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fiiouH be autho
ndly’,-.that an
en made to co
-10-thftswar „
,s rule does not
v adhered to in .
ons above as
» been unable
)cen departed
•nt inliances
emfclvcs, are
25th' day of
, an authori
nt of the U
juilt fix {hips
h, and to carry
h,. and to build
ar to be armed
part of the ne
hefe objefts, a
ion of dollars
1a me law. And
the fame day, it
•cks should be e
under the direc
ie United State',
airing the public
,000 dollars was
pose, and by ano
»aine day, the sum
,-as appropriated to
rchafe of growing or
. lands on which tim
etable for the navy, and
r me.afures to be taken
; preserved lor the future
. Under this authority,
secretary of the navy ex
—i of 135,846 dollars and
wo cents, in the purchase of fix
yards at Portfinourh, Charleston,
(Mas.) New. York, Philadelphia, Gof
port, (Virg.) and the city of Wafliing
ton. For this expenditure the commit
tee conceive that no authority was given
by law, nor any appropriation made ex
cept for the two docks abovementioned,
as the sum of one million of dollars was
appropriated by the ass of 1799* for
building or nurchalmg the fiiips only,
andthefumof zco,coodollars for the pur
chase of the timber. As public fiiips of war
bad been, before, built under a similar
authority for the ufc of the United States,
at private yards, and as congress did, at
the fame time ’ that they authorifed the
building or purchasing the fiiips t provide
for the cre&ion of two docks only, the
committee are of opinio 1 that four ot the
navy yards were purchufed without au
thority, and the money milapplied which
was paid for them.
In the war department there likewise
appears to have been a trajifafHon equally
unauthorifed, In the year a pile of
lniildings was commenced under the di
reftions of then secretary of war, on the
banks of Sk'*ylkill near the city of Phi
ladelphia, which have, since, been car
ried on in a manner highly expendve.
These buildings have been called a Labo
ratory, and although yet in an unfinifiicd
Hate, have already cofi the United States
152,608 dollars and five cents, which
sum has been paid out of the appropriations
fieretofor made for the quartcr-mafter’s
departm. .. The committee are ot opi
nion tkat this expenditure ot money could
pot be jultified at any time, but more
particularly at a moment when the Unit
ed States were borrowing money at a.high
rate of interest to meet objeds which
the legifuture conlidered as necessary, anti
had fandioned by law.
The committee beg leave likewise to
refer to an important principle formerly
fettled by the executive, and adually
pradifed upon in the war department, in
relation to the expenditure of public mo
ney, which they deem improper in a go
vernment like ours, where taxes cannot
be imposed but by public consent, and
where monies, arising from those taxes,
cannot be diiburfed but upon the autho
rity of a law previously jut Ted by the
rerntfentatives of the nation. By an ad
paired on the ninth of February, in the
year 1793, the Prefidcnt is direded to
c a life the monies drawn from the treafii
ry, for the parpofe of intercourse with
foreign nations, to be fettled, by caufmg
the fame to be accounted for fpecifically
in all cases wherein the expenditure there
of may, in bis judgment, be made pub
lic ; an.l by making a certificate or certi
ficates, or causing the secretary ot (late to
m ike a certificate or certificates of the a
mount of such expenditure, as he may
think it advisable not to fpecify ; and
such certificates are to be taken as fuln
cient vouchers for the fa ms expreiTed to
have been expended. The policy of this
law the c > n nit tec do nor intend to quell i
on, bat i: is dear that it extends only to
■'aV* of co npenfation tor what nr; ufaullv
r -rnreJ '• r : i:e 1" that may kc
rendered to the United States in their in
tercourse with foreign nations. The lec
tion above recited has been ingrafted into
. two lawspafled in the refpedive years of
* 1798 and T 800, but in every law on the
. fubjeiS, it'has been* expressly confined to
foreign intercourse, and ia the ad of
1 800 is farther limited to the contingent
expences only of foreign intercourse. It
has not, been w'ithout consi
derable furprize that the committee have
fecn the fame principle applied to the ex
penditures of the war department.
