The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-08-20

ment.
The late ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS conversion oi
Public Funds 10 private uses.
Scandalized at the silence of the ex-of-
fetal organ in regard to the loss Of the
Sl55,0O0, by the appropriation of public
funds to private uses, the Pennsylvania
has interposed in defence of the late ad-
ministration. This is one of the ablest OF
the Democratic journals of the country.
1t always says the best thing that is to be
said in defending its friends or assailing its
enemies. After taking due tine to con-
slider the case, and to elaborate its argu-
ments, with the aid of official documents
and accounts current, it comes up manful-
ly to the work. Meanwhile the Union
follows the advice which the Richmond
Enquirer once gave its friends, when it
intimated that they must ''keep dark''
about the Sub-treasury in Virginia. After
promising to illuminate the people on Mr..
DENBY's case, the Union "keeps dark. T"
That we may do full justice to the Penn
sylvanian, and all the parties concerned,
we copy the article to which we refer en-
tire. We will doas much by any article
of the Union relevant to the subject, and
assuming the character of defence. We
mean an article of reasonable length. We
would not, to be sure, publish an article
as long as Mr.. MAsoN's last report, unless
itcontained something about the $l55, 1000;
nor even an article as long as Mr.. PoLK's
last message, if it adhered to the state
ment that no money had been lost by the
Government even in making the most dis
tant transfers! But for the defence of the
Pennsylvania:
THE CASE OF MR. DENBY.-Whe the Wash
| ington Republic and other Wing papers are abus-
| ing Mr.. DENLY for the misfortune which has made
| him responsible to the government for loss of
Sl55, 900, without ever having received cent of
| the money himself; and while they are trying to
hold the late Secretary Of the Treasury Hon. John
Y. Mason, accountable for the failure of Mr.. Den
| by's agent, few facts connected with the agency
of Fitch d Brothers may be alluded TO for a
good purpose They were appointed agents for
that government in 1888, and held that place until
May, 1874; during all which time (the Harrison
| administration ntervenng) they disbursed immense
sums to our squadron in the Mediterranean, and
had in their possession, frequently, hundreds of
thousands Of dollars more than the amount they
had secured the government for MIR. Forward,
who was Secretary Of the Treasury under the
Wing administration of l84l, knew of this fact,
and reposed the fullest confidence in these agents
If the Republic will refer to the Senate document
392, il will find the Report of the Secretary of
the Treasury, dated June l4th, 1874, and will be
enabled to satisfy itself how far it's censures upon
Secretary Mason are deserved. In order to show
how former administrations and former Secretaries
of the Navy trusted their agents at Marsees we
give the following balances left in the hands of
Fitch, Brothers, g. Co., Mr. Denby's predecessors
for five years
Balance due u S. by Fitch, Brothers & Co.
August 10, 1886. ......... .s22o, 08S IS
July Is, 1897. ........-.... 2l9, SIP 90
| June IL, 1893 ....-..-... l2O,255 IL
| August /, 1912 ............ 2O3,536 80
January 6, lS43 ........... l44,56s 20
The agent at Marseilles could only realize a
compensation for his services upon the surplus
funds in his hands. Consequently, during the en-
tire Mexican war, when we had no national ships
IN the Mediterranean, Mr.. DENLY was in foreign
country without receiving dollar for his support
1 Less money was allowed to remain in the hands OF
his agent by the Secretary Of the Navy, than in
those Of Fitch d Brothers. and yet, though inno-
cent of all design to defraud the government, and
the recipient OF not a single cent Of the missing
funds, he is now assalled as a common felon by the
| Wings
We annex the first account current of Mr.. Den
| by, showing how the balance stood.