0
rlil: I-..- J- . .
PUBLISHED EVERY! SATURDAY, BY HAmtTON
C. JONES, EDITQRi PUOPRIEQR.
r'iii- SSI
. i
'"'Is ':'('-"'
WIL1B:. PJdD.
i
- . . . .. ... . . . rT Jg ,
lilwvfi7 fterearier be bad for
lit ' F Wfl-M npnts'Der Tear. ..-
-i
15H
yiait,' fttihsfiribcrs who wil!
if,JlblWol"n at one; payment,
'lUlrl hJ di5 not pay dating tfce year
tfMlMee DolUrs in all rases.
jlfBij-y imtr-aa iffb same . class, shall
lMMlf .fe ance the of
MIT1.;T.M Sui ioolno fnni phall continue,
f :!1 ill iAntinoed bat at the op
WU ' Ml.-'V" J
llSmot boiPf
MX Til
hiAm!i&ae.. raltes.--: A deduction of
;3 rl.Lf iko rcnnlir nrir Will he
Cjj amtise tj!ho ye?r
ftftis4 ts HI ill be con U n id until order
icq f?i wop iP.- uo,'t v-.
::.f:.-'..f-iitfa,'v
:pCM5,U'
SALISBURY,
!;
le I
Tafiecdi
I; "11
85 a 371
!TI ' . -
mm
Lj i-i' - Ei J i.i 4
i Tim
?i'f !'
i
Ccntt. "
5 a 60
8 a 9
25 a 30
Molasses,
"Nails,
Oats.
Pork, J ; $6
i Sugar, br. 10 a 12
loaf, 18 a 20
alt, a Sl.62i
Tallo;; 10 a 12
Tobacco, 8 a 20
Tow-linen; 16 a-20
Wheat (bushel) Si
- ' : -:; . '
Whiskey, 45 a 50
- Wool, (clean) 40
Pp;iEyiLLp
a l 0 .0
i-S'-S-l'.: "sv
ill I
111 a If TSqgar btown,
pjPallS).
tm:Q
Molasses;
Nails, cut,'
3542
74
8 a 12
Lufflp,! . T 1(
Lnaf, .j , 18 a 20
Salt, 85 a 90
y;Sact,',---rr;r--$S'--Tobacco
leaf 6 a 7
Option I bag. .16 a 20
Bale rope,. 8 al2
Wheat 1 35 a 1 40
Whiskey 00 a 60
Wool, 20 a 25
4: a 6 Nails cut'assor. 7? a 9
ill 4 1 ; wraueht 16 a 18
Twenty-Fifth Congiiess.
"H"-' :-;. - THfRpi SESSION. . -1
House of UIepresentatites.
the
115120 Oats bushel
a 50
75 a $1
;iito:8a:KUainp:;-! ; v $125
iropejpbl2i!pnsced 110a 125
w lb t b Pork 1 001 bs 6 a 8
tenii iljth Hire 1 OOI bs 85 a $6J
ei!550
eel Amer.
10ai2
10 a I2i
14
rman l'.a 14
Tea impe.Sl a $1 37j
1 i .
Ge
English
frojUPfcW the last of
Irwlcirirmh'.thtt subscriber, at ! that
lH piQa! m Nejjro man - - ' t
- V srEECII OF Mb PKENTISS,
Onjlhe Defalcations of the Government
Friday, December 28, 1838.
; f f-..- - S '
The House being in Committee of
Whole upon the President's Mesaage, Mr.
PPENTISS (of Mississippi) spoke as fol
lows:,. ; !.."-'..' ; : .''-
Mr CiiAiRJiArr: I bad intended opnn a,
former occasion, to liiave expressed my yiews
upon some of'lhe topics 'embraced hi the
President's .. Message, wore especially the I
i rcrfcnt eiaications.ir I am, noweTrr, so uo-
fortunate as to be Tieweo by tne omciai eje
of tbis Honse thrpugb Srij inverted telescope,
arid it is not often that I can obtain the floor
With much pleasure therefore, J a?ail my
self of the opporJtuifrtyi 'art ' present afforded
me That portion of the message to which
I shall principally turn my attention, to wit,
the defalcations of the pualic officers,.' hae
been" already ablt considered by my friend
from Virginia, (Mjf WiE,y as well as by
the distinguished; member from Tennessee,
(Mr Bzlu) But it is a aubject which can
not be too often or too: thoroughly dislass
ed. Its examination, will, I. am confident1,
eviscerate more j of the. principles' upon
which this Government has for some years
been administered, and furnished ua more!
