i ; ' " ; : i - . . ' - . . ,. - .
ll. W. HUSTED, Editor.
RALEIGH, JUNE 28, 1843.
Vol. I.
No.
6.
1 Charlotte, N. C. June 16, 1843.
To fte Editor of the Raleigh Register:
' ''it
Sir i Will you permit me, through your paper,
to give the public a brief history of my connection
with the Branch Mint-at this place, and to defend
my reputation against the malicious assaults of a
fW prejudiced and designing men, who have sud
denly become the peculiar friends of the Presi
dent and the self-constituted guardians of the pub
lic interest? jj
In July 1841, I received a commission from
President Tyler, reciting, " that he reposing spe
cial trust and confidence in my integrity and abil
ity, had nominated, and by and with the advice
aud consent of the Senate, had appointed me Su
penntendent of the Branch Mint at Charlotte,
North Carolina," which appointment I accepted,
and entered upon the duties of that office, upon
the 18th of August, with the fixed and unaltera
ble determination to correct the abuses and ex
travagancies that existed in that Institution, and
to carry! out in practice the patriotic pledges made
by our gallant party in the political contest of
1840. .'1, .- . ;:
In assuming the responsibilities of officer I
etood pledged, by the principles of the Whig par
ty, to d jvest myself of the character of the 'parti
san politician, and to observe an honorable neu
trality in the political scenes of the day. I was
more fully confirmed in the propriety of this posi
tion, by the declining condition in which I found
the Institution placed under my supervision, and
which I believed had originated in a great mea
sure, from the partisan character given; it by my
predecessor in office. j.I resolved to remove all
cause of complaint of this nature,- byextending
courtesy to all, and to know no political party in
my official connection with the community.
By the act of Congress, establishing the Branch
Mints, I had the power to remove every individ
ual here, in' the employment of -the Government,
(except the Assayer and Coiner,) 'and tohavefill
, ed their places with persons from my own politi
? cal party, but in obedience to the principles of that
3arty, I enquired not for their political opinions,
but for their ability and integrity : and injustice
to them, I must say that I found do cause of re
moval. They were Democrats, but honest, ca
pable and faithful. I was pressed by some of my
" political frinds to remove Mr. W. F. Strange,
the Clerk of my predecessor, and to give the ap
pointment to some Whig, but I was satisfied that
he wai a gentleman of sterling integrity, posses
ting all the qualities of a fine officer, and I re
tained him as my confidential clerk, during rny
continuance in ofiice. It is true, I found one
Whig in the, office of Porter or Door-keeper, at
the annual salary of two hundred and forty dollars,
and believing that there was no law authorizing
his appointment and that the public interest did
'not require his continuance, I dlsmised him- aud
abolished the office. f
My next effort was to remove the cause of
complaint, that was so general and so justly made,
against the profuse manner in which the public
monies had been squandered by my predecessor,
uporTobjects that did not promote the public in
terest and hy a rigid economy, to bring down
the annual expenditures to the simple and Re
publican standard of North Carolina economy.
How far I have succeeded in this,-! refer to the
records of the Mint and to the paper A, hereto
annexed, which I have caused to be made out by
the Clerk of the Mint, and is a comparative state
ment, taken from the records of the same, ot the
annual expenditures of the public monies appro
priated by Congress for this Mint, from its com
mencement in 1837, to the end of the year 1842,
together with the value of the Gold bullion receiv
ed for coinage, each year respectively ; and which
presents m juxtaposition the 'administration of( a
Democratic and Whir Superintendent ; and shows
h how far Whig promises and Whig practices cor-
r j I t j : nmn;onn T htMI (il-o
jeojjutiu. j in uruwmg una wiupanoun,! i"
the year 1840, which you will observe is the last
and cheapest year of my predecessor,) and the
year 1842, (the only whole year that I have been
honored with this trust.) ! In the year 1840, there
was received for coinage $127,585 91 worth of
gold bullion, which costs the Government in its
coinage $13,875 17 ; and in the year 1842, there
was received for the same purpose, 8174,407 11
in Value of gold bullion, that cost the Government
in its coinage, 811,070 86, showing that in tho year
1840, that the Mint did less business by 846,821
20, than in the year 1842, and spent two thousand
eight hundred and four 'dollars and thirty-one
cents more money ; and this too in the cheapest
year of Democratic superintendence, the most of
which, you will observe, by reference to this state
ment, has been saved out oLthat muchir abused
em, in all approprittioa bUlr Ulh4 ,b CoBtinat
It 3
Fund." The salaries j of the Officers and clerk
are. fixed by law; the pay of laborers by usage of
the Mint, at so much per day ; but the expendi
tures of the contingent fund must necessarily in
a- great measure, be limited by the sound discre
tion of the Superintendent, who is responsible for
all such' expenditures of jthis description in all the
departments. In August last, I put in operation,
upon my individual responsibility alone, a change
in relation to the service; of workmen employed,
that brings down that item of expenditure, for the
present year, seven hundred and two dollars ; and
from the entire success of the experiment I do
not entertain a doubt, but that it may be eontin-
ued without the slighest inconvenience to the
public interest, Ihus fixing- that item of expendi
ture hereafter at 82,808 jOO instead of $3,519 00
annually, under the old arrangement.
