Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

drawn from the Treasury under appropna finns by Congress, without regardmdmg, in all cases, the objects of the appropriations as specified in the law. , This practice virtually defeats that provi sion of the Constitution which declares that no money shall be drawn from the Treasury except under appropriations by Congress; for the object of this provision must have been not merely that money shall not he drawn from the Treasury without being duly appro priated, but that it shall be for ob jects specified in the acts of a Ampliation. The practice of making payinems under such circumstances —that is, of taking money drawn from the Treasury under an appropria tion for one object, and applying it to the pay ment ot accounts, and for objects for which no appropriation has been made renders toe reports of the c >ndi:ion of the Treasury en tirely fallacious, and utterly destroys all con fidence in them. The true condition oi the treasury, or of its liabilities, is not and can not be presented under such a practice. The Indian department has favored itself in the means of practising this irregularity j by another usage, directly in contravention of j the law of Congress requiring that the j unexpended balance of appropriations at the expiration of two years, shall revert toj the Treasury. It has been customary, before the expiration of the two years, to withdraw j from the Treasury the balances not actually required for disbursement within the specified I period; and these balances have been placed in the hands of disbursing agents, forming a very large fund, from which payments have been made from time to time for objects lor which no appropriations have been made by Congress. The amount of funds in the hands of these special agents of the Department has ranged, on an average, from two to three hundred thousand dollars for the last seven years, and this has been generally deposited in banks telected at the discretion ol the agent himself. 11 rider these circumstances, the disbursing; agents, having received moneys under abthor- j ised hea ls of appropriation which have been ( applied to objects not sanctioned by law, have had their accounts brought into such a condi tion as will not allow of their settlement at the Treasury without special appropriation by Congress; and hence there are disbursing agents who have been unable toobtain a set tlement during several years, and whose ac counts are still open, notwithstanding the act of Congress, most salutary in its object, re quiring a settlement annually on the first of October. As one irregularity is often the parent of another, so, under the usage of the Ind'an Bureau, by which large amounts ol money have been field by disbursing agents, which should have reverted to the Treasury, these agents have had the means of loaning, and have actually loaned large sums within the last f#\v years, to meet the necessities of the Treas ury in other Departments of the Government or other and distinct branches of the Indian department; and, in this manuei*, a system of accommodation has obtained without respon sibility and unknown to the law. The evils of the practice, the subject of these remarks, will sufficiently appear when it is considered that they are precisely those which it was the object of the provision in the Constitution, prescribing the mode of drawing money from the Treasury, to guard against; and those aiso which were intended to be counteracted by. the law of Congress re quiring that unexpended balances shall rt* vert to the Treasury at the expiration of two years. In the present condition of the accounts of disbursing agents, it is impossible to ascertain the precise amount of payments requiring appropriations by Congress for their final ad justment at the Treasury, f>ut tiie amount is idhown, thus far, to exceed $200,000, and will probably require $250,000, and possibly $300,000. It would be easy to multiply remarks upon the impropriety of this practice o! the De partment. The objections are numerous and weighty and some of them are founded so deeply in vital principles as to deserve some furtfier notice in this report. All officers hold their powers in trust under the obligation of fulfilling the objects; lor which those powers were grained. Congress is entrusted with the power ol gianting mon ey for objects to be accomplished by Executive agents. If the agenls divert the money to other objects, there is a breach ol trust. Bin as all the officers of the Government are pre sumed to have in view the common good, Congress, more or less, relies upon the Exec utive agents to indicate the objects requiring appropriations, with estimates of the amounts necessary for their accomplishment. This confidence inJExecmive agents seems to have been regarded, in some cases, as an implied authority in the agent to undertake objects not yet sanctioned by Congress, the agents look ing prospec ively for that sanction. But il this discretion is to he tolerated under any pretence whatever, for objects however ap parently needful or important, the checks and guards provided by the Constitution and the laws are atonoe removed, and the most dan gerous experiments may be made with the public money, having no higher sanction than the judgment of the Heads of Departments, while the discretion thus exercised at the fountain is liable to beget licentiousness in the subordinate agents, resulting in frauds and defalcations of extraordinary character and magnitude. The aitemion of the Department has been directed to the subject of Indian treaties, and particularly to the manner in which some of those recently made have been executed, in volving the disbursement of lame sums of money, for die emigration and subsistence of 11 i us. The frauds that have been practised in the Southwest have been to some extent inquired into, but a full disclosure of aii the facts has not been arrived at. Enough lias, however, been brought to light to establish the convic tion that certain contractors have realized the most enormous profits, the greater portion of which is believed to have been the direct fruit of gross