valuable lessons forj future , guidance, , than
any other matter that ran occupy our delib
erations I am sorry to observe a rapid It
increasing hostility ujpon thisfioor j to the
discussion of great political principles. One
would suppose, in listening to some gentle
men,' that Congress was constituted, like a
county court, for the trial of petty individ
ual claims, instead of jbeing the great polit
ical tribunal of the nation, whosejproyincr
and iluty. it is, not only to notice all impor
tant events in the action of the Government,
but to investigate j'jthefcauSea fiom which
they'have"resultedH.j - H
Defalcations of; the most -alarming char
acter, and for. an immense amount, carried
on and concealedj for ja series of j years,7 by
the collector of the principal commercial
fity of the. Union, iave been recently de
veloped. The President has seen fit to calf
on'r particular. attentron to this rase, and to
make, in con nexion therewit b. djvers sug
gestions as to the bfst ;mode;of. preventing
similar occurrences bireafier. 1 ; h
- It seems proper (says the President)that,
by an early enactment, similar! to .that of
other countries, the application: of public
money, by ah officer of the Grvernrnent,1o
private usos, should be made a felony, and
visited unth sever el and ignominious pun
xshrnent ' I I L ' 1 ' f -
y He further recommends that a committee
of Congress be appointed to watth the of
ficers' who have tlie custody of j the public
moheys, and that ibey Wwld Report to the
ExecutivVs'ichc delaications a jwere found
t exist, with a view. to a prompt rernotil
from office, unle68ythe j default was satisfac
torily accounted for ' .j j " V ;
The Secretary rf thff Treasary has a'so
given us a report un thiVsulgcj, in'which
he expresses his astonishment lhat such) an
occurrence shouldjhave happcrjeel withput
his knowledge; exhibits, like the President,
a most holy horror at j the enormity of ther
rr . - i :'rr: I'-..: . i . .',. . f
t'lrence , , ano recommenas me sppmntment
of an additional tribe of offic irs to watch
ovef those already in power, as the best
mode of avoiding similar roiiiKaps ih. f u '
tore.
rears of asre. and of a verv brfffht
llHlt 4 Shrnaker ly trade, has
l hir, a fthin visage, is
- t . . , . I If 11 M -J 111 ua IHIUHUBl.
. war on one ot his legs
II -Is
I.7'-
4
1 -
4 .
'tiNled to he on the right leg,
tna"n4 below the elbow oc-
rn, , fS M bve been frostedr
Wmmcpnnhem. Cole
S3??w6anr Btakely,
WM prbablo that he may. be
uSJlff??h many persons bflieve
fatilM?1 by a white man, riaraed
??f ?Hft. the neighborhood about
nm kP'I wilt, give! a j re
iCf tlMl! N any one - who wiirdc-
fSari Brook Neal in Camp-
' Mthwi(lonnce him in iaih
vrflDb
mm
1RU O VKfiSTEET.
1
it
3
1 ! -il
?s agents r these Yarns,
mm
Vmnminmy of them from i
PlffS1'! Prcea. As f
W-WliV'wewill
tSlW:'1 willing to
br the so '
warrant it,
leave it
RETAIL.
inches
lde,
li kOf rPisb lndrW t t
4u 1W.aiiTttrVw --j n.L
ilSlHJnah.;r',-'
Tq listen lo the wejl-asnmied astoniph-;
menf of the President and Secretirv at the
discovery of Swartwout peculations, one
would readily 8upfjpse that defalcation, tin
ker the'present Admihistrationl,j like parri
cide among the ancients, bad heretofore
Jbjeen a,ciimeonknown and conseqiiently
unprovided for by justice. Heatken to the
philosophical musings of the President on
thjs point: I ' !
