The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1913-10-10
TREASURY RELICS
Historical Treasures on File In
the Auditors Office.
ACCOUNTS OF G. WASHINGTON.

These Cover a Period Of Eight Years
and Are In the Handwriting OF the
Great Patriot-Reoeipts Signed by
Daniel Webster and Henry Clay,
The archives of the United States
Treasury are rich with relics. III Tue
files of the office Of, the hudltor Oh Tue
treasury department may he seen the
cancelled check showing the payment
TO Lafayette in 1924 of $2OO,oOo by the
United States lin consideration OF HIS
services and sacrifices in the war o'
the Revolution" William Ii. CraW'
ford, then secretary Of the treasury
signed the warrant. and in. the cnar'
acteristic French handwriting on the
reverse il the Endorsement OF Lana
yette. a Cancelled check or warrant
for Sl5,O0O.O00 represents the payment
for the I.ouiSiam purchase under the
treaty of lSO3
The purchase under the treaty. CHAR
acteri2ed at the time rs Seward 'o''
w." of Alaska is evidenced by Il war
rant for ST,2uO.OO. signed by #. II
Skinner. who ut the time was Secre
tary of the treasury. The wording OF
the warrant begins and runs. PAY to
the undersigned envoy extraordinary
and minister plenipotentiary OF MS
majesty the emperor Of all the Rus
sias." This warrant called for pay
ment in coin and was SO paid through
the Riggs bank. then Il private bank
ing institution of Washington. after
being Endorsed by Edward de Stoecke.
the Russian minister nj that time
The purchase Of the Philippine Is
lands from Spain is represented in the
important financial transactions of the
government by four warrants OF So
OUO.000 each. As treaty cannot be
entered into by one country directly
with one with which It is at war. the
warrants were Endorsed by Jules Cam
bon, the French minister, who had del
egatcd authority to represent the Span
ish government.
The Panama canal purchase repre-
scented the largest financial transaction
of the government, The payment was
made by n common draft. payable to
81. PierpOnt Morgan & Co., special dis
bursting agent" through whom 1t was
paid to the French company, the for
mer owner. The late J. Pierpont Nor
gan himself Endorsed the draft. A
short time previous there had been Is
sued n warrant for $lO,0OO.00O, cover
| ing the cost of the canal zone, an area
of ten miles on each side of the canal
| As these Cancelled checks are held rs
receipts. 1t could happen. in case of
| their loss. that the government might
not be able to show that the moneys
were actually paid.
Not less interesting as relics are "Ac.
| cOuntS-G Washington with the Unit
ed States, commencing June, 1175. and
ending June, 1888. compromising a
space Of eight years" Under the cap
ton are three or four diIapidated calf
bound account books in the handwrt-
ing of the great American patriot.
These accounts were mostly kept while
he was on the march. but they were
i brought up with great accuracy from
day to day.
At the end of each book there Is a
comprehensive recapitulation. lndivid.
ual money and funds of the govern
ment expended by him are specifically
indicated. In footnOte he calls at.
tention to "A particular item which he
appeared to have paid, but for which
he had no voucher. lie deducted the
amount of the item from his credit
until the matter could be definitely set.
tied. All of his accounts are express
ed In English money.
A contempOraneOuS account book kept
by Caleb Gibbs shows the personal ex
| penSeS of Washington and his military
family" meaning. no doubt. his i'm
mediate staff The entries are usually
headed, headquarters, on the march.
For the most part they cover purchases
of food supplies, but now and then are
such entries as:
ITO cash for broom that Peter
bought some time ago. siXpence."
Cash paid for mending the chariot
shilling"
Agreed with Peggy for shilings
per month for the generals washing
and shillings per dozen for the gen
tlemen of the family"
Among other things of interest in the
auditors office are books showing al
lowances to members of congress to
aud from Washington In the Thr
teenth congress 5000 for mileage is re
ceipted in faint, uncertain hand ID
Webster" A payment of $500 for III
days attendance is shown to have
been made to Henry Clay. - Harper's
| WanklV