These are some of my Whig notions of 're
trenchment afpd reform ;! and it is for the public
to decide how far President Tyler was justified
in the confidence he expressed, in my commission,
in my " integrity and ability," but strange to tell,
with a full knowledge on the part of Mr. Tyler
of these facts, I have lost that confidence, and
am considered by him, " as no longer worthy of
his " special trust'' j
Upon the 21st March last, I received a commu
nication from Dr. R. M. Patterson, Director of
the Mint at Philadelphia, enclosing me a eopy of
the following letter to himself, from the Hon.
John C. Spencer, Secretary of the Treasury, and
requesting that I would J furnish him; with my
reply as to the truth of the allegations made, ac
companied with certificates of disinterested per
sons acquainted with the circumstances i
Treasury Department,
March 11, 1843. J
Sir : In a communication addressed to the
President of the U. States, and by him referred
to this Department, it is charged against Col. Gai
ther, the Superintendent of the Branch. Mint in
North Carolina, that he. resides with his family,
about 60 miles from Charlotte. I will thank you
to cause the necessary enquiries to be made, to
ascertain if such be the fact, and if so,-whether
any inconvenience is caused to those having trans
actions with the Mint, in consequence of the dis
tance of the Superintendent's rcsidence.V;
I am, respectfully,
J.'C. SPENCER,
Secretary of the Treasury.
To Dr. R. M. Patterson," Philadelphia."
I responded immediately to this charge,- and
6ent the certificates of thirty -two gentlemen, resi
dents of this place,. Lincblnton and Morganton,
proving the charge false and confirming the facts,
contained in my answer. I I appended this same
paper A to my answer, showing the condition of
the Mint, in comparisen with its former operations
and the efforts 1 had made -to restore the Institu
tion to public confidence.
Mint at Philadelphia,-who
the general supervision of the Branch Mints, and
to whom this charge had. been properly referred
for investigation, made his report to the Secreta
ry of the Treasury, upon; the 5th of April, and
accompanied the same, at my request, with all the
documents I had forwarded, and placed them on
file in the Treasury Department.
In this report;-Dr. Patterson confirms the high
opinion I had previously entertained for his ele
vated character as a public officer, and does me
full and ample justice. He negatives the charge
made, and reports that the certificates forwarded go
to show that I have the confidence of the commu
nity in which I reside, andjof all persons who have
business in the Mint: that during my superin
tendence the amount of deposites and of coinage
The Director of the
by law is invested with
f .1 w .
expenses, or -, ute Mini
and concludes his re-
could have induced 'Mr. Tyler t,o have removed
me,- whom he bad so recently appointed to' office,
other than political considerations, I am at a loss
to imagine. He is aware, no doubt, that I am one
of the admirers of Mr. Clay, and was icith hhn
(Tyler) j in the Harrisburg Convention and voted
with Mm for Mr. Clay, so long as there wai a lin
gering shadow of a hope for his nomination. We
concurred then in political sentiment and labored
with equal zeal (if not with equal ability,) ito pro
mote the same cotrimorr object,- by the nomination
of Mr. Clay. I have continued to stand where I
stood then, the uncompromising advocate of! Whig
principles ; and for the purpose of carry ipg out
the . frame, shall enlist again in' the campaign of
J 844V under that same gallant 'leader. It is true
that I have been compel
uments of one of the most desirable offices' inthe
State, rather than my political principles ; but I
ask no sympathies nor claim no credit for so; doing,
for if I had done less, I would have been unwor
thy of office and unworthy of the riame of an
Americai citizen. ! f ' f fC
Iir conclusion let me assure my friends that
they shall hear from me again as heretofore,-
grappling with the vanguard of our political foes,
and among the last to surrender the principles of
the Whig party, which I conceive so intitnately
connected with the cause of civil; liberty.-
have the honor to be, sir;
Your obedient servant,
BURGESS S. GAITHER
4
- - (A.y "".;,'- "...