The Government ) must be admitted,
his been fiom its Coramencemertl compara
tively fortunate in this respect. f But the ap
pointing power cannotj always be well ad
vised in its selections, arid the experience in
every cou n try has sho wn that public officers
are not at alU times proof .against lempta
uo' '-Il'l !. - ; L;:
Wonderful sagacity ! Unparalleled dis
covery! Who will now deny the title of
magician' to the man who has developed
the astounding fact 'jhat.pujiltc officers are
not atal! times pr&of against temptation ?'
The embezzlement of Swartwut bave
caused this truth to flash upon the sagacious
mina oi tne unlet laingigtrae, ana ; witn
philanthropic eagerness he recommends that
we put a stop to lti$ new soft of wicked-'
nes by making llj a penitentiary offence.
Mr Chiirmain jf should ftell jpu that
all ibis is sheer hpociisy-g;ro3s andrqjs;
erable pre tencea tub thrown out lo amuse
the -popular whalf;and divertj bis attention
from the miserable and leaky canoe Which
bears the fortunes of this Administration ;
if I should Ull you that, during the tasffivel
or six years, a'buhdried caseslof defalcation,
have occurred, Miipre outrageous in princi
ple, more piofligate in character,, than the
one w are- recomrnended to,, investigate ;
that thePresident has continued defaulters
in office knowing of their violation of du
ty knowing of the appropriation of the pub
lie moneys to pritate uses; that the Secre
tary of the Treasury has, during that'whole
period, habitually connived at these defl-
cations.tnd extended ovei them the manlla
cjr jriislprotection ; if I srjoald tclfypu fhaf
these delflcftions constftute a portion 6
the jsjoi7f sysfern'that aystem whjch:bas
been to this Administration whatsis, flaw
iiig joclcs wer to Sf maon-lhe secret; of its?
streog'ih ; if 1 should tell you all this, (
should tell you no more , than I conscienj
iiojisly believe ho more than t shall at
tempt to prove before this j House arid I the
country.' These defalcations I shalh, trace
to their orijm. and Sot stop to; inqnire.
much into tbetr amounts, as into Ithje causfi
cs whfch have led, to- them. It is not' I the;
question,. Where is the money? but. Where
IS ttiefguilt ? tbat 1 wish Ijto investigate
Tb4rent davelopemenn to which: 'our at
tenttoo is invited are but some of the bub?
bies tat are every day breaking upon the
surface of tbe still and mantling : pool j t
shal not stop to measure their relative kiif
or cil6r,i but will; unpleasant as the J task;
may!jbjb, dredge for "the corrupt cause1 which
lies atjthe bottom. . These cases ate but the
wind fulls from that tree of Sodom f Execf
utive patronage Heretofore, the Represent
tttiver of the People have in vain urged an
examination into the character of jts ;;fruit
but; it las been guarded with mwe' vigilance
than viere the golden apples' of th( tjesperr
i(es Now, our attention is . solicited jib i
by tnelPresident, Is ;he'iri j earnest Xei
him but give us a chance to shake Ihls r ee
and hewili find his rotten jpippisi;ililiig
Xrpmj ery '.hmt"anC branch .: f'jljjjr j .-'i
11 But pur attention ts called particUrlyi
to tfio case of Swartwout. . The Adnloisi
ttation bas delivered him over to olir fenxief
mercies; they have dropped him, as !tb
ofcprrSiptionbreak through the darkness,
anjdiUuouoate - the r'4ilb .of-' the;. Seietry
from the very moment b$ came into office.
Should I treat of them all, the 4th 1! ilarcb
would find me here and the chronicles: of
the defaulters still unfinished. ! j t ji
iThe first case to which I will call atten
tion is that of Colonel John Spencer, fe-
cever of public money at Fort Vfatjiet
Indiana, and 'which corn menced in 18S6.
TheL report of the wholocase is found i&
dopiment 142 of the second session of ihe
twentfourth Congress 1 shall I extract
sucb portions as are in point. j ! r j
IPrter date of the 25tfc of ApriU 1 1836,
the Setretiry writes to Colonel Spencer, a
nrnher tbingsas follows : ! !
