The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-09-03
To the Editor.

Senator elect, New Mexico.
| To shs Editor.
WASHINGTON CRY, August 80, 1850.
SIR: The New York Tribune of Saturday last,
oath instant, contained communication from cores
pondent in this city, disappearing the accounts which
have presented at the department for settlement. as
late United States attorney for Louisiana, and treating
them with opprobrious language intended to prejudice
the public mind against the validity OF my claims. ad-
dressed letter at to the Tribune, setting them right
the facts but its conductors have seen M not to give
my letter insertion am informed that the Islander
statements Of the Tribune have gone the rounds OF
the @ u s nave ssea Oua oae o.
tanning editorial article, which will be found below
addressed the conductors OF that print, also requesting
them TO inform OF their meaning for the paragraph
though bearing sufficient resemblance 10 my to be
injurious to not precise and SPECIFIC as that OF
the correspondent OF the Tribune The Sun has not seen
fit to reply my letter, copy OF which is now given:
| WASHINGTON Cry, August %, 1850
GENTLEMEN. have Just in your paper of yesterday
the following paragraph under the editorial head VIZ;
"A G1rmS TO % general 's houls
States for services &c amounting TO $6OOOO Mr. Whit
with the exception ola single item for small sum, which
being unsatisfactory the claimant an appeal was taken
of the case confirmed the decision Of Nj. Whtesey as
far he went, and rejected even The solitary Item that
the whole subjecmaer dispute TO the then Attorney
General for his opinion Mr. Johnson had not decided the
| This article seems the claims which am
prosecuting for services late attorney OF the Uni
attorney general and though ali the aIssarons are false
yet there is such resemblance as to cause me
you will do the favor TO give me answer to these
First DO you mean, in the above article refer the
for professional services as late attorney OF the
1e.sned @ .s,em s a. the here
Second DO you mean by styling my aeeGan daPetn
which one, is interested in them Z
Third Or do you mean. by styling my accounts a Gal
with the intent of procuring money to be paid me which
| is not legally due
three questions you will much oblge your very obedient
| servant
Late United States Attorney for louisiana
| Editors OF the baltimore Sun.
cannot remain silent while these caumnes are cir.
cuated against am perfectly willing that my &C
counts should be criticised IN the public press but let
/ the facts be stated as they are
/ When removed from office by General Taylor, l re.
paired to this city, in july ls49. TO effect settlement OF
my official accounts These contained item founded
any principle Of compensation, but only such az had
been constantly allowed al the Treasury Department
The mode OF paymen, claimed bad been first established
by Mr. Spencer, former Secretary OF the Treasury IN
favor OF Justin Butterfeld then district attorney of lli
nois, and Commissioner OF the General Land Office
and MIR Spcncsrs judgment was sustained ~ an official
opinion OF c. b. Penrose then Solicitor OF the Treasury,
and by the concurrence OF J. w McCulloh. then Comp
oller These opinions as TO the proper mode oil pay
lnent were subsequently confirmed BY the onhcai DE.
csions of John Mason, Attorney General and OF Seth
Barton Solicitor given in the case OF one oil my prede-
cessos, Bsie Peyon and have since been held at
the department TO be the construction Of the law In
regard to the compensation OF district attorneys Accord
ngy, the accounts OF my immediate predecessor Senator
Downs, and my accounts Tor two years service end
ing July lStS adjusted these decisions, and
Bale Peyton received in pursuance Of them nearly h
thousand dollars (see warrant No l0O4s3, Register
OF the Treasurys oice after General Taylors admins
iration came into power being some old claims for OH
cal services remaining unadIusted Up TO that time The
construction Of the Law he'd good. Shortly after, when
othe Compolers office who possessed not the spirit 10
do SIMPLE justice political adversary tie not only re-
fused 10 abide by the construction OF the law above al
uded TO- and rejected all my claims founded upon IT, but
went further and declined to pay balance which
had been adjusted in my favor BY his predecessor,
McCulloh-thus irampng al once on common usuce and
on plain law, laid down III the noted decision oil Inc
Supreme Cou Of the United States in the case OF the
Bank OF the Metropolis HIS report to tins effect REJECT
ing all my claims, was made 10 Mr. Ewing, Then Secfe-
ary OF the Interior who made decision on ~, but re-
ered the legal questions involved 10 the Attorney Zen
era then Mr. Johnson. for his opinion THIS reference
sa ~ Ishnson ever a al he case While
he in Office though he promised my friends and my
self more than hundred times, and IN The most solemn
manner give the earliest attention But oil this out
ageous and oppressive delay rs not my present purpose
TO speak in the terms OF It's desert.
During all this time, though sorey vexed asd outraged,
have had no disposition to obrude my business upon
pablo attention But after beng delay ed Tor thirteen
months, and when my business has Just reached the
hands OF the gentleman recently called to the olce oil
Attorney General. suddenly find my accounts misrepre.
sented my claims aspersed and my motives and cbarac-
ter illuminated through the northern press by such
;cles the above given from the Baltimore Sun. In
replying this one, reply to all OF them They have
been transmitted from Washington, and have doubt
emanated FROM the First Compuollers office. Their
originator here and their dissemnaors elsewhere treat
in the style
Calling my accounts ga Gaphin claim" may imply
either hat some member of the cabinet is interested IN
them pecunary that they made ont with the vie
OF deirauding The treasury. In the first sense the charge
simply ridiculous and the honorable character OF each
member of the present cabinet will at once stamp false
hood on such an accusaion without any formal contra
dcon from me- But If by calling my accounts "a Cal
ohm clam il intended 10 assert that they are traudu
lent the charge not only mpugns my probity but IS
foul asperson upon judges and clerks Of the United
States courts in New Orleans, who have officially sane
TONED them as also upon the Of those gentlemen,
nv honorable colleagues OF the New Orleans bar, who
have certified them be reasonable aod proper names
any one Of which would outweigh the entire horde OF my
slanderers Did then, permit snch charge 10 pass M
conadc,ed, should be unworthy TO mix with Honorable
men and now pronounce the Official originator OF thus
charge in Washington, and s dssemi1aiore elsewhere,
to be calumniaors and villains who have the bascness 10
propagate le but destitute OF the maniness TO cor
rect an error.