fraud upon the Government or the Indians, practised by bribing some of the subordinate instruments tn the public employ, inenf, or through the mismanagement of high- V public agents, who can only screen them selves from the suspicion of a connivance in the frauds by submitting to the imputation of gross negligence, ignorance, or incoanpetcncy in the performance of their duty. 1‘ rom the involved character of these trans actions and the difficult}’ of procuring full and precise information, i; has been found impossi ble as yet to fix upon the point where these frauds commenced, or to ascertain the boun daries of responsibility among the numerous public officers and agents through whose di rect or indirect instrumentality, connivance or j ignorance, the contractors were able toconsum- 1 mate their unprincipled designs. This inves tigation has been prosecuted with the most i p tmfu. reluctance, though persevered in un tier a paramount sense of duty; and enough as teen disclosed to suggest an inquiry whe ther the guilty recipients may not lie com pelled to reluml their iniquitous gains to the .treasury by process of j iUV . Ail of which is respectfully suhnettei!. JGH.N BELL. THE rOST OFFICE DEPARTMENT. 1031 OFFICE DEPARTMENT, -Mtv 29, 1841. r Sir The arrangement of business at, and the manner of the returns to the general Post Office, forbid a detailed report of its operations at the approaching session of Congress. 1 have, however, felt it my duty, at this time, to 601 l publiG attention to the present state of its fi: aices, so far S3 I have yet been able to learn their condition. I When first entering upon my official duties, j my attention was forced to the constant de-1 mands for payment beyond the ability of the Department to discharge ; and with a view to ascertain, as nearly as might be, its undisputed liabilities and probable means, on the 27th day of.March last a letter was addressed to the Auditor of the Treasury for the Post Office Department, requesting from him information on the subject. A copy of which letter, marked A, is herewith submitted. Such statements have not been furnished, for rea sons clearly set forth in a letter from the Au ditor, dated the 25'h day of May instant; of which a copy is hereto appended, marked B. It was also important to learn, without delay what were the pressing liabilities and what the active funds of the Department For this purpose, directions were given to the chief cleik to state the amount due to contractors anterior to and for the quarter ending hist Dec 1340, so Air as theyjiad been reported by the Auditor, and also the amount in deposite, sub ject to draft, for the discharge of such arrear | ages. His report is herewith submitted, S marked C. By an examination of that statement, it will be seen that there was due and unpaid to con tractors, of ascertained balances, on the first day of January last, the sum of four hundred and forty seven thousand and seventy nine dollars, ($147,089,) a considerable portion of which has been paid from tne revenue ot the quarter ending on the 31st March. A report from the Auditor upon all the outstanding con . tracts will undoubtedly increase tli.s amount lof indebtedness to a total exceeding half a j million of dollars. In addition to which, hea- I vy demands are frequently made on the De i partment for unliquidated claims. Oi such | demands, no notice can be taken at this time, I nor is it proper that an opinion as to their jus- I tice should be now expressed. Under these circumstances, two questions naturally present themselves : llow is the Department to be sustained under its present embarrassments ! and, What are its financial hopes for the future? As no estimates, upon which can be based an answer to the first inquiry, can be presen ted until a full statement of the balances due ( from postmasters shall have been reported ftby the Auditor,it is passed with the single remark, that, although it can hardly be doubteu that a large aggregate sura will be found due, it is to be feared that from the small amount ol most of such separate balances, scattered throughout this wide spread nation, the want of responsibility in many ol these officers and many of their securities, and the lapse ol time since these balances accrued, but an inconsid erable part of the amount actually due will ever be received. It therelore remains for Congress to determine whether the amount now due to contractors shall be paid from the National Treasury, or whether this Depart ment shall struggle on with its present em barrassments, consuming its daily accruing revenues in the partial payment ol old debts, and still leaving large balances which it has not the ability to discharge. Notwithstanding the heavy increased expen ditures consequent upon the act7th July, 1838, and although instead of the supposed gradual increase ot revenue, the receipts for the quar ter ending 31st March last present as com pared with the corresponding quarter ot tiie year before, a diminution of more than six per cent, still the Department w’ould probably find sufficient relief in its future operations from the decrease ol prices wit ch it may be calcu lated, will be hereafter demanded upon most of the routes, were it not lor the continually increasing exactions in other branches of the service. To present this subject in the most intelli gible form, the first Assistant Postmaster Gen eral has prepared a tabular view of recent proposals, that comparison may be made bo tween the amount of present bids and sums now paid for mail service upon the same routes. This table is hereto annexed, marked 1). On an examination of this statement, it will be seen that i:i some cases, the amount de manded by railroad companies for transporta tion of the mails is more than two hundred per cent, higher than is paid for coach service, upon roads forming connecting links between different railroad companies, upon the same main route, and that too where the night ser vice upon the railroads is less than that per formed in coaches. Such demands deserve more consideration from the fact that, whilst at the recent lettings in New York and in the six Eastern States