?;fM3 these; statements 1 for January - cod
beafi when hotly pursued, drop one f hef
cubs, for the purpose of - distracting ie attention-of
the huhtfer, and so escaping witH
the rest of hef young. !, jfor one,;anilT jnot
be tnu diverted from my purpose, but Wil
follow he dam to (ie den. and I thereUif
possibly, crush at once the whole brtiobV
Swartwout has been 'found out !f ThiS
erul constitutes th
fice-holder's mantle
man y, th ink you, w
Fernari ' last bate not been received tat the
Department, I must clairji your attention to
the omission, and insist on their trans njis
s'4p, in future, immediately aiter the close
of each month. At the same time! I would
aIso claim your strict altintion to (ho regu
latiohs of the Department in respect llo the
periodical depositcsof te public! money r
and to tho duty of transmitting the usual
evidences of such' Jeposiles to the &ecr4a
ry of the Treasury, as the .instructions . re-
quire.
Immediately afterwards, the Secretary
writes again to the following efiec
Sir:
of the
i -
month
which
r 4
Treasury DbpartMbt, May 23, 1836
Since the date ot my letter to ybu
'25th ultimo, your returns for the
of April have been rVrceivod, from
I peiceive thit tbe public1 moneys in
is the liupatdonaMe sin with the present
party i rj power. ' l.bir morality, is tli'ef'Spar
tan moralitr not' the IhefL bu the aucp
crime. Sir, if (evifry pf-
rere thrown aside,how
otild be found without
" . - a ' ! a - . a a I- S r-1' " : I
a stolen lox rastenfu io iie giroiej ;
'"! Mr Chairrhin, i 'bave no confidence th
the President hts recommended thisinvesji
I 1 - !! 1 . iJ i . '- : . 'i i Si1' .' tli
ligation! in good faith, or that his, parjisarf.
here intend to pormit it. I Irey dare hot do
if. .1 hey are not yet suthciently madfnel,
sTorp!ion-like,; to dart the sting inioTthefr
pwn ;de?perate brain. No, sir, h is a, frief e
nisei Hegardless of the rnaxim- th.it Nheie
ts honor among" thteyes,' thej rest of tHo pfl
fie-horders are very willing to turn tutefi
evidence against Jwartwout, to gain lrnmti
nity for jthemelvegi, n rid favor with thelcphiij
-monweallh. Let-j the Administration; gi
Us a fair committee, fjvorabie to inveti,
tlon,! ncjt'pscked by the Spf!;; throw q
pen to us ithe. 'doors of vout D-artimfiiii4i
those whited sf pulcnre:, within whosft'sf
cretTf ii Its corruption nap e li-ns rn iuift. anMi
revelled ; let your insolent pifbHlternsI lie
taught vtheyweeome allifginnce Vo tr
the Uw compel thern to submit thrill ffH;
rial conduct to a rigid exalninatiri bi: this
lionise rfthfn," and not a a If then, will! I be-
iid0; lux;!!!, iij vaijHi3.ii ui-n,-aujf inn un
.t L t :i t. il t . v i : f
inio, saaii i -expert any gooti nonie
invest igitinn. Bid. ir, thoosh littl is
b'el' e'j' pef ed' from, j he- action ot thilfliWsi
I fnficifate muchigood'frofn th discjibn :
TfjrsJ HaJI 'is.theTer of the nation ; what is
f id here louche the aiidYtory nrrye of tho
wfipljfi country. .- fare thi inijjhiy JauWi4
enjceidol impeach! both the President and
fifteen
1 n.
f !
your hands on the 30th rnllimo apotinted
to the sum of 247,251 64, which amount
is the accumulated rereits j of your .office
since the'first of January last You can
not; be aware that the retention of jtboj pub
lic moneys in your hands! heyond the' peri :
od of one month,' unless th receipts of such
month be less than 10,000, is a violation
of jyour instructions. Theobject of this
leiier is, ist. i o require inai tne wnoje
balance on hand at the time of the : receipt
of this letter shall be rmmediatelvj deiosi
tedJ
mil
2d
'rannoi
the bahk here, end tome other montytn
abled him to deposite" c,
The following is the? Supplemental report
of Mr Wet : 1-4 1
RIiami CocNjnrtA.) Ara. 23, 1836.
