Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1849-08-24
RIG III MOND, VA.
Friday Morning, August Oath, 1S49,
The DeRbu Case Again.


ment, III default for the very large of money here
stated MIR Denbys bond is understood to be inadequate
the payment of any considerable part of this amount
and OF course the public treasury must sustain heavy
loss
The Washington Union, feeling that some explanation
the part of the late administration, is demanded as to
the manner in which this loss about notwithstand
ing the greatly Wanted safety OF the SubTreasury law
makes an effort evade the pinch Of the difficulty by
bristlng up and assuming that the Republic has been
stgated by members of the present Cabinet make its
structures upon Mr. Denby case and asking that paper
or its employers and masters dare to charge elae Sc
cretares of the Navy and Treasury with any criminal i'm
proprietes The Republic replies at length, and in
The course of its article, says:
"The Union intnates that the facts OF this have
been furnished by the Cabinet 1t gives pleasure to
be able to say that we have never exchanged word
the subject OF Mr. Denbys deacstion with either the Sc
creary of the Navy or the Secretary OF the Treasury
We have had occasion to trouble any member OF the
Cabinet tor information on the subject
And speaking to the Unions nterrogatones what
it dares to charge the Republic says
"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 torn OF putting them, admit that
have as yet made such allegations
But since the Union has dared us to charge variety OF
matter that we have not yet charged and shall charge
t the Opposition throw little more light the subject
by the production OF the rest OF their witnesses we will
make I'D few issues for consideration of the parties
interest," which to be material to proper understand
ing Of the
/, We aver that from September, ls45, to September
1885, n. DENLY, temporary naval agent OF the United
States at Marsees, had balance OF In his hands,
and that during the whole period he did not pay single
dollar for any vessel in the Mediterranean Mr. Mason
commences his annual report OF 1916, by statngthat
since the last annual report naval force has been
maintained in the Mediterranean
II. We that in his account of September, 1S47
Mr. DENLY admits that he had received, during the year
previous 100000 in addition to the unexpended balance;
and that up May, ls4s the amount OF his payments
the Mediterranean squadron on Pursers acquisitions was
$40 000leavng in his hands balance, on May iS4S,
OF 500 600.
Ill We aver that in October ls4s MIR DENLY asknow-
lodged the receipt of 100000 two drafts Of $4,000
eacn, noting his account against them both 1ohich
9ecelUed no adUace Of" We that from May to No
vembe period Of months, no farther payments were
made OF the Mediterranean squadron by Mr.
DENLY, excepting Pursers draft OF 500 francs. We al
ege that Mr. Denbys account OF November /, lS4S, ad
mits balance due the United States Of $l54,S72 5s 1t
Is admitted that, far NJ. DENLY is concerned, this
amount is total loss to the government
Nov, should like to know how it happened that, at
period when Mr. Denby had an unexpended balance of
$4,000 in his hands, further sum OF 100000 was placed
in the hands OF his agent Mr. Osborne to be hazarded in
commercial speculatonsl How did happen that Mr..
DENLY had advice that this 100000 had been placed
in the hands Of Mr. Osbonel 1t does that Mr.
Denly, alter ALL who has been made the dupe in this
matter"
The Union, as readers know, has gravey asserted
that Mr.. DENLY is "no deauer" In support OF this IA
Qed strives 10 put Dtuuy Oh lOoIt
the Barngs Of London and other large banking houses
who may be employed disburse large sums for 60
vemment at foreign stations. the Earrings to fail,
1.-THE argument runs the government would lose It's money!
but nobody would them OF being defauers because
they ageed to become dsbursers only that they might
have the of the money; and, therefore, Mr.. DENLY
having received it auth the understanding, is not
guilty OF any official breach OF trust by reason OF his ina
blity to pay. Now, far as Mr.. DENLY personally is
concerned prepared admit the full force OF this
reasoning, and to say that if the government really gave
him the liberty of using, oaning investing the public
money committed to his care, the government is much
blame for its loss than he and this is precisely
the point which the Wing press has aimed from the be-
ginning We wish the people to understand fully the fact
that in all the foreign OF the government the
SubTreasury law was, under the late Administration,
dead letter. that the public funds transmitted
the disbursng officers without any regard the require
of the law as to the mode OF transmssion that
when they received they used in trade by per-
mission of the government itself; and that Mr. Denbys
defacaon of $155 600 is the legitimate result of this de-
parture from the law.
In order convince every reader that do not state
too strongly the facts authortatvey developed by the
friends OF the late administration, copy the following
queries propounded by the Union to the Republic:
"Have not adequate been before drawn from the
treasury Dy the NeaQS OF lDe NAVY department before
Judge Mason entered upon its administration and placed
at the disposal OF the agents OF the government, for the
payment OF the squadrons in the Mediterranean and else
where on foreign stations Is not that practice pur
sued by the present Secretary of the Navy Are not
foreign ministers paid in the same way Are not large
sums drawn from the treasury and paid to the Bar
ngs whoever else may be the agents OF the government
for that purpose? Are not these used in their PR
cate business, and if they should ta aooutd not the
government lose By them Is there any other way by
which the foreign disbursements OF the government can be
conveniently made Z"
We informed what may be the practice of
the present Cabnetin these matters. We say how
far they may have thought by the prac
fce of their predecessors following their construction of
their Sub Treasury law But certain we are that the
administration of Gen. Taylor will not suffer the first
son othe Congress pass by without laying before
full exposition OF the which this law has
been disregarded by contrvers only in foreign
but in domestic, transactions and demanding at least
such notifications Of the ridiculous system as will make
possible carry without mourning the penalty Of
the pententiary For ourselves, believe the Cabinet
would wisely the law, strictly according
its meaning, without regard any inconvenience that
might ensue.
We ask the reader to note well the Unions admission
that under the late administration the moneys committed
10 agents abroad known to be "uSed IN their
private business" Farther on it quotes what it calls
udicous article from the Pennsylvania upon the DENLY
case by which, it says, will appear that "for long
series OF years. has been the Of the
advance large to its agents for paying the squad
ron in the Mediterranean (the Pitches and that from
August 49, 1886, january e43, balances ranging from
Sl44O00 to $22800O permitted remain in their
hands. If those agents had failed. the government
would have lost those balances. Every intelligent man
knows that while laws reach and punish persons
residing in jurisdiction who violate them, they
nnotreach and punish offences committed other
tres that the government send its funds abroad
pay its dues abroad and that dongt ntrust it's
funds individuals and of course the risk OF loss"
The Alexandria Gazette makes all this conjecture
about the Ftches falling the phy reply, that they
fail and the money perfectly safe their hands
Moreover the SubTreasury law was enacted during Mr.
Folks administration while Mr. DENLY wasin office, and
the question is not what the government had been accus
heinre enacfment but what il called