tJNiTED States ,BraiJch Mint,
. Charlotte, N. C March 22, 1843
Sir: -In conformitv to vour wish, as exDress
ed in your note to me of yesterday's date that I
would give an official statement of thearious
expenditures of the annual appropriations made
by Congress for this Mint, each year,- from' its
commencement, to the end of 1842, includinffthe
wastage of gold,'M respectfully submit the fol
lowing statement, with the single remark, that
the amounts charged in the column under the
head, of Wastage of Gold, is already included in
the amounts, under the head of Contingent! Fund,
ana is merely placed here to show the amounts
that have been charged against the Contingent
J?und "on account or Wastage of Gold,
I have the honor to be very respectfully,
Your obedient servant. ,
W. F. STRANGE, C
B. S. Gaither, Esq-, Superintendent.
ence in jforganton, where the havt
mained. (A.)
2d. Col. Gaither himself, has continued to be
resident of Charlotte, and is so conaiHroJ
the Citizens of that place. (B. & D.)
I 3d. He makes occasional visits' to his family in
Burke County, which have been of very limited
uurnuon, except during the months of August and
wv-Pmuci, whcii ne was " pretiv generally ab
sent in consequence of thelunhealltunes3 of Char
lotte." (A.) i :
4th. during his occasional absences, he has aj-
ways left his Clerk, Mr. W. F. Strange, in full
possession o(f his Department,- and authorized
to represent him in every particular," so that
no interruption or delay of business has occur
red. (A.)
Sth. By; Colonel Gaither's visits to Morganton
which is in the midst of a great gold region, ha
has afforded to the" miners and dealers opportuni
ties of sending safely to the Charlotte Mint, fori
coinage, deposites of gold, which he states to
have amounted to more than 8107,000. (A.)
A certificate from the Agent of the Bank of North
Carolina shows that he had himself thus received
by the hands of Col. Gaither, nd deposited for
coinage, upwards of $53,600, in value -of gold
bullion. (C. By this means, it is believed that
a large accession of bullion has found its way to
the Charlotte Mint, which could not otherwis
have reached it. (D.) ,
6th,. The certificates go to show, that Colonel
Gaither has the confidence of the community iu
which he resides, and of all persons who hat
uueiuess ai me JttlllL (J5'&D.,
yth. iuring his supermtendence, the amount
of deposites and of coinage has iniMsedf- while
the expenses of the Mint have sensu diminieh-
ea. Hj.j , . , y
r io these statements I will merriyTathat my
constant correspondence with Col. Gawiher hasf
led me to'the conviction; that he is arfttentivey
vigiiani ana awe omcer,- and that his duties are
iaitwuily perforitoed.
Very Respectfully, fec.
(Signed,) R. M. PATTERSON,
To Hon. John C. Sfencer, ) Director
. bec'y. of the Treasury, y
erk.
Bate.
has increased, while the
have sensibly diminished,
port by adding his own direct testimony, in say
ing that his constant correspondence with me,
has led him to the conviction that I am an atten
tive, vigilant and able ojjker, and that my duties
are faithfully performed, which will more fully ap
pear by reference to paper B, j hereto appended.
From this report and the accompanying docu
ments, President Tyler discovered that I did not
belong to ! that class of office-holders that were
worthy of holding otfice under his administration,
and without further ceremony, issues hiB commis
sion upon1 the 9th of May, to Green W. Caldwell,
late Democratic, member of Congress from this
District, appointing him Superintendent, and to
whom oh yesterday I delivered over all the mo
nies. bullion and public property, and gave him
possession. These are the facts which I wish to
spread before the public, in order that no imputa
tions may be cast upon my character by a pre
scriptive dismission from office, and to show to the
world that I have acted in my official sphere on
the principles that brought the present Adminis
tration into power, What were the jaotivei that
1837
1838
1S39
1840
1841
1842
Contingent
Fanii.
6,766 12
8,922 11
6,768 84
4,674 92
2,190 74
1,860 11
Laborer J?y.
SI. 182 84
1,572 10
3,356 30
3,216 32
3,200 25
3,335 25
3,210 75
galaritfrof Offl
cer nd Clerk.