Sir; I: hasten to correct an ovorsight in
"my atatemeiit of Mr Spencers account, in
the postscript -of my - letter from Fort
Wayne I wrte thej postscript just upon
the point of starling iand Mr Spencer be
ing present, req:ieatin me io give. the as
surance or his goad, lutentmn fi)r the fu
iur-, rausi oe my excuse ion tne over-
i it consists inj passing either trie ichole
mount of his depoaite at Indianapolis, in
which is included a certificate of depoaite
of $25,000 of Silver at Fort Wayne ; or.
arthe gold wasleft in the bank at Fort
Wayne as collateral, tp make up a dehVien
cy of S2,000, silver, I should-not have
passedylf the gold to his credit
His account,; as corrected; should stand
thus:" 1 . : t V " ..
I 'Tuiej RECEitER Dr. v
June 30. 1 o balance ; .$100,599 32
, Received in Juty
- (ISaSSatlS)
'- ' i Received ml Au-
356,155.95
gust,up to 1 lth
ati3 P M
29,774 64
$480 529 91
i i
the-Secrftary -not before' the. Bna
sir; tut before ti e People before
fnijliionsof 'fjeetnfnP ' '
I charge' them wi'h knowinfflv appbirltiiia:
and cnntnuing i.qi office public ld.efauhf sU- j.
mfijwRohd apprdprirtcd th public rnohejjsi
to private use ; whp had commit tef in of
fice actsjof as great moral turpttiidearid;
deceiving of as-much odium, as atfacWeXitpl
the case pf Swartwout ; acts wliirh (lieLI
sident now professes to think sre deserving
of Ithe penitentiary. I charge the Sedrlei
ry;j airetly, with hating cwnsed-by negli
gence, and knowing, tciyul lcvnnwinbey
some of ithe most important fdefalcatfons
which haye occurred. -I charge1 hi mrspe
cifica ly with having, in one casei litaly!
watched j defalcation through j a period lojT
more tba two years, and seen 'it gradually
swfllj duing that lime, to upwards of 8l)0K
006! l harge him with having permit dl!
in numBerless instances, the repeated; a id
cohtinued neglect- and violation: of .wh't he
himself asserts to be ihe paramount j duffr
without removing from office;: or everi!re-P
primandirig the delinquents. J charge him
with having, in his official ca pi city, receiv
ed, and favorably considered, correspond
ence degrading to hi high office, insulting
to hiiJn as Ian honest man, and of ' a corrtipt
and profliga'te character. -p . J: lt j j
Slit, tbeSecretary can only escape'1'ifith!e
plea 6i non. compos mentis On of his.
ewn mouthy I will convict him ; I will, jbut
let looee u'joa him tb ''dbcameiits.'.llici 1'
self has furnished and, like the hapless A c
teon,the will be torn to pieces by his own
hounds ! j ; - ' V"f,!j1 I-;
"Mr Chairman, the cases which 'x arliU-
bout o examine in auppoctlof niy positions,
and a certificate of such depostte trans
ed to the Department jwithout! dela
To inform you that! the Department
overlook the omission to do so, or
your future neglect to deposite monthy,arid
to tranp.-nit your monthly returns accora-
panted by the evidence of ybur deposite, u
tinrj to or receiTea ai inis omce wptnin tlie
month next preceding that for which th
return. is rendered. 3d. hat any) neglefct
or in.ittrntion to these requirements, unless
satisfactarily accounted fir, Iwill require of
me, ffora a $nse of official . duty, jthat you
i)e rported to the Presidpnf, with a rccom-
mnndation mat you be removea tiom oj
hce
I
! am, verc respectfully, oc.'r
' J LEVI VVOODBCJjnrlj ;
Secretary of he Tiwsiiry.
Col. Spencer, ! . 'I j
Ofi; thv 8?h of Joly th Serxnfafy direr-
tht .Mr West ( wh,- iJ swm?, was a
of rot iry- portion off the- Impart mepi;4.
caUeMfan fxamlner) should- proceed Wi pef
son
I
tpr.
4ult
led
sort
! nuke special inquiry into the raat-
nd report lo the Department tho re-
Accordingly, Mr Westfprpceedor!-to F ott
Wajrrie tp.examirie'inio he dclir q?eiicy t
tjh re(iver; and hHvirg8ccomp'fehed life
task', made -a report tx j the Depafumn.
