The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-09-22

This matter of peculation instances of which are
all the time getting developed by means Of the
vigilance exercised by the men selected by Gen.
Taylor to assist him in administering the laws, is
mighty sore subject 10 Locofocoism, in whatever
light it is viewed No wonder the office holders
cling TO power with such tenacity-no wonder
they fought desperately TO prevent the election
of Gen. Taylor They knew that the conceal
ment Of their depredations upon the treasury de-
pended upon the pcrpetuation of the Polk dynasty,
in the person of Cen Cass. We do not mean by
this that Gen. Csss or the distinguished men whom
he would have placed in office capable of cover
ing up fraud-althougt one of the great lights Of
Democracy, Mr.. Folks Secretary of the Navy, has
not yet been cleared of the suspicion of NAL fcas
ance in office in the case of DENLY. What we
intend 10 say is, that continuation of the dynasty
would have ensured the continuance i'm Office of
the men whose al disclosed their defacations.
Take Denby's case, for example He had been
defaultcr for many months The fact was known
TO the Secretary of the Navy at the time Mr.. Polk
made his last annual communication 10 Congress,
in which lac stated that under the operation Of the
Sub-trcasury law no losses had been incurred by
the Government in the collection, transfer and dis
burscment Of the public funds--and at that mo
ment DENLY was deiaulter 10 the amount of
S159 900. Moore, the marshal Of the southern
district, had been defaultcr for some time-so
had Collins, the collector at Cincinnati. How
long they might have gone on plundering, but for
their removal, occasioned by the change Of Ad-
minstration, IL is impossible 70 say. Nor can
predict the amount Of defalcstion yet undetccted,
TO be brought 10 light through the scrutiny Of the
honest men placed in Office by General TAYLOR.
II we reason from analogy, we must conclude the
sums lost by the Government 10 be very large. In
lS4l, the Wings got temporary possession of the
Executive branch Of the Government. For the
twelve preceding years Locofocosm had full and
uninterrupted sway. During those twelve years
the defauters numbered about three Dozen and the
amount Of which the treasury was defrauded was
three millions and between four and FIVE hundred
thousand dollars. The sums taken by the indi.
-. rt.l ssfsn nuD II
amount of swartwouts plumber, 70 $500, the
avails Of Trist's iniquty at New Orleans. In Ty-
ler's four years there was dcfalcation. Many of
the Office holders Wings, and the auditing and
accounting officers were upright and vigilant men.
The Treasury Department was admirably
aged during his term. This good luck ON his
part for he knew nothing about It's operations. In
the Indian bureau there was deal Of knavery
and if the Senate had not knocked of his norni-
nees for the War Department in the head, there
would have been deal more.
In Polk's four years we had Locofocoism unadul-
terated rampant and unmoested. Looofocoisin
now il the same malady that the country suffered
under during the twelve years when the stealings
amounted 20 three millions and half Up 10 the
prescnt time, only five defaulters have been de-
tected, and their aggregate plumber is about
100000. II the ofhce-holders robbed at the same
rate during Folks time as IN the former reign Of
Locofocoisrn this amount will be swelled 10 some
81 2pOOOO This leaves SSOO,O00 more to be found
out We have heard that at least this amount be-
longing 10 the Government yet remains 10 be
counted for in the hands Of land receivers and
other depositaries of the public moneys This may
be all honestly paid over, but the presumption Is
decidedly the other way
We refer TO this matter more frequently, and
more in detail than we otherwise should because
these latter losses already ascerained, and those
vet to be disclosed, have all occurred under the
sub-treasury law, financial scheme pronounced
perfect by all the organs Of Locdfocoism, big and
little, and especially adapted TO protect the trca
sury from losses of every nd.-Bufaio Express