4,491 40
6.000 00
6,000 00
6,000 00
6,000 00
6,000 00
17,890 97( 34,491 40 1,609 72
Wte of
iOold.-
524 27
439 76
237 07
408 62
Date.
1837
1838
1839
1840
1841
1842
Snra 1 total ex
panded each jr
12,829 62
18,278 41
15.985 16
13,875 17
11,525 99
11,070 86
Amount nyceiTed.
(183? & '38 together.)
131,698 43
126-.836 40
127,585 91
132,587 41
174,407 11
83,565 21 1 ?
1843
To
15 June
693,115 2S
f
98,137 9J
Amonnt aoin'd
84;335 00
162;762 50
127235 00
133297 50
159,905 00
666j,635 00
94,360 00
760,995 00
! M $791,253 21
Tlie expenditure from 1st Jan. to 15th June 1843
it not included, lor the reason that it is difficult to give
trie precise, expenditure until tne ena oi the quarter ;
but it is less than the corresponding period of last year.
Mint of the United States,
i . April 5th, 1843.1
Sir : In a letter to me of the 11th ult, you
state, that! " in a communication addressed to the
President of the United States, and by bW referr
ed to your Department, it is charged against Col.
Gaither, the Superintendent of the Branch Mint,
North Carolina, that he resides with his family
about sixty miles fr6m Charlotte"; and you ask
me u to cause the necessary enquiries to be made
to ascertain if such be the fact, and if so, whether
any inconvenience is caused to those having trans
actions with the Mint, in consequence of the dis
tance of the Superintendent's residence."!
In compliance with your instructions, I, imme
diately wrote to Mr. Gaither, sending him a copy
of your letter, and begging him to furnish me
with his reply as to the truth of the allegations
made, accompanied with certificates from dis
interested persons acquainted with the circum
stances." -:--- U
TIis reply I have received, under date of the
24th ulu with certificates from several individ
uals. These papers are sent enclosed, and you
will see that they go to establish the following
facts : . -1 !
1st. Col.j Gaither came into office on the 18th
of August 1341. He removed his family to Char
lotte soon afterwards, and they resided there with
him during the following Autumn, Winter, and
Spring; but then returned to tbttr former resi-
j Unnecessary Trouble. 'Evefy now and
then, the Locos kind-hearted creatures !
become very much troubled at imacrinnrtf
am --. - w o J
issensions in the Whig ranks, in regard to
the propriety of Mr. Clay "being the candi
date of the party for.Jhe Presidency.
Lijiuugu luc uicuium oi Auocojoco papers we
are startled, every few days, with fearful ar.
counts of " plots" and" intrigues" inthe
Whig, party to cheat Mr. Clay out of the
nomination ! Now, it is very strange that
we never hear any thing of "these intrigues
excepi inrougn tne medium of Locofoco pa
pers ! ' Strange that they alone should make
the discovery that 'f there is evident alarm
in the Whig camp about Mr. Clay's prospects
of being the Whig candidate for the Presi
dency." Strange that Whigs should know
nothing of this alarm among themselves!
Alarm in the Whig camp" indeed ! The
artifice is too shallow, gentlemen, to' produce
any effect. We have never met, or heard, of
a Whig, yet, who doubted for a moment that
Mr. Clay would be the candidate aye, morer
we have never met with a Whig who would
everconsent to any thing-else. If the Locos
cannot start some more probable tale, we
would advise them to bo Irpnest tell tho
truth, and settle their own family difficulties.
They may as well submit with as good graco
as possible, for Mr. Clay will, as surely a
he lives, be the candidate of the Whig party.
No other man is thought of for one moment,
in connexion with that office none other
wjill be by any true fThig. Rest assured,
the Whigs of the Union are united on this
point, and the Locos may save themselves
any further trouble in regard to it.
The way to get Office. If you wish to
get an office under the present most ;exern
plary Administration, you must get up a Ty
ler meeting and be President, Secretary, or
cnief Orator, ory what would be still better,
all of these together. You must then send
a copy of the proceedings to our friend John
Jones, and he will publish them in his in
valuable paper. Then you must go on to
VVashington, and present your claims to the
grauiuue oi icuiutiiiuy in me acts oi mi
so conspicuously. This is a test of fide
which cannot be questioned, and as
thinks that an officer of Tyler roeel
the fittest man in the world for ag xA
the Government, he will be sure to
some snug little office on whicl
quarter yourself until he sees fit
you,- LouitvilU Journal ij