The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-09-09

Department.
On the Sd of March, ls49. an act was ap-
proved by President Polk. which was entitled
" fin act to provide for the settlement Of the
accounts Of public officers, and others ,cho may
haze received moneys arising from military con-
tributions, or other,cise, in .Msrico."
The second section of this act provides for
the compensation of officers who had collected
military contributions at any Of the ports OF
.Merico. 1t then goes on to provide that call
officers of the army, and other persons in pub
lie employment who have received payment
for their services in collecting, keeping, or ac-
counting for said moneys, and for other neces-
sa,y seruices, are authorized to retain SO much
of the amounts received as, in the opinion of
the President of the United States, may be
a fair compensation for such services"
1t is obvious that General SCoTT's case comes
within the spirit and the equity of this law.
The title Of the act shows that it was intended
to provide for all persons who had received
moneys arising from military contributions, or
other,cise. 1t would be no violation of the
rules of construction to apply the words "said
moneys" in the second section to the moneys
contemplated by the title Of the act; for the
title may well be resorted to in explanation of
the statute. 1t is in this sense that the words
'said moneys" are used in the first section of
the act. But it was held by the ATTORNEY
GENERAL that the words "said moneys" did
not relate 10 the moneys" spoken of in the IL
tie, OF in the frst section, but to "military con-
trbutions" collected in "any port of Mexi
co." spoken of in the commencement of the
second section. If this limita ton had been
employed would have been the "said contribu-
tions"-the only "moneys" previously spoken
Of in the act Ito which alone the word of re-
ference "said" could with propriety be ap
plied) being the moneys spoken of in the title
and in the first section, to vital moneys
raised in .Merico by contributions or other,cise."
This argument, however, cannot be entered
upon satisfactorily without the republication
of the entire act and the opinion of the Attorney
General, for which we have no space to spare
this morning. The matter, moreover, has be-
come quite unimportant, from the fact that the
providing for all the officers serving in MEXICO,
who had incurred "losses, trouble and respon-
sibilites" in the collection of military contri-
buttons, in the interior as well as on the sea-
board. The seventh section of the Army APP
preparation bill, approved the 3lst ultimo, may
be regarded as a legislative exposition Of the
second section Of the act of lS49, and reads as
| follows:
"SEc.7 And be It further enacted, That the Sec
ond section of act entitled 'An act to provide
for the settlement Of the accounts OF public off
| GERS and others who may have received moneys
| arising from military contributions or otherwise,
in Mexico approved March third, eighteen hun
| dred and forty nine, shall be so construed as
to extend to officers and other persons who were
| engaged in the collection of military contribu
tons as collectors in any part of Mexico or Cali
| fornia during the war with Mexco.'
The only remaining item is the sum of
$l2,S73 O3 "unaccounted for" This, it is
said. General ScorT "cLaims" to have ex
pended for ''secret services" during the Mex-
can war II is also stated that vouchers were
had not been received at the Third Auditor
office. Vouchers Vouchers for secret service
money expended in Mexico! Do men EN-
ployed in the "secret service" of conquering
general in foreign army usually give re-
ceipts? Does Mr.. MERIwETHER intend to in
innate that General Scorr has pocketed this
money, instead of expanding it?
Further comment this morning is unneces-
sary. We will only say that this attempt of
Mr.. MERlwETHER and his Locofoco associates
to impair public confidence in General ScoTT's
integrity will injure no one but its authors and
the cause they support. We annex the letter
of the SECRETARY OF WAR, and will publish
| all the documents bearing on this subject as
soon as we can obtain them. limitations have
been thrown out, and allegations made, design
ed to affect General ScoTT's personal honor
and pecuniary integrity. We shall not leave
whose integrity are impeached by this attack
upon General SCoTT:
| WAR DEPARTMENT,
| WAsHlNGroN, August "a, 1852.
SIa l have the honor to acknowledge the re-
ceipt of your letter of the 18th instant, transmit
ting a copy Of the resolution adopted by the SEN
ate on the l4th instant, requesting the President
to furnish a statement of the moneys paid to OF
retained by Generals SCOTT and PIEacE on vari.
Gus accounts therein enumerated, and making
sundry inquiries in regard to the same. In reply
to your request to be furnished with such informa
ton as this Department may possess the sub
ject, have the honor to state that all account
containing such information, with the exception
stated below, have been. so far a. this Department
ia advised. settled and filed in the proper account
ing offices Of your Department, from which thu
information can best be obtained.
The only account, that am aware of, contain
ing an item coming within the scope Of the resou
ton, which remains unsettled and on file in thi
Department. is one rendered by Major Genera
Scorr, under date OF July Is, lS4S of his disburse
ments of sum Of $4,000 advanced from tn,
Treasury, and various other sums captured from
the enemy and levied as contributions, &C., in thu
interior Of Mexico, amounting to 1921 ,69l 81.
In this occount ia found item which is thu
seated:
"Total amount expended .......... $255, 29l As
Total amount expended. 8255, 29l As
Deduct the amount re-
ceived from the Trea-
sury..... .......... SO,OOO w