In the initrudions given by the fecre
t.'iry of war to the accountant of the war
department, in his letter of the 28th oi
Dec. 1797, herewith reported and mark
ed L, _a rule is positively laid down, that
expenditures for secret services rendered
in relation to the duties of the war depart
ment, are to be admitted. And on the
2oih day of December, in the year 1799,
the secretary of the treasury made a re
port on this fubjed to the President of the
United States, (subjoined and marked M)
in which the principle is again recogniz
ed as applicable to the departments of
date, war and navy. On the subsequent
day the President accordingly signed two
certificates as vouchers for monies said to
have been expended in relation to the du
ties of the war department, which certi
ficates are annexed to this report, and are
marked N and O. The committee en
tertain no doubt as to the illegality of this
meafurc, as it is authorifed by no law
wliatfoever, and they had flattered thcin
felves that the federal government requir
ed no services of any nature which ought
to be concealed from the officer:, of the
treasury, or from the legislature. They
consider these fads as coming properly
under the head of expenditures, not au
thorifed by law.
Two other cases of exceptionable ex
penditure in the war department have
been faflicicntly examined to warrant a re
port upon them. ■ The firfl: relates to an
appointment conferred by the late Presi
dent on Uriah Tracy, E r q. in the sum
mer of the year 1800, while he was a
member of the senate of ihe United States:
—The second relates to a payment made,
from the contingent fund of the war de
partment to Mrs. Ariana French, of
Georgetown, in the month of July, 1800;
neither of these are very extensive in a
rhount, but both deemed important for
the precedents they may hereafter fur
nifli.
It appears from a document herewith
exhibited, and marked P, that Mr. Tia
cy was appointed to “ visit and examine
into the adual ftatc of the garrisons, In
dian trading houses, factories, &c. in the
North We'tern Territory, on the Mifiif
fippi, and on the frontiers of Tenneflee
and Georgia,” and that Mr. Tracy re
ceived for this service the sum of one thou
fiand nine hundred and eighty.five dollars
and five cents ; seven hundred and fifty
three dollars and five cents, being for
travelling and other incidental expences,
and twelve hundred and thirty-two dol
lars for his compensation, from the fix
tcenth of June to the sixteenth of Novem
ber, in the year one rhoufand eight hun
dred, at eight dollars per day. From the
account exhibited by Mr. Tracy for his
expences, it will be fecn that during these
five months he visited Pitrfburgh, Preface
Ifie, Niagara, Detroit and Michillima
chenack, but did not fulfil the other cb
jeds of his million.
The committee cannot forbear to re
mark, that MSt. Tracy’s acceptance of
this appointment bus the appearance at
lead of inconsistency with that part of the
constitution which provides that “ no
person holding an office under the United
States, lhall be a member of either house
of congress.” Mr. Tracy was at the
time of receiving the appointment, dur
ing the whole of its continuance, and
has ever since been a member cf the se
nate of the United States; and from an
infpedion of the pay roll of the senate,
the committee find that for the last seven
teen days of the five months of his ser
vice,, under the above appointment, he
not only had h : s expences borne by the
public to a con!i Itrable amount, and re
i ceived likewise eight dollars per dav, but
that he at the fame time received, as a
member of the fem'e, fix dollars per day
for travelling from Litchfield in Connec
ticut to the feat of government; a di
fl.incc of three hundred and forty-four
miles—twenty miles being allowed for
travelling one dav.
James M*Henry, Esq. former secretary
I of war, resigned tint office, it is believ
ed,, in the month of May, i and the
, document marked R, hereto annexed,
( Ihcws that in the month of AprX preced
ing, Mrs. Ariana French leafedy house
j to him for one year, to commence 1 fsotn
* * 1
I the firft of June following ; that an award
was made between the parties, by which
it was declared, that Mr. M‘Hen
ry ihould pay to Mrs. French two hun
dred and eight dollars and ninety-five
pents,- for damages sustained by her, by
reason of his not occupying her house a
greeably to the contract, and that in con
formity to the opinions of the secretary
of the treasury and the secretary of the .
navy, and by the di red ion of the secre
tary of war, this sum was paid to Mrs.