Frofn this report it appi-ar? that helmet Col
'.Sppcefl'' who was on his way to. Kielrmond
it'p.fitsef money to nrrkc uj;Ihs dthlpii U
UovprpmepU .1 he lunfring is an extract
from tho report, in relation io a'cbargfr of
(4haying upon ihe pubhcraoneys jj ; .
I tpoTi the subject of using the money of
tbn (Jnjted States, I beg "lie a ye to gtjale, thai
J find it universally stated and believed, an J
jit; is conceded 4oj as a fact bv ihe clerks il
the receiver office, that both he and-his
relative. Da wsoni, hare been much in Jb4
hab'4, in the office, of shaving money, T. e$
exchanging tho poney which could not be
recelveo lor public iaocs ; tne rate ot ex
change or discount vary from three to five
pfr cent, I find in the case of Isaiah Wellsf
of Marion county, Ohio, ihat so recently as
Uie ptn mstant he pain into tne panda of
the receiver, in his officej eight dollars fori
excnn'riging two huodred and forty dollars1'
of Ohio bank notes of five; dollars each j
To what extent this 'shayjng' business lia
been, earned on iq the office, of course I dp
npt know, but am satisfied it has been, to)
a very considerable extent",, and that the
by one pereort
receiver in ex
Government money pa td in
pas been banded out by the
change forjuncurrent (lr riot land office)
money -he receiving forj brs owr4 prjvait
use the discount as agreed upon : and ! that
the same Government. money again is pass
ed in the land office, to be again fused forj
the like purpose, in pay for the public lands'.
f That the receiver hl taken! iri banki
notes of five dollars, contrary to orders,the
schedule prepared at his office, h'erewitlr
ericlosed.i will prove;- that he receivedf aj
bp nr. s for taking the same Is, I think al j
ropsi beyond "i doubt." I I ! t
"Mr. Spencer has jus) come in, having!
been
.
taini
CoXTRA-Cr.
June 30. To cash deposited
; ' J at Iudianapolis
, - Gold j in - bank at
- Fot Wayne,S5,.
; 322 '37,less 82,-
000,.its liabiijty
S forpthe deficit
ency of silver of
' ' ' $2000
Bmki nates, &c.,
in office
f Gold in officer
Silver in offic
. 1 Script! '
Forfeited land stock
f BataricedueUuiled
t States
8155.90G 00
Dearborn county, from u Lich he re::: -to
his present residence: Metier let il t f
"' With much reapecu
e WM. HENDRICKS.
Hon. Levi Woodbury,
. ; Secretary of the Treasury.
With mocb resbecC ha ! I t!ou! t
The horioraVile Senator could not have 1
much respect lor tte hnnorabW Secret
or.he would never h ve dared to writ? !
such a letter. Thbse two las; sentr.
like a lady's postscript, contain the v,I
substances It would produceexciten.r:
forsooth, to remove the defaulter; hc 1
influence! friends f "Better let il I
-Sir;inthese few iyords you may I 1
the cnornlity, the policy, and the st-. .
of the pany in power. Like the Rz U I
guage of the London swells, they e;::t
thoae who understand the true ra c - i : ;,
whole secret of po
itical roguery. II
"ucar jevi : l am t
a defaulter, and ytv:
'' out. Levi, you're
3,322 37
17,350 50
357 00
1,874 00
2,433 00
78 20
5,200 84
$4 86,529 91
ng a discount upon fome drafts due ih
have JMeofselected.' at, random from tbljte-i Septemberjriciuallv taken here for Imj.he
r 8f Vl1 ' nirasep:, ana 1 present
them j merely as specimens ; scores of ihe
was enabled to swell hit deposite there to
Vuu vi, wuiiii tUVCHICI Willi II1C UIU'
It is nlso proper for roe to state that I
am quite saiisfied Mr Spencer by hia visit
to. Richmond was enabled to increase his
available fund there $94,064 92, (he hav
ing drawn in favor of the Indianapolis
branch for that much more.) by obtaining
a discount there ; and upon drafts received
fyy. him at Fort Wayne fori public lands.be
fofe the 1st of jjune last; which drafts were
not.due till September :f and, of course, in
rder to reiloce the sarne now to. cash, he
ftade a (letluction Whethjer the deduction
Tor the yet remaining time whs equal to
.'what wis allowed him in May last, of
course 1 do not kpow ; i'but the differehve
us time p6ldieem toljice it beypiul a
touhi that it wrasf; mtictr less.
