The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-10-02

The WING CONVENTION oi the CITY vi 1Ne"
Y ork ON Thursday evening nominated the fol-
lowing gentlemen as the Wing candidates for
Congress in the districts comprised in that city,
viz: JAMES BRooKs, J. H. HOBART HAws,
JOSEPH HoxIE, ROBERT G. CAMPBELL, and
JAMES Bowen. The two first mentioned are
at present members. The nominations are
very strong, and indicate the triumph OF the
Wings in the approaching elections
Mr.. Giddings and the Treasury Letter from
Mr.. Whittlcsey.
Senator MERlwETHER is not the only Oppo-
nent Of the Wings who delights TO dwell upon
the extravaganza of Wing administrations, and
the alleged expenditures Of General ScoTT.
The Democratic party has many MERI
wErHERs, and relies largely upon their services
for effect in the Presidential contest. MIR. Glib
p1NGs, of Ohio, is one of them. He is not quite
in such full fellowship with the party as the
Senator from Kentucky. but still he is working
to advance its objects to the best of his ability.
His declaration that as Freesoler his prefer.
ences were for the Democracy, has been stand
ing argument with the Democrats Of Ohio In
their maneuvring to secure Freesoll votes;
and he is now acting in strict accordance with
it by canvassng for re election to Congress as
Democratic Freesoiler, and by doing his ut
most to defeat General ScoTT. Mr.. GIDplNGs,
like Mr.. MERIwETHER, is too pure patriot to
tolerate a Wing candidate. Nothing but
Democratic administration can, in his judgment,
restore the finances of the country to their pris
tine purity.
Mr.. GIDDINGs is unfortunately allied to the
MERIwErHERs of Congress in their failings
not less than in their excelencies. His spirit
ual leanings are all on virtues side; his pollti
cal proclivties are all in the opposite direction.
He will be immaculate when PIERCE becomes
President In the interim, he claims the pri-
vilege Of being as corrupt as the forms of law
and the usages of Congress permit him to be.
On the subject of mileage, he occupies the
position Of one Of the Democratic exemplars.
He is a mentor Of many years. standing; Mr..
MERIwErHER is his forty eight days. pupil.
Mr.. GIDDINes's constituents having had
their eyes opened to his character, are now
putting him on his defence. They have dis
covered that for the three weeks which he
Topped off the session to pursue an electioneer-
ing tour, he charged the country at The rate of
SO per day; and, further, that under the form
Of mileage he has managed through series
Of years to pocket round sum without
having the shadow Of title to it. Detected
in the practice, GIDDINGs alleged at one Of his
meetings that he had received nothing which
the Comptroller had not awarded to him, and
therefore that tho Wing officer is alone to
blame. A gentleman present on the occasion
addressed letter of inquiry on the subject u
Mr.. WHrrrLEsEy, whose reply has been hand
cd to US for publication. In this communca
ton, which we suboin, MIR. WHIrTLEsEY
abowa tina! GIppISGs is in the habit Of. .charg:
he travels, and that he has received the per
diem allowance for periods during which he
has been absent from Washington in the prose
cution of private business:
TREAsURY DEPARrMENT,
comptroller's Office, September, q, 1852.
D. c. ALLEN, esq, Conneaut. Ohio.
DsAR STA: Your favor Of the 23d instant arrived
this morning. You inform me that Sin public
meeting at Jefferson the Goth instant, MIR. Gid
dings was accused Of pocksting an excess of mile.
age fees taking pay for eight hundred and fifty
miles He admitted he received the amount;
but said, in the presence Of thirty more citi.
zens, that he received the pay from your hands;
and, II any blame was attached, you was respon
sible for it; adding, Do you believe Elisha Whit.
tlesey would violate his oath? II any one was
censurab!e it was Mr.. Whittlesey, he said, from
whose hands, and under whose authority, his
mileage fees were allowed
You say: ~ take the liberty to ask that you will
give me the relation you hold in awarding to the
members their mileage accounts, and also whe-
ther the amount of Mr.. Giddings's claim was
subject TO your control or decison. His expa-
nation Is, that Elisha Whittlesey rendered him
pay for eight hundred and fifty miles travel, and
he took it. 1t lie proper to add that solicit the
statement from you for publication" &c.
In answer 10 your inquiries, reply. have no
power 10 add to or to deduct from the amount paid
to Mr.. Giddings for mileage, nor was the amount
received by him subject to my control or decision
] never rendered Mr.. Giddings his pay for mile
age, and he never took it from my hands. That
had no such power was known to him when he
made the statements you mention; and it is deeply
notifying that gentleman who has 30 long and
90 largely enjoyed the confidence of a constituency
SO respectable and intelligent should deliberately
attempt to deceive them. Mr.. Giddings might as
we'll blame me for his absence from the House and
taking pay therefor when important matters have
been decided-such as the bill at the late session
making appropriations for our hlrbors-as to
throw upon me the odium, that should alone abide
with him, for receiving public money for mileage
and for per diem compensation to which he WINS
not entitled by law. One might hope that. having
satisfied his cupidity by taking public money for
series Of years to which he had no legal or moral
claim. he would restrain his propensity to violate
the ninth commandment.
entered upon the duties of this Office on The l.t
day Of June, 1919. Whatever money is appropr.
a,ed and used for paying the mileage and per diem
compensation Of members is drawn by the Speaker
and charged to him. The payments he places on
the credit side Of his account.
The 3Oth Congress closed on the 4th Of March,
ls49. Mr. Winthrop was Speaker Of tho House of
Representatives for that Congress, and his account
was finally settlcd ON the 23d Of March, lSI9 more
than two months before was appointed Comp.
troilcr.
The account Of the Secretary of the Senate for
the same Congress not having been settled, it came
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