French out of the fund for defraying the
contingent exper.ces of the war depart
ment.
Upon the whole, the committee are of
opinion that considerable iums of the pub
lic money have been greatly misapplied,
and that much expence has been incurred
without any legal authority ■, but for
the reasons before assigned, it has been
impoffiblc for them to make a complete
investigation. Nor do they believe that
an investigation entirely fatisfadory can
he made, unless the house fnouid think
proper to appoint a committee for this
purpose to fit during the recess, with di
redions to make a report to the next ses
sion of congress..
The committee deem it their duty to
observe, that appropriations for the con
tingencies of the war and navy depart
ments are, at all times, liable to abuses,
not only from the very large furas usually
appropriated therefor, but also, from the
impracticability of fpecifying by law,
the precise objects to which fiuch fuins are
applicable ; and the committee are of opi
nion, that giving publicity to the ac
counts of the expenditures of monies ap
propriated for contingencies, would have
the mod direfb tendency, to correct the
latitude of conltrudion formerly exercised
in that refped, by the heads of those de
partments, to promote economy in, and
attach a proper degree of confidence to
the future proceedings in those depart
ments. And the committee can difeern
no possible inconvenience in a disclosure of
that nature, finee they believe, that there
is no necessity nor propriety for applying
the principle of secret feivice money to
either of those departments ; and at lead
it ought to he so conftdered, until it
should be otherwise determined by law.
The committee are, therefore, of opi
nion, that a clause to this effect, ought
tobe infer ted in the bill already reported
by them relpeding the accountability of
public officers.
For other arrangements which appear
to be ueccflary “ to prom * : economy,
enforce adherence to legislative re ft rid i
ons and secure the accountability of per
sons en-truiled with public money/’ they
refer to the bill reported by them during
the prefe.nt session, to provide for the due
application of public money and to secure
the accountability of persons entruded
therewith, and aifo to the communicati
ons of the secretary of the treasury, made
to them on the 2d day of March bib.
All which is refpcctfally submitted.
WASHINGTON CITY, A Tny 5.
The importance of the report of the
committee of investigation, was mod for
cibly iiludrated by the motion made by
Mr. Griswold on Saturday in the house
of representatives to recommit it ; by the
arguments he urged in favor cf comnit
ment; and by the masterly and conciu
five manner in which Mr. Nieholfon re
pelled them. Without attempting to in
validate the truth of a {ingle fen;cnee of
the report, Mr. Griswold advocated its
recommitment on the ground that it might
produce a great impression on the public
mind,, and might fully the fair fame of
the former adminidration.
Mr. Nieholfon replied didindily to e
very argument, exhibited their irrelevan
cy, and demanded with appropriate spi
rit, whether there was an atom, of it that
was not true. In making the report, he
declared, that the committee had no in
tention to wound the feelings cf those
who lately admir.idercd the government,
or any other individuals ; they were di
refbed solely by the dictates of the duty
assigned them by the house, which com
pelled them 10 (late facts,. and the deduc
tions naturally arising thereon.
The quedion was taken by yeas and
nays, on Mr. Griswold's motion to re
commit, and io.b.—Yeas 22. —Nays 4S.
M:\y to.
On the bd page of our paper the reader
will find the articles of agr -emenc enter*, d
into bet ween the United States and the
date of Georgia. This amicable an:l ho
norable termination of differences w>!l he
grateful to every lincere ftivnd to the u
nion, as the adjodment is mT-ou terms
of reciprocity and j-id ice. It uelerves to
be enumerated among the ituporem'. m« a
fures of the prefenr adminubration ; <uid is
a {hiking proof, of the prompt r.rd cfTcc.
tual steps. taken by them ip. whatever re.
gards 'he harmony and well-being of ih e
union.
On the lafl day of the feflion Mr.