The laHer view, in part applies to the
discount opn unciinrentortiot land office)
pp'r, whch lie depositeidjat Indianapolis ;
a -certificate ofi the loss tipoh 'which I en
rlned at his reqnesjt,
Very, '
V I NATHANIEL WEST.
To EniAx j A-j Bnlsfaq.
By this docUment it pars that the're
Cfivpr hd ii-roed his office Into a "shaving
shop" for fii m-eif and his friends. It fur
ter appears. that he 'hadjiol raeril-y failed
tOideoosite. tlie; pobhft; moneys arcordinff to
Hi:- '----r i 1 "
aw, hut had used- them ; hr,when he came
t make a settlement wilb Mr West, after
having scraped, together all tbe means witb
in his reach; fter sellingdrfts, obtaining
a private discount at Richmond, bringing
forward al ihe publin money in-his hands,
anil, in the InrajrWge of Mr West, some o
ther money T he falls short $5.206 84,
which he d'es not profess to account tor
in any way. Inrother words, by this re
prrrt Colonel Spencer stowl before the. Sec
retary and President an acknowledged,con
fpgEied, and convirted peculator and embez
zler of publjcj moneys to the amount of
$5 206 84, without a shadow of excuse or
defence. , '' .".
And what thinlcyou was done with this
defaulter by the moral, upright, sin-hating
Secretary ? And what haa been done , by
the President who thinks this offence
ought to be made felony and punished
wiih the penitentiary'? fjefore 1 answer
this question, I will read you a letter-Trora
a then Senator: of the United States,which
will perhaps throw come light upon the
subject. It will be percieved this tetter
was written thiring the examination of the
offire by Mr VYest and was doubtless in
tended to Obviate the effect of the re
port. I
, ; I Madisow. Aug 31, 1836.
Sir: I. am informed that some things are
stated recently to thejprejodice of Colonel
John Spencer receiver at Fort Wayncanrf
am requested to write you. In doing, so,
I can only say that I have been gratified in
learning tbat his deposite have been made
tj your satisfaction ; and, if so, I hope that
minor matters!, if mere irregularities will
be? overlooked Hj is reputed to be an hon
interpeted, the honorable Mr. Hendri I
letter would read
Cotonel Spencer i
going to turn him
frto ; you must dolrto etich. thin?; it v,v
injure the party to) turn hita out; hn',
stronsr politician, and has; got a grat i'.
of influence; .he is'nt cheating u?, it's or !
the People If youj know which side yc
bread, is buttered, keep him in office.,
And what says honest Levi to all th:: .
Listen; here is his answer: ' - .
Treasury.- Departm est, Sept. 7, t S3 0 . ,
Sir : Your letter of tbe-S 1st ultimo is iect . -
ed, and I am happy to inform yoo that r :-.
Spencer's explanation! have bee i such that 1
will probably ccntioaei in office..
I am, verv respectfully,
yoor obedient servant, f
r-'. LRVI WOODBUflY.
Seretaryof the Treasury,
Hon. WiLttAM Hendricc3, jlladison I.
whjch being interpreted, reads: 'Dear :
Whos a fool ? I never intended to torn hiru iv:t.
1 only talked about ij to goll the Pwple at.
make them think I was honest. He slnll I
retained.' Ay, and ln was retained, and so i
rendered such good 'seme to his maftr as vr!
approved the sagacity which refus&d to part wit !.
hini. f -. ;
He had been continued In office by Mr.Van
Buren.Sc is now receiver at Fort Wayna. TLf r o
is ope more circumstance developed by this dn"
amvnt, to which I in rite attention I The JScr
retry, in hh letter of !he2Sd of May to C ?.
