The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-09-19
TREASURY RELICS
Historical Treasures on File In
the Auditors Office.
ACCOUNTS OF G. WASHINGTON.

These Cover a Period Of Eight Yesrs
and Are In the Handwriting Of tho
Great Patrlot-Faeeeipts Signed by
Daniel Webster and Henry Clay.
THE archives Of the United States
treasury are rich with relics In the
1 files OF the Office OF the auditor OF the
treasury department may be seen the
| cancelled check showing the payment
| to Lafayette in 1924 of 100000 by the
United States I'm consideration Of HIS
services and sacrifices in tue war Of
the Revolution William II. Craw-
| ford. then secretary of the treasury.
signed the warrant, and in the char
| acteristie French handwriting on the
reverse is the Endorsement of Lafa-
| yette A cancelled check or warrant
| for $15.0O0000 represents the payment
for the Louisiana purchase under the
! treaty OF 1903.
The purchase under the treaty, char
| acterized at the time as Stewards fol-
w. OF Alaska is evidenced by a war
rant for $7,2000Oo. signed by f. E.
| Spinner. who ut the time was seere-
| tary of the treasury. The wording or
| the warrant begins and runs. Pay to
the undersigned envoy extraordinary
and minister plenipotenhary of his
majesty the emperor Of all the Rus.
| Sins" This warrant called for pay-
ment in coin and was so paid through
the Riggs bank. then private bank.
Ing institution of Washington. after
being Endorsed by Edward de Stoecke
the Russian minister at 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
100000 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.
egated authority to represent the Span
| ish government.
The Panama canal purchase repre-
sented the largest financial transaction
Of the government The payment was
made by n common draft, payable to
u. Pierpont Morgan e. Co.. special dis.
bursting agent" through whom ii was
paid to the French company. the for
mer owner. The late ]. Pierpont Nor
| gan himself Endorsed the draft A
short time previous there had been Is
sued warrant for Sl0000,000. cover
ing the cost of the canal zone. an ares
Of ten miles on each side of the canal
| AS these cancelled checks are held as
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
| cornts-G Washington with the Unit
ed Stntes, commencing June. 1175. and
ending JuBe. 1888. comprehending .
| spnce Of eight years" Under the cap
ton are three or four dilapidated calf
bound account books 10 the hahdwrIt-
Ing of the great American patriot
These accounts We're mostly kept while
he was on the march. but they were
brought up With great accuracy from
day to day.
At the end of each book there Is d
comprehensive recapitulation, Iudiyid
/ ual money and funds of the govern
ment expended by him are specifically
Indicated. In footnote he calls at
tention to particular item which he
| appeared to have paid. but for which
| he hnd no voucher. He deducted the
amount Of the item from his credit
until the matter could be definitely set
tTtd. All Of his accounts are express
ed in English money.
A coRtemporaneous account book kept
| by Caleb Gibbs shows the personal ex-
penses of Washington and his military
family" meaning. no doubt. his im
mediate stnff The entries are usually
headed. Headquarters. on the march"
For the most part they cover purchases
Of fond supplies, but now and then arp
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 4 shilllngs
per month for the generals washing
and 4 shillings per dozen for the gen.
tlemen Of the family"
Among other things OF interest In the
auditors Office are books showing al
lowanees TO members of congress CO
and FROM Washington. In the Thin.
teenth congress 1903 for mileage is Re.
ceipted In a faint. uncertain hind ID.
Webster" payment OF $500 for Ill
days attendance Is shown 10 have
been made 30 Henry Clay. = Harpers