Grifwo’id attempted to fupercede the <.tfi
cacy of this convention. The effort w *
m mfully opposed by Mr. Mdleeg?,
who in a style energetic and in-eiiigvn:
convinced the house of the impropriet - .*
of tHe motion made by Mr. Grifwoid
which tended by means hasty and incur
fiderate to fruftra'te the labours of fivcnrl
years of negotiation.
■ ■ II —I ■ 1 »!■■ —«l II I I- ■■ l__ _
Gregory & Bounticou
IVatch-MaktrSy GoiJ-Smtibs and Je-v:.
t lit' 1 S y
Respectfully inform the La.
dies and Gentlemen of Auguffo,
and its vicinity, that they have opened
their foop next door to H. Lord& Co.
where they intend carrying on their Bu
ftnefs in ali its Branches. JEWELRY,
GOLD and SILVER work of every
de feription, GILDING, EM GRAY.
ING and HAIR-WORK, executed in
the neatest manner; Clocks, Repeating,
Horizontal, and Plain Watches, repair
ed on the fiiorted notice. Orders from
the Country will be duly attended to.
*.[.* Cash paid for old Gold and SiU
ve r.
May 2S'-
t_
DiJfjlutioii of Partner.'Lip.
THE CopartnerQiip of Thevenet &
Co. being by mutual confer t,
this day difiMved. Notice is hereby
given to all persons who have any cliims
on that firm, to bring them forward for
fettletr,ent on or before the fird
June next, as nt> account again!! find
firm can be liquidated after thst oeriol.
S. THEVENET,
C. MUNNS.
May.
NOTICE.
ALL those indebted to the
eftare of Isaac Vndcrwood dteeafed, sre
requeued to and make pay
ment within the tirtc^preferibed by !:wv
and those who baveifny demands ag-ieft
the said cflate are4t(\efted t<> co ne tor
ward with thsir/iceporro well authenti
cated, and thr fame c!fr barged*
Wm. UNDERWOOD, Adm’r. (
Columbia May zo.
Five Dollars Reward.
RUN AWAY from the fubfc.ibcr,
on Thursday the 2C'b a negro
woman named MiR ABELLEin French,
but in Knglifh FANNY, about thirty
years of age, (hort and thin, well known
in Anamfta and its vicinirv, branded on
the bread: verder St. marc. It is
very probable (he will make for Mr.
John Fox’s or Mr. Miiledge’s plantati
on, cr to Mr. Ananias Cooper’s mills,
bavin* a he (bind at each of the above
O . ,
p-2 cCo • As lam told fume petfon wiln-l
ed to purchase her, any person may hava
her for five hundred dollars.
M. VERDERY.
May 28.
Jijl Received , a?:d for Fat?, 1
10 HhJs. 4thproof Jamaica!
RUM, 1
10 Ditto Vcft-India and. Northern, I
6 ernrrer c dks of old Sherry Wine, ■
1.0 Ditto Moiafics, I
bell Brown Sugar by the hhd. I
Greene Coffee by the bbl. ■
Kyfo’i Tea, bdh quality, fl
Superfine gilt edged Letter Paper, I
Di<to common ditto, ■
La.iNariltcens hiteu impnrtr.ticn, H
A wiii ailcr,i\l bt).\ ii*. . Lmen, I
V/cUtcr’s and V/oodbridge’s
Cooks,, I
600 bulbuls Alum Salt, ■
ILd green fiilc Umbrellas, With 4
without canes, H
Ginghams ditto, ■
Cambric a: d lappet M» fim?, 5
Dimities of the be ft kind, ■
| Gentle mens, ladiiS, bo; sand miiTiS Csß
ton Hose,- fl
Ditto, ditto Hats, 9
i Grey Linens, Calicoes an i C’d::':*?* ■
All of which will be fold low ior £• ‘.fl
j or produce. fl
ALSO o*4 CUKSTCXMEST, I
: i Cmtes well aliened Crockery, sr.a I
z hoses Gi tfs Ware.
Whi h will be find low fnrCettw, r l
a liber i! price allowed lor that e"i- 1 - I
cv.lt.ii ge. .... I
SAMor.h ft.. I
tj i .»•**-» ■* I
• 4 I - % ■