the accepted service by coaches and other modes ol conveyance lias been secured at an average saving ot twenty two per cent, upon the contracts ol 1837, there are but few instances where tiie demands of incorporated companies have not been in creased in such manner as imposed upon me the necessity of suspending the contracts. — Nor is the extravagant price demanded for mail transportation upon railroads the only manner in which these incorporations affect the revenue of this Department. The facili ties secured by this mode oi conveyance for sending letters by private hands very seriously diminish the receipts of theoffice upon these routes. A single illustration will establish this assertion. boston is one of the most important points of railroad concentration in the Union. Its business prosperity is proverbial; and yet in that city the quarter ending 31st March last shows, “as compared with the corresponding quarter of the year before, a decrease in pos tage receipts of three thousand and ninety five dollars—being double the amount of dimunition to be found, within the same time, iu any other post office in the nation, with the single exception of Philadelphia, which is another great terminus of railroad communi cation. These facts are presented in no spirit of unkindness towards those to w hose manage ment these incorporations are intrusted, but that 1 have considered it due to our whole people to refer to ‘his subject, as one which will ere long cail for national and State legis lation, unle&s a corrective be sooner applied by public opinion. A considerable saving will be found in the curtailment of service generally, directed by my l in mediate predecessor, in limiting the transportation of the mails to six trips in a week upon most of the routes throughout the nation. The embarrassed condition of the fi nances of the Department, if it was so to re-! main unaided by the Government, clearly in- j dicated the propriety of some reduction of ser vice, and the religious sense of the commu nity will certainly approve the feeling that se lects the Sabbath as the day on which that j service should be performed. Yet it cannot j be denied that this order has borne heavily j upon contractors, and in many instances cau- j ses great derangement in the transportation j of ihe mails. Whilst in some sections of our country ; this alteration has not only received a cheerful J acquiescence, but is warmly approved, there j has been great general complaint of its oper ation, and daily appeals for the old facilities are impressed upon the Department. With out entering upon this subject at large, it is sufficient for my purpose to state that, as this order purports to have been given to reduce Lire expenses of the Department, and to aid in bringing them within its receipts, a return to the loruier service, at this time, might well be considered as a declaration of my confi dence in its ability to sustain the expenditure’ necessary for such restoration. I have there fore feit it it imperative upon me to adhere to j this order of curtailment. The building now being erected for the General Post Office is so far advanced as to ; give assurance that it can be completed before j tiie session of Congress in December. This 1 is much to be desired, not only for the conven- ! icnce of the transaction of business, but that j the public property may be kept in security.| Such means as are within my power arc con tinually c rnp oyad to protect the present buil ding from nre, but in its exposed condition the danger of destruction to the books and papers ‘of the office is a source of constant anxiety. All which is respectfully submitted. FRANCIS GRANGER To the President of the United States. FROM THE NAVY DEPARTMENT. Nave Department, Mat 31, 1841- Sir: The appropriations made at the last session of Congress will be found amply suf ficient to cover the expenditures tor the cur rent year, under the several heads of appropri ation, unless it should become necessary or be deemed proper to assume another and larger basis oi operation than that on which the esti mates from the Department were founded. The state of the Navy Pension Fund will require the immediate action of Congress.— Under the operation of the act entitled “An for the more equitable administration of the Navy Pension Fund,” that fund has been exhausted. It will be seen from the accom ’ panying report of the Commissioner of Pen j sions that there will be required lor the pa} T ] meat of Navy pensioners, on the Ist of July j next, the sum of $88,906 06; and on the Ist of January, 1842, the further sum of $09,000; j [n addition to these sums, about SB,OOO will be required to pay arrears of pensions which will probably be allowed between July next and the Ist of January, making in the whole $183,706 06. To meet these payments, there I is within the control of the Department the sum of $28,040; leaving a deficiency ol $ 13-v 066 06, which the public faith requires should be promptly supplied. The sudden return of the Brandywine seems to require some explanation. From the des patches sent to the Department by Captain Bolton, of that ship, it appears that tiie great excitement prevailing in England in the early part of March last, induced our Minister at that Court to address a communication to Com modore lluli, tiie officer commanding the Uni ted States naval forces in the Mediterranean, the result of which was, that the squadron, then lying at Mahon, left tlio station with a view to get out of that sea, ascertain the true state of things between the United States and Great Britain, and either resume their station or return home according to the result. The Brandywine outsailing the Commodore, and Captain Bolton having received no information on his voyage deemed satisfactory by him, he returned to the United States. Though it is presumed Congress w ill scarce ly he willing to give attention to general mat ters unconnected with tiie objects for which the extraordinary session of that body was con voked, yet recent events induce me to bring to your notice, with a view to the action ot Congress, two subjects as worthy of present consideration. The