the employment of public funds
in commercial spcculations, was there not
some one still more deeply involved in
the iniquities of this transaction The
enormous sum of 500, 900 placed in Mr..
OsBoRNE's hands, and Mr.. DENNY no adj
vice Of il No advice from his agent
no advice from the Secretary Of the Ma
Wy ! Placed in Mr.. 0sBoRNE's hands to
be hazarded in commercial speculations,
and Mr.. DENNY not even informed that
such an advance had been made on his
account, nor Of the use to which il was
TO be applied; and this, too, when he had
in his hands an unexpended balance Of
S63,000l Surely il is a fraud on some
body TO give Mr. DENNY the credit Of iden-
tifying this defalcation with his name.
No greater fraud was practised on the dis
coverer Of the New World, by giving it, in
: his wrong, the name of America. Instead
Of the DENNY defaIcation, we shall call it
the S155,000, till we learn definitely to
whom the credit belongs. Would not it
be curious enough for such an explosion