The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-21
AN ENCoyRAcINc CONTRAST.

been nothing like the Nicely abuses and
stealings in the history of the government.
AS matter of history 1t can be asserted
that official irregularities have been less
numerous in the federal government the
last thirty years than they were I'm the
thirty years preceding 1850. Indeed, steal
ing in public Office is so infrequent now
that whenever a case does occur. like that
of Nicely. 1t is the subject of universal COM
ment and denunciation. There were no.
torious defaulters in the days of John
Quincy Adams, one of whom, a collector of
customs, distracted $4,000, while another
was found TO be $4,000 in arrears, both Of
whom absconded.
1t was during the administration of An
drew Jackson that defaulting by federal
officers reached alarming proportions.
Samuel Swartwout, collector of the port of
New York by the appointment of Andrew
Jackson, was a defaulter in the sum of
sl.225 7O5. According to the statement of
Levi Woodbury., who succeeded Mr.. Ing
ham as secretary of the treasury, Swart-
wout's first misuse of public money was
in 1880. Yet he held the office until 1888.
The majority of the House committee in
vestigating the case insisted that the de-
faulter's accounts were correct until De-
cember. 1887. Won Hoist, in his "Constitu-
1885, Page $50, says:
There was only an apparent contradic-
ton between the two allegations The
IN
fact, while the committee affected, on this
point, to be able to see nothing but two
lines of figures in the opposite columns This
was waste of much powder to no purpose.
Whichever of the two standpoints was
adopted. the administration appeared in
equally bad light. In the one case a SWIM
die of grand proportions able to be
carried eight years without being dis
covered; and, In the other. the administra-
ton had been satisfied for seven years be-
the books with the correct amount, but
had actually failed to pay over immense
sums.
Thus 1t appears that Swartwout, who
was a notorious Spectator on Change and
a bankrupt, was permitted to be a de-
faulter year after year for seven years
when the fact was absolutely known to
Secretary Ingham and the auditing officers
of the Treasury Department. From April
to September, while not in Office, Swart-
won't was holding a large amount of public
money, no call was made upon him to ac-
count therefor. Finally he left the coun-
try. Under his successor, Hoyt, the condi-
tions were not much better. He was
Swartwout over again except in the
amount Of his stealings. OF the extent OF
official irregularity during the Jackson adj
ministration Professor Won Hoist says:
The minority of the investigating COM
mittee seems, without giving direct express
sion to it, to have desired to make every
body believe that no secretary of the treas
ury would have been able to protect the
Nation against the serried ranks of the
customhouse office. The. conclusion that
many of the customhOuse officials were In
the same boat was warranted to Q certain
extent. In the land offices the mis-
management was as great as In the custom
house offices, even II the sums lost by the
government were smaller. The secretary
of the treasurys volumnous correspond
ence with them is an uninterrupted series
of admonitions, prayers and threats, all of
which remained equally fruitless. One can
scarcely ward of the impression that the
gentlemen 1.-THE defau1ters in officel even
grew very merry at his expense. His pa
thence was at length exhausted and he cast
an altogether too hardened sinner over
board His investigating commits
sioner advised him to leave those In office
who had feathered their nests. since
officials would begin the business over
again.
At the present time, in view of the indig-
nation against Nicely and those whom he
has used. the fact is recalled that the sec
rotary of the treasury, in July, 1887. wrote
a letter to receiver of public moneys who
was defaulter in the sum of s55,965, COM
mending him for his frank and honorable
course" in promising new bond and to
dispose of his property in order to get
money to pay his deficiency. The commits
sioner who reported the deficiency wrote
the secretary of the treasury expressing
the opinion that the defaulter was honest
and that it would be better for the gov
eminent TO allow the man In default in the
large sum of s55,965 to retain his Office, ''as
another receiver would be likely to follow
in the footsteps of the two" That is. two
receivers in the same office had been de-
faulters, and third would do the same
thing. Secretary Woodbury., who was a
man of character and ability, and subse-
quently an associate justice Of the Supreme
Court, In MS WRITINGS seems 10 nave JuSti-
fed himself on the ground that receivers Of
public money who We're discovered to be in
default were promptly suspended or re-
moved IL they did not resign.
Thus 1t appears that in the so-called
earlier and better days of the Republic the
stealing of public money by officials was
so common that it was not an offense to be
punished but a weakness to be excused.
This is because public opinion did not re-
gard shortages or stealing of public
money grave offense to be punished. In
this regard it is much the same the SEN
timent which prevails in some portions Of
this State at the present time in regard to
defaulting county officers. The leniency of
the President and the members OF his Cab
met In those times presents sharp con-
trast TO the energy which President Nc
Kinley has displayed In regard to Nicely
and others who are suspected Of being in
collision with him. This is not because
President Jackson and his treasury off,
Gals were not upright men. but because
public opinion at that time did not regard
such offenses, because of their frequency.
as positive crimes to be punished with Sc
verify The public conscience has been
quickened since the times OF Adams, jack
| son and Van Buren,