The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-02-21

without giving to partlea accused no.
tice of the accusations against them, or an oppor
tunity for explanation or defence. We have men
toned before that the superintendent, who was
appointed as special favorite of Mr. Fillmore, is
the person charged as the actor in those cases of
emoezzlement, which were carried out BY pay
ments to laborers for longer periods than they were
employed, and by giving them high wages on con
dtion that they would divide with him. 1t seems
from the debate that the architect was informed
of the character of this worthy superintendent,
and OF the frauds which were being perpetrated.
Why did he not expose the superintendent? He
may have made such an exposure, and the President
may have protected his favorite. If so, the fact
ought to be known for the architect should not be
made responsible for the crimes of subordinate
who was protected by power too strong for him.
AS the matter stands now, the reputation of the
architect must suffer from the extensive depreda
tons of subordinate under his eye Not to have
detected such extensive embezziement would be
reproach to his professional ability; but, being in
formed of that embezzlement, not to have attempt
ed to put stop to it would cast deep stain his
character a man. We trust that the whole
matter may be thoroughly sifted, that the guilty
may be pun ished, the innocent acquitted, and the
country enabled to appreciate the beauties of Wing
purity and patriotsm-the high morality of the
opponents of all the talents and all the decency.
The reader will take notice that in the ar
ticle of the 18th the Union states that its infor-
nation has been derived from the Witnesses
who s'make no secret of the purport of the evil
dence they have given before the committee of
investigation" We never imagined that there
was any truth in this suggestion of the sources
OF Its information. Men who will use er parte
testimony in the Senate will communicate it to
the newspapers. But this does not affect the
averment Of the Union that it is from the out-of-
door revelations of the witnesses that it obtains
the information on which it bases it's charges
against the Administration.
But by the 18th the Union had forgotten it's
avefments of the 18th of February. That in
telligent and accurate journal had been brought
up all standing by one Of its own friends, the
Hon. R. H. STANTON, of Kentucky, the De-
MocRATIc chairman of the Committee on Pub
lie Buildings and Grounds, of the House of Rep
resentatives "a gentleman who never obstructs
public business by unreasonable motions for adj
journment-like Messrs. McMULLEN, LETcH-
Err, Orr, and DEAN; and who is always ready to
dojustice even political antagonists. Mr.STAN-
TON is an active, attentive, and practical man
of business, and neither wastes the public time
nor sinks his own reputation by the connection
of SANDERS and libels against the character of
his neighbors.
BY the 18th then, and on the suggestion of
MIR. STANTON, the Union backs out from the
story of the Conformation of witnesses''-and
AYERS that its remarks on the alleged frauds
sswere based ENTIRELY ON debate IN the
Senate, AND statements made By Senators
,cho had access to the evidence taken before the
Senate's conanattee Of investigation'
1t is not necessary to call public attention to
the extreme improperly of Senators sitting on
an investigation of judicial character, and
furnishing statements" of the evidence to
public newspapers for the purpose of preJudc-
ing the public mind against the accused. If
there is any thing to choose between this Of
fence and that of bearing false witness against
ones neighbor, our moral optics are not sharp
enough to perceive the very thin distinction.
We reply, then, to the Union and it's politi-
cal friends, by copying from that journal of the
18th instant the following exculpatory article,
with the letter of Mr.. STANTON annexed:
THE CAPITOL ENLAReEMENT.-Wep publish very
cheerfully the following communication from
Hon. R eli Stanton, chairman of the House Com
mittee on Public Buildings, in reply to our re-
marks of yesterday with regard to the alleged
fraud and embezzlement connected with the Capt.
toll enlargement. The reader will remember that
our remarks were based entirely on debate in
the Senate, and statements made by Senators who
had access to the evidence taken before the SEN
ate's committee of investigation The matter has
to 60 before the House, where it will doubtless be
furf harr oho cd {bo
ton must make its report in a short time. The
facts will then be before the public, and the people
can judge of them:
WAsHINGToN Cry, D. c., Feb. IS, 1858.
TO the Editor of the Union:
Allow me to say few words in relation to your
article on the subject of frauds connected with the
Capitol enlargement. l am sure, sir, that upon
better information your sense of justice will prompt
you to correct the into which you have fall
en-, especially when those errors unex planned, are
calculated TO do gross and manifest wrong to the
character and standing of highly honorable gen
tlemen. You say:
'The Deficiency bill brought these frauds before
the Senate. That bill appropriates the sum of
400, 900 to meet deficiencies in the fund provided
for the enlargement althoug it appears that when
the last appropriation OF half a million was made
it was intended that no deficiency should be per-
mitted to occur, for it believed that the expen
ultufe was limited strictly 10 the sum appropriated.
A deficiency of four hundred thousand in an ex-
penditure limited to five hundred thousand dol
lars-an increase of four fiIths over estnates-is
achievement of Wing administers
ton. Whether it springs from ineficiency or cor
ruption or both, the effect on the treasury is the
same.''
Now sir, it will suffice to say, in reply to this
paragraph OF your article, that at the beginning of
the last session of Congress, Decem Der, 1851, the
Secretary of the Interior and the architect of the
extension sent to Congress their estimates of the
amount of money required to carry on the work
untilthe end OF the present fiscal year, June 80,
1853 period of more than year and half. The
asked for ST. 900 900, as will be seen
by the report. The subject was referred to the
Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, of
which was and am the chairman.
In consequence of the hostility which then ex
isteu against the work, and the efforts made in |
some quarters to defeat it, thought an appropra
ton of half million could be carried easier than
the amount estimated for; and accordingly, with |
the assent OF the committee, offered resolution
in the House making appropriation of that sum |
only. This carried; and instead of a million, |
which was necessary, there was appropriated only |
one-half the sum needed to keep the work in |
progress until the expiration of the present fiscal
year. The object for which the four hundred thou