first is the establishment of a home squadron. While squadrons are maintained in various parts of the world tor the preservation of our commerce, our own shores have been left without any adequate protec tion. Had a war with great Britain been the result, as was atone time generally feared, of the subjects of difficulty now in a course of ad justment between that Power and the United States, not only would our trade have been liable to great interruption, and our merchants to great Josses abroad, but a naval force, com paratively small, might, on our very shores, have seized our merchant ships and insulted j our flag, without suitable means of resistance or immediate retaliation being at the command of tiie Government. To guard against such a result—to be ever ready to repel or promptly to chastise aggressions upon our shores, it is necessary that a powerful squadron should be kept atloat at home. This measure is recom mended by other considerations. There is no •situation in which greater skill or seamanship can he exercised arid acquired than on the coast of the United States; and in no service would our officers and seamen become more thoroughly initiated in ail that is necessary for the national defence and glory. In that ser vice, aided by the coast survey now in pro gress, a thorough acquaintance would be gam i ed with our own seacoast, extensive and hith erto but imperfectly known —the various ports would be visited—the bays, inlets, and har bors carefully examined—the uses to which each could be made available during war, ei ther for escape, defence, oi annoyance, be as certained, and the confidence resulting from perfect knowledge would give to us, what yve ought surely to possess, a decided advantage over an enemy on our own shores. Should it be thought desirable that such a squadron be put in commisson immediately and kept con stantly on duty, an additional appropriation may lie necessary; for the amount oi which, as well as the force deemed proper to be em ployed, 1 beg to refer to tiie accompanying re port on the subject, prepared under my direc tion, by the Board ot Navy Commissioners. The attention of Congress has been hereto fore earnestly invited to the state ot our ord nance and ordnance stores, and I deem it wor thy of immediate consideration. A sufficient supply of suitable arms and munitions of war is indispensable to the successful operations of the bravest officers and men ; and it cannot, from the nature ot the case, be provided upon a sudden emergency. Sailors may be hastily collected from our commercial marine, ships may be purchased, but ordnance cannot be sup plied on such emergency, nor can some of the materials for tiie preparation of ammunition be procured either bv purchase or manufacture. Hence tiie ordnance should, by a timely lore sight, be provided in advance, and the materi als be secured, from which a supply of ammu nition can be speedily prepared. The accom panying report from the Board of Navy Com missioners shows the amount of expenditure which will be required under this head. Should the objects be deemed of such importance and urgency as to require the immediate attention of Congress, I respectfully recommend that an appropriation of one-third the estimated amount he now made. The opinion seems (o have become general, as well in tire service as in the nation at large, that a thorough re-organization of the Navy is demanded bv considerations connected with the defence and honor of tlie country, and in this opinion 1 heartily concur. Yet Jam iully aware that any plan for this purpose should be the result of the most careful deliberation, and that it would be at once unwise and injurious to submit to Congress and the country any proposed arrangements which should be liable to the charge of haste and inconsideration.— Deeply sensible therefore at once of the im portance and difficulty of the measure, 1 have taken proper steps to collect and avail myself of all the results of experience and observa tion from those whose opportunities have affor ded the means of knowledge, and their intelli gence the ability to use them profitably, and J entertain the hope of being able, before the next regular meeting oi Congress, to submit for your consideration a comprehensive and well-digested system of reform in the branch of the public service committed to my charge. I have the honor to be. with the highest respect, your most obedient servant, GEORGE E. BADGER. The President of the United States. Daguef.rotype.—The proprietors of this establishment have recently been remarkably successful in their experiments. We have seeu some likenesses that would compare with any yet taken in this? country. In fact they were as true tvs nature ever can be to herself; and perhaps the only fault that could be found to them was that they copied the defects as well as the beauties “ofthe human face divine.”— Those who wish therefore to be flattered need not apply at that establishment, but all such as desire to have a real, bona Jiile likeness to transmit to their children or to gratify their friends may now be accommodated —and that, too, at the moderate price of five dollars, if ap plication be made prior to the Ist of July.— Enquirer J une ’-id. TIIE TIM IS . The union of the states and the sovereignty of ihe state COLUMBUS, JUNE 24 1341. Water Privileges. —Publit attention is directed to the advertisement inserted in this paper, by the City Council, offering for sale the valuable water privileges, jdjoining this City. Chattahoochee Rail Road ,nd Banking Company.' —We find in the Gdumbus En quirer of yesterday the folioving notice* which we transfer to our columns for the in formation of the public: “All persons indebted to the Chattahoochee Raii Road and Banking Company of Georgia, are requested to call at the Bank immediately, and pay off their notes due said Institution.