The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-07-21
A Card from Mr.. James.
ASHLAND, HANOVER Co.. vA,}
july 10, 1871.

July ~, 1871.
Editors Of the Dispatch:
Gentlemen,-1n your issue OF TINS GATE,
under title Of .Defa!eat1nHs s,i wn,en you
fr;ot. and which you have justly com
menled upon in the following paragraph !.
1--WE can't believe that the government
womb allow any collector to defrsud II out
of hundreds of thousands Of dollars; ana
none could do it without the conniPance OF
Che Government officials" Your remark
Is true, as the following facts wlil lllustia.e
from existing documents, which can nave
no denial: 80 tho
100 # these alleged defalcations, repre-.
ssnfino the old LIST and the Sd districts OF
Virginia. / will first exhibit the figures as
thew stood on the Treasurer's books on the
3Otb day of June, 1870 (lhe date your artl-
Gle refers to), and call upon any offlclal 10
correct it: upon which will furnish you
with comics OF the accounts transmitted 70
the department monthly, quarterly, ana
annusIly-which accounts are made out on
forms prepared for the purpose Dy
the Treasury Department, ana gcr
cording to which all collectors DOCKS
must conform and accounts balance, ny
follows The collector signs his laDliltv
to the assessor for all assessments ne has
Treasury each month, and charged against
the collector. For all these amounts the
collector has to account to the Treasury each
day. each month, each quarter, each ear,
w men final balances are made, and all books
jnspected by special agent sent for that
Durp0se. and it Is at this stage that the GOV.
eminent would be remiss If such deiat-
cation appeared and they did not al
once prevent their continuance. VI tnese
accounts I have copies. The rule (aoso,
lute) took effect on July LIST, 1860, that au
moneys collected should be Sent 10 tne
United States Treasurer through oanK VI
tificstes We're obtained in triplicate, first GER
fcate was sent to the Secretary, duplicate
TO the United states Treasurer, and the
triplicate retained by the collector. EoW,
sirs, let any official answer this question.
If the deposits were not made each day, as
these documents themselves will shOw-the
Treasurer having these documents, and
also the collectors liability, us signed on as
SCISSORS lists, of all assessments, could on
any day of any week, month, quarter, and
year. balance collectors books, which IN
nv case was done several times during the
quarter. and the revenue account appeared
for the first district in June Of 1866. Alter
turning over to tae collector OF the fourth
district the uncollectcd balance on assess
or's lists due from the counties in that dis
trict, amounting to S25, 041.11, q balance
due the collector of $3S4.44, which amount
was paid in, in excess Of the colIec-
tions in error against the collector. Aud
now, sirs, after an eXnluSting appllca-
ton for over five years, l have re-
ceiyed from the Fifth Auditor 4 state
ment dated June %, 1871, showing that the
"Ieyenuc account OF the First District OF
Oy.k b,Io l.,pxy
ing unnoticed The oycrplus to my credit Of
S3S444." So, sirs, you are perfectly right in
your views, as in this one case OF the First
District of Virginia, Of which l was first
and last collector. The charge against that
district and collector instead OF being $51, :
236.79 to debit, is s33s4.44 to his credit. Fear
Ing too much space, or l would save some
further statements, you will oblige,
Very respectfully
Your obedient servant,
WIN. JAMES,
Iate Collector First District of Virginia,