The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-04-19

W VIC PdJihcHl vi ScitoiA SioA'ho ">AS
offered by Mr.. RICHARDSON, Of Illinois;
after which the House resolved itself into
Committee Of the Whole, and resumed
the consideration of the Presidents mes
sage in relation to California.
Congregational neutrality-suspicious. is
Denbys
The members Of the House of Repre-
sentatives seem to have been seized with
sudden passion for investigation. They
are smitten with an extraordinary desire
for inquiry into the pecuniary affairs of
the country, and for the general diffusion
of useful knowledge. 1t is surprising,
the spirit with which they have en-
gagged in this novel and interesting pur-
suit The first time, for many years, they
have become extremely mindful of the
public purse. This is a marvellously good
sign. The sentiment which induced it
deserves to be encouraged. We wish to
cherish and stimulate it, and to direct it
to some new objects. Let us reason to-
gether in the premises, and consider
whether or not this novel passion cannot
be turned into channels of public interest
and public good. We wish Mr.. SWEET
FER to take notice of our suggestions, and
to profit by them.
During the Administration of Mr.. Polk
there was navy agent at Marseilles by
the name of NATHANIEL DENLY. He was
a man ssknown" to the senior editor of
the Union, because he was one of the
elite of the distinguished Democrats of
Richmond. II became our painful duty
to announce, early in the last summer,
that this gentleman had proved defaulter
to the Government in the large sum of
1856, 900. The Union at the time was
not little indignant at this allegation
against so distinguished gentleman,
vouched for Mr.. DENBY on the strength
of personal acquaintance, and denounced
the Republic for its "precipitate and
illiberal libels." The Union introduced
the name of Mr.. OSBORNE, of Rich
mond, in the matter, who was described
as a gentleman of the same fashion with
Mr.. DENNY, believer in the resolutions
of '9S, and another of the elite of the dis
tinguished Democrats "known" at Rich
mond, and particularly to our venerable
contemporary. The story ran that Mr..
OsBoRNE was at the head of a commercial
house at Richmond, which was employed
to transmit the Government funds to
Mr.. Denny in France. Funds RENTED
to Marseilles by way of Richmond |!
The Richmond house made its consign-
ments to French house, and the French
house was ruined by the revolution, and
that ruined the Richmond elite who had
made consignments to them. The drafts
of the Richmond house were protested,
and Mr.. DESBY's drafts were protested.
The amount of the matter was, that
1856, 900 of the Government money were
put into the hands Of a Richmond house
to speculate upon. They invested them
in merchandise, and sent them to their
correspondents in France, making drafts
on their correspondents in Mr.. DENBY's
favor. The French house received the
goods, and protested the drafts and the
American Government were minus both
the goods and the funds. The Richmond
house was so entirely ruined, that they
could neither protect their drafts for the
Government money they had invested in
their commercial speculation, nor pay over
to Mr. DENBY the balance of the money
which they had not so invested.
The late Secretary Of the Navy knew
all these facts at the time of making his
last annual report. They were then
known, or ought to have been known, to
the late PRESIDENT. Neither the PREsI-
DENT nor the Secretary of the Navy made
any communication on the subject to the
last Congress; and all that the people
know is, that during the operation of the
Sub-treasury act, the treasury lost in
single instance $l55, 900 by defalcation,
and that anxious and inquiring Locofoco-
ism has not thought it worth while to ask
what has become Of the money--while it
is growing half crazy over the idea that
the Departments have been paying some
old debts, which the Attorney General
says they were bound by law to payl
Paying debts is crime that demands
investigation. The loss of $155, 900, by
the defalcation Of public officer, is a