— Aft'T sixty days, the assets will be placed in the hands of Attorneys for collection. It is proper to add that the assets if the Bank are believed by the Directors to b? fully adequate to pay the debts due by the Bank, and this course is adopted to procure a speedy settlement of its affairs. A. G. BASS, Act. Cash'r.” Docs the Columbus Enquirer of yesterday, by its publication of the letters of Messrs- Botts and Stuart, and the extract from the speech of Mr. Marshall, of Kentucky—intend to be understood as adopting, or in any wise sanctioning the views of those gentlemen ! If so, why not avow it, with the reasons which influence their opinions thus-wise—that we may have an opportunity of inspecting those reasons, and by a fair and temperate investi gation of a subject, susceptible of easy and speedy elucidation, depict in proper colors the mad adherents to visionary schemes of policy and irreligion—who are engendering dissen sions destructive and incurable, among the supporters of a wholesome Government, and tearing up with unhallowed hands, the fair fabric which patriots have erected—and thus aid the Enquirer in its search after truth. Public Documents. —We have occupied considerable space to day, with the reports, in full, submitted by each Department at Wash ington, at the opening of the present session of Congress. They may be useful for future reference, and we, therefore, publish them en tire. We place in our columns, also, and as matter of absorbing interest at the present moment, the letter of the Secretary of the Treasury, submitting the plan of a National Bank, as fit and proper to be adopted by Con gress. If the statement of the Washington Corres pondent of the Savannah Georgian, in another part of this paper, be correct —that Mr. Daw son has withdrawn from the Committee on Finance, because his opinions relative to the policy of chartering a Bank, were either un known or unsatisfactory to a portion of the Whig party in Congress, we would res pectfully suggest whether the Columbus En quirer manifested its usual caution in its open declaration of preference for a Bank of the U. States, some weeks since—and, also, whether Mr. Dawson has not exhibited far more knowl edge of the movements of politicians, and the tactics of party, thin the Columbus Enquirer, by placing himself in a position, to say the least, where he will not be obliged to ‘make a motion in the rear.’ COMMUNICATIONS. We have received a short communication, through the Post Office, signed, “A Citizen.” We intended at first to publish it—but we have omitted it, at least in this publication* We hope the writer will withdraw it—or, at any rate, dfvest. it of personalities—as they will, in no-wise, aid in effecting the object “a citizen” has in view—viz—the correction of the abuses in tiie Banking system, and espe cially the charge of mismanagement and harshness on the part of the Banks of this city. It is our desire to receive and publish communications on this, or any other matter of public interest, clothed in respectful lan guage, and free from gross personal allusions- Communications indulging in violent person alities only tend to inflame and exasperate, without perhaps really accomplishing my sub stantial good. If an individual chooses to as sail, personally, over his own signature, our columns are, of course, open to him, governed only by sucli restrictions as obtain with Pub lic Journals. THE WHIG PARTY. We ask the attention of our readers to th e following editorial comments, and the accom panying letters, which are taken ftom the New York Times &. Evening Star, of the 15th in stant, a Conservative Whig Journal—and also to the remuiks of the New York Courier and Enquirer—a press in the interest of the Whig party proper. They affect no conceal ment of the real condition of things ot Wash ington —acknowledge defection and disorder among the Whigs, which threaten the entire overthrow ot the party —and openly express t he opinion that “the Whig parly will seperate> and be at, daggers drawn, before the close of the present session of Congress .” These letters are from “distinguished Whigs”—so says the Times—and the writers, we are authorised to infer, are probably mem bers of Congress themselves, and intimately acquainted with the political machinery how jti operation at the Metropolis. Unless the Sub-Tieasury be abolished—unless a Nation al Bank is established —unless a Distribution Bill, giving to the States the proceeds oi the Public Lands, receive the sanclionol Congress —unless a Bankrupt Law is passed —and un less the Caucus System be revived to pen the Whig members every night and Ungen tle the refractory —“we are defeated, broken down and dispersed.” This is the language of a leading Whig journal —sustained too in its assertions by “distinguished Whigs” ai Washington. These measures, objectionable as most of them are, must, one and all, be forthwith adopted and carried out—at tilts very session—tins very hour and day—or we perish ! “ The impossibility of binding togeth er fir any great length of time a party com posed of such discordant materials” is already tell and acknowledged. The Whigs are al ready “stumbling over each others opinions and prejudices”—and the instant adoption of these measures, not one, two or three, but all of them, are required, imperiously demanded lo maintain the ascendancy of the present dominant party and to enable it, by their con centration in ONE GREAT CENTRAL AGENCY riot to reconcile, but to control existing “jeal ousies” aud “divisions” “upon (lit* very vnas-\ tires for which the special session was called — 1 and to prevent the party from railing into a “state of perfect political chaos.” Unless these ihingsare done, we are gone, and “the people will never again trust the Whig party.” The article in the Courier and Enquirer, also, admits that the leaders are not united — that Mr. Tvler, Mr. Webster and Mr. Clay have each ulterior views and expectations — and that each may he shaping his political opinions and movements to suit the apprehen* ded state and condition of public opinion, some four years hence. We have not time to sav more to-day on this condition of things, and the probable fail ure of the Whig party to consummate all their plans. It is evident, however, that dis trust and confusion pervade the Whigs ranks limits of the metropolis at least —and that the like disorder will soon be apparent throughout- the country. The democratic