Spejncer, tells him nnv neqi or inaiiAn
tton totbeve reqbiremtnts, thai 19 to deposit
monthly the money on hand,and rnake monthly
returns thereof.l unless satisfactorily; acconntt I
for, will require of mf, frcn a sense of r.Clri'-l
duly, that yob be. reported to the President,
with a recommendation that yoa bo reoiovcJ
from office " r -4-
So; in connexion with this extract, read th?
wing leMeriiom Ud. Spencer -. written just
upon the eve of the Presidential election, an i
about six weeks after! the cirrespondepce t3-
iween Hendricks and the -Secretary f
Hfceiter's Orncn,
as far as Richmond, where,; by ob- 4est and honorable raan.and 1 do not believe
that he has intentionally either done wrong
or violated his instractions. . It Would to
some exleiil jdutiexcilement if he were
removed,. Jor he hat many warm cfinjium
famt jeort--the phosphorescent ghameribgs fiey uken with bio froo berebt niver in tialfrimdsTyth at Fort Wayne end lin
. ; Fort Watne. Oct 27, 1830.
Sir: This is to infitfm yoa that I have fur
warded to tne deposite bank one hundred and
four thousand dollars,! Vilrer there; to remaia
until I arrive' with thlt g-ofd and paper mon
ey -. ' '-' ''
Jfy democratic friends think that I oyj1d n c i
lo leave until after we hold our election1 for Pre-
. - . . I . .....
sident, on the llh JVovember, which J have con
cluded to ate ait f and shall leave on that erenin 7
or the next morning, to dej)onte, with all the
funds on hand vp to that time I shall wiit ;
yoa; again be fore 1 leave The sales are rapid ;
mostly paid in gold and silver. My jioartr1y
repki will be forwarded by. next mail; for list
quarter, which ought to haveoeen done' sooner,
.only for the want of help in the office. Here
after. ( think I ean getlmy reports off, without
ninch delay, after the close of the month an J
quarter. I am. &.p -J
! JOHN PENCEU, Tuceivcr.
Hon. Levi Woodburt. , .
- S eeretniry of Trctisury.
What think ya of litis t : The repeated iri
joneiion of tbe Secreiary had beao, that at t!d
end of each month- he Should depMle the pob
lic money in hand ; and if be' tailed to do o,
without goodrxce, h ahoold be removed iturn
o'ffice. Well, ir, he fails io make his ! deposits
in October, not y accident or necessity ', but vol-
.nntarily ; and sends, in 1 advance, his; excosa to
the ?ecrrtarv. I hal i that exense f it .ti3t
his domncralic friends thought he ouht net to
leave until after the election for Ptttident ; ir.
oiher words, ihat hisdot y to the party wz pir
amofin: lo his official doty ; that hi obIigMora
10 Mr. Van Borenf the candidate for the Pres
idency) were greater thh his oblizatiuha to the
country, in whose ervice be was at least r.;tr.i
nally emoloyed, I ; . -"-i- :'- f-- '
Accordingly, he oegleted htsmost important
daties fo: many days, that he might use injhe
election thai political influence of which tl.e
honorable Mr. Iend ricks speaks with so much
unctioT .'' - j . ;j . " . "v(: - '. ;
The SecreUry receives this excuse ; reccgr.i-
ss iff of5ci'n.', by nu recoromfendirig- bi re
ajo va I from offiie, as he kad promised 10 do, in
rase the reaJtn hmtd not be aiffaetory ; and
haftibaconvirTed himr)fof entrtioitg&. prac
tising ih prufligadfictpna thai inietference in
e!ctTons by an office holder i not inl v justifiable
but involve a hi?her degre of obligation than
the mere per forma oe of official doty? It w&3
ot merely lo exercise his elective franchiieas
a ciiixni that Spncer violated the Jnjonction cf
the Department ; this right We wnild have ex
ere'ted where h doty called bim, as well n at
Ferr Wayne. Bat that wonW not do ; he bad
Influence at the laiter place, which it was im
poruot to ihe party he ajboofd exercise. II a v
iog tbas violated bis solemn official obligation?,
for the DorpoM of as&istioe Mr Van Boreo into
j the presidential chair, it was of coarse 00 mora
! than fa;r ibat the President should return iho
! favor. He did return it. He continued Cel.
SpeoWr 10 office; and thus, at th aatas tic.
exhibited his gratitude, yiolated bfi duty, ana
prostituted bb bih atatiooJ This, Mr Chair
: man. is bot a speciraeo of that corrupt rerp-oci-
ty of service which ctmjutotes t he ligsrtye il-A
.jl fpl-vr!.--:i-: ,
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