party, if firm and united, will yet be able to defeat some of the most objectionable mea sures now proposed—and ultimately to secure the establishment, on a stable foundation, of the principles and measures for which they have been so long contending —and for the support of which they have been subjected to , such unmeasured abuse and denunciation. THE CHATTAHOOCHEE RAIL ROAD AND 1 BANKING COMPANY. Since Saturday last, this Institution has not opened its doors, nor publicly transacted any business. On enquiry we learn that, on that or the previous day, the other Banks of tins City discredited its notes, and being thus de prived of the power of doing business, its doors were closed, and farther operations suspen ded. Thus stand matters with it at the pres ent moment. Os the reasons which influ enced the other Banks of Columbus, to dis credit its notes—whether proper and suffi cient or otherwise—we are totally unapprised. It was certainly a sudden, and to the commu nity generally, an unexpected procedure—and the present attitude of the Chattahoochee R- R. and Banking Company, will, there is no reason to doubt, engender much exasperation of feeling, and be productive, besides, of no inconsiderable amount of actual mischief. We have no wish or intention certainly to add to any inflammation of the public mind which may arise horn the occurrence in question ; nor to say one word which may afi'ect injuriously any dispositions of the Bank, or of any indi viduals in any wise connected with it, to do what best can be accomplished under existing circumstances for the benefit of ail concerned. It is matter of public notoriety that the Bank has closed its doors ; that its notes have been, and are now discredited ; that its credit is blasted ; and that there seems to be no alter native, on its part, but to forthwith place its affairs in train of speedy and final liquidation. In the meantime, however, and without a mo ment’s delay, it is the expectation of the pub lic, and required as an act of imperative jus tice to the creditors of the Institution, that a full and explicit exhibit of the affairs of the ■ Chattahoochee R. R. and Banking Company, be made—that the amount and character of its assets, distinctly specifying the proportions of them, good and bad, and immediately and ultimately available, be at oneb ascertained, and communicated to the public. We submit it to the present Direction of that Institution, whether it is proper to allow it to remain a day longer in its present condition— lts doors closed, and the community generally in total ignorance of.its actual situation, and debarred the means of information to determine the present or prospective value of its notes. This course is wrong palpably, unjustifiably wrong, and will be tolerated neither by the creditors of the Bank, nor by the community generally. It is unfortunate—we regret it exceedingly as well on account of the charac ter and credit of this City, which must be in juriously affected by it, as of the losses that will result from the depreciation of its notes — that the Institution has been suffered to per ish, in the present disordered condition of the monetary affairs of the country, and while the public mind, every where, is in a state of the most intense and feverish excitement, arising from the disclosures of Bank trauds and the general mismanagement of these Institutions, which come to us from every quarter of the country. As yet, no facts have transpired to author ize any definite opinion as to the real value oi the money, and consequently the extent of the depreciation to which the creditors of the Bank will be obliged to submit, and we shall, there fore, hazard no conjectures on this head. Wo hope, however, no unnecessary delay will be suffered to intervene before the Public is furn ished with authentic facts to enable it to deter mine with reasonable certainty, the true con dition of the Bank, and thus form sonjp opin ion of what can be realized, now or hereafter, in exchange for its notes, and thus be preven ted from submitting to improper sacrifices, or the impositions of those who may be disposed to take advantage of its ignorance on the : subject. The official Return of the Chattahoochee Rail Road and Banking Company, of its con dition on the 4th day of April last, is before us, and we make from it the following state ment. On that day there were, of its notes* in circulation, $179,940, and its other liabili ties amounted to the sum of $175,888,98 — making its total liabilities amount to $355,- 828,98. To meet this indebtedness it had, in what we understand to be available assets, $956,219,99 —thus showing its immediate liabilities to exceed its available means by the sum of $99,609 05. To discharge this excess of liabilities, the Report shows additional as sets, amounting to the sum of $142,536 83. This is our reading of the report made to the Executive, of the condition of the Bank on the fourth day of last April.— If our statement of it be correct, is not the obligation most imperative on the Direction of the Bank to show what has brought the Institution to its present condition—what ap plication, if arty, has been made of its assets, and what hindrance is interposed to the use of these assets, at once and immediately, to redeem the circulation of the Bank, & satisfy all its creditors. Every principle of right, of honor and of justice, requires this at the hands of the Bank, and we trust we shall not be accused of treating this subject harshly* when we repeat that the people, with the report of last April before them, will not be satisfied with anything short of a full and am ple exhibit of all the affairs, and the entire management, of the Chattahoochee Rail Road a.id Banking Company. COLUMBUS TOST OFFICE. Recent information fiom Washington au thorizes us to state that it is settled to remove the preseiit incumbent, and that his successor has, probably, been designated. With the new appointment, we have now nothing to do. We wish to enquire on what grounds the removal in question has been determined ; on any other pretext, than that the incumbent belongs to, and has heretofore acted with the democratic parly ! Is there any charge ot his interference with politics, other than the control of his own vote, since his appointment-} And if not, how can the President reconcile his removal with the declaration in his lnau cural. (We allude to the address of Mr. Tyler.) “ I will remove no incumbent from office who has faithfully and honestly acquitted him self of the duties of his office, except in such cases where such officer has been guilty off an notice partisanship, or by secret means —the less manly , and therefore the more objectionable , has given h is official influence to the purposes of party, thereby bringing the patronage of the * Government in conflict with the freedom of elec tions. Numerous removals may become be come necessary'under this rule. These wiil be made by me through no acerbity of feel ing. 1 have had no cause to cherish or in dulge unkind feelings towards any, but my conduct wiil be regulated by a profound sense of what is due to the country and its institu tions ; nor shall I neglect to apply the same unbending rule to those of my own appoint ment. Freedom oj opinion will be tolerated, the full enjoyment of the right of suffrage will be maintained as the birthright of every Ameri can citizen, but I say emphatically to the official corps, “thus far and no farther.” 1 have dwelt the longer upon this subject, because remo vals from office are often likely to arise, and I would have my countrymen understand the prin ciple of the Executive action.” We would enquire farther, whether a state ment lias not been transmitted to the Presi dent, signed by a very respectable, we may say a large number of the business men of this city—those who really have much to do with, and are deeply interested in, the proper discharge of the duties of the Post Office—and who, almost without an exception, were ardent supporters of the election of Gen. Harrison — declaring that the present Post Master of this City had “not been guilty of active partisan ship—nor “given his official influence to the purposes of party, thereby bringing the pat ronage of the Government in conflict with the freedom of elections.” And if such be the fact, and certainly no one is warranted it questioning the correctness of the statements of these indi viduals, how are his “countrymento understand the principle of the Executive action,” if Mr. Tyler thus falsifies his deliberate and publicly expressed opinions f How can the Delega tion from this State, who, it is understood, have agreed upon tin new appointee, by bal lot among themselves, ask the Acting Presi dent to do that which he declares to be im proper, against his convictions of duty, and what he deems to be “due to the country and its institutions !” And especially how can the more immediate Representative of this constituency, who resides in this City, and who declaimed, during the last year, long and ardently “ against proscription for opinion’s sake”—and who, we have reason to believe, is fully convinced of the correctness of the representations made to the Government, of the fidelity and impartiality of Mr. Schley, how can he stand by, and not protest against the procedure ? INS UK AN Olil DA.MI oi- WOUmVIBUS. file tol lowing statement relative to the recent trans fer of this Institution, is from the Macon Mes senger of the 17th June : As some enquiries have been made in rela tion to the “Insurance Bank of Columbus,” we have asked information at the proper places, and learn that the Bank of the United States, has made an arrangement with the parties from whom they purchased t lie stock of that insti tution, to return it to them ; as those parties were much interested in the closing of its old business. We further learn that the transac tion was not intended to produce any change of men or measures, and that it will be conduc ted as heretofore. As the name of Gen. Mc- Dougald has been mentioned, as one of the parties interested in the concern, we are ad- | vised that he never had any participation either in the selling of the Bank in 1836, or in the re-purchase of it. We find the following remarks in the Wash ington Correspondence of the Savannah Ceor gian, under date of June 13th. We infer from the action of Mr. Dawson, in withdraw ing from the Special Committee on Finance, that he is not satisfied that the people of Geor gia, or a majority of them, desire the establish ment of a Bank of the United States. This augers favorably of the action of the remain der of the Georgia Delegation on the Bank question—with the exception of Mr. Haber sham, who has always, or for several years past, been an avowed Bank man, on the ground both of constitutionality and expediency. It is also worthy of remark that the Mr. Mattocks of Vermont, referred to in the sub joined extract, as creating excitement on the subject of Abolition, is the same John Mat tocks who was in Congress from Vermont, du ring the last war, and was signalized for ids ultra-federal coursg, opposing with bitterness every movement and proposition of the Re publican party, throughout that eventful con test. So odious was his course, that, at the close of the war, he was driven from public life, and has ever since remained in the mos 1 perfect obscurity, until the excitement of the last Presidential campaign brought him for ward to again embark in the work of treason and disorder: “I perceive that Mr. Habersham, an avow ed advocate of the U. S. Bank, has been piaced on the committee of Finance, in place ol Mr. Dawson, whose opinions on the subject are not generally known. Another attempt was made in the House to take up the Sub-Treasury, by moving a sus pension of the rules. The motion tailed uv a vote of 132 to 83; it requiring two-thirds to take up irregular business. The committee on Rules, reported, in part, that the rules of the last House should be adop ted for the present, in regard to ali matters al luded to in the President’s Message ; the 21st rule is therefore not properly in operation. A large number of petitions for Bankrnpt Laws, &oc. were presented lrom the different States. On a motion to instruct the commit tee on the Judiciary to report a Bankrupt Bill, the vote stood 97 to 85, so we shall have one of the true Federal sort from John Ser geant, &Cos. Mr. Mattocks, a whig from Vermont, who succeded in defeating Mr. Fletcher, the late Democratic incumbent, created quite a row ir. the House, by presenting an Abolition peti tion, which he moved to have referred to a se lect committee ! Uproar and confusion pre vailed for a long time, and the yeas and nays were ordered, an adjournment moved, calls of the House, &c. when tile subject was finally laid cm the table for the present. Mb. Turfix G. Atwood. —The report 6‘( the murder of this individual, at Kosciusko f Mississippi, taken from the Columbus (Miss.) Democrat, of the 22d ot May, and published by us two or three weeks since, proves to bo incorrect, as we arc apprised by the following statement from the same paper, of the 12th of June: Correction.— We learn from the Attala Gazette that Mr. Turpin G. Atwood, whom we reported, upon incorrect information, it Meems, to have been killed is still in the land of the living. John Itawlston was the per son nnmie’-fcd by Bui k Walker. YV e stand corrected Mr. Gazette. The following vote was given for Major at the election of Saturday last. G. W. Martin. 11S Jas. Clark. 63 W. K. DeGraffenried, 17 Geo. Smith, Extraordinary Hail Storm in iLLixoiis —The following account, says the Peor a Register, of one of nature’s most romantic freaks is so remarkable that were it not com municated by our excellent friend and atten tive correspondent, I). M’Neill Esq. (Post master at Monmouth) we should be disposed to question its genuieness:—On the dth of May, at about 3 o’clock, P. M. a cloud, accom panied with wind and hail, passed from west to east over Monmouth. The hail was large, and broke, on the west side of the houses, more than fifty panes of glass in every sixty. The storm had but just passed east, not ex ceeding five minutes, when it returned from east to west doing nearly as much damage to the east side of the house as had just been done to the west side. The storm subsided, for a few minutes, when it came again from the south, breaking glass on that side of the houses about in the same proportion as on the west and east. The damage done to t lie young orchards and gardens is perhaps incalculable. The peach trees were not in bloom, neither were the apple nor pear, but every vestige of bun or leaf has been stripped off, leaving cliery and plum trees which had bloomed, and indeed all other trees, as bare of leaves and buds as in January; and every thing which was com pletely destroyed. The storm lasted about three quarters of an hour, and the hail lay up on the ground from one to two inches deep, and in many places in heaps which re mained till the evening of the 6th instant, (48 hours.) It seems it did not extend more than three or four miles south, and but filtle more than that distance nort h. How far it extended west and east we have not yet learned.- There was not half glass enough in ihe stores to fill the shattered windows, and the inhabitants had to send to Knoxville and Burlington for sup plies, some thousands of lights being broken.- The funeral oration by lion. A. B. Long street, in commemoration of the virtues and eminent services of Dr. MOSES WaDDEL, as a teacher of youth,-will be delivered in the College Chapel, on Tuesday,- the 3d day of August next, at ten o’clock, A. M. being the day before the College commencement. The pupils of Dr. NVaddcl, and Alumni of the University of Georgia, are respectfully in vited by the undersigned, a commit ee ap pointed for thatipurpose,-to be present Upon that interesting occasion, and to participate in the ceremonies of the day. All the papers of this State, and of the Southern and South Western Statas, are re quested io give this notice an insertion,- that the information may be as widely disseminated as the pupils of the illustrious teacher are widely scattered throughout these Slates. GEORGE R. GILMER,. DAVID A. REESE, THO’S N. HAMILTON, JAMES TINSLEY, TIIO’S F. SCOTT, JNO. S. LEWIS, JAMES JACKSON, CHARI,ES DOUGHEItTV, HOWELL COBB, YV M. L. MITCHELL. Athens, June 18, 1841. From ihe Augusta Conslituuonalist. June 9. GENERAL GLASCOCK. | It was our intention to have given to our ’ readers a slight sketch of the life and services : of the ; ate General Thomas Glascock, at. the 1 same time that we published the resolutions ; in honor of his memory, adopted by his bretii j ren of the bar ; and we accordingly made ap- I plication for some of the prominent incidents of his life, with which we were not ourselves acquainted. These were furnished, but cir cumstances which we could not control pre vented us from availing ourselves of them at j that time, and we have been necessarily com pelled to delay our sketch, i ‘Plie tile of General Glascock was one of al most continuous public usefulness, lie was born on the 21st day of October, 1790, in the county of Richmond, in this State, at tiie resi j deuce ot his father, a few miles from Augus ta. Jle entered into public life almost as soon as be became of age, being elected to the le gislature in the year 1812. In the year, 1814, during tlie war with Eng and, be raised a com pany in this place and its vicinity, and marched to the defence of our coast. In 1817 be was elected to the command of the brigade of Georgia Militia which served under General Jackson, in the Seminole Campaign, and in that capacity he was five months in service* He afterwards continued in active public life in various appointments, served many years in the Legislature of our State, was at one time elected Speaker of the House of Repre sentatives, and was twice elected to the Con gress of the United States. In October, 1836, he carried the largest vote for Congress, ever given to any one in our State, receiving no less than 48,448 votes. This high compliment was paid to him by both political parties in our Stale, on account of his distinguished services .in the preceding session cl Congress. It was indeed a striking expression ol public appro bation, an eloquent encomium on the dis ! charge of duty. j General G. had removed before bis death to j the town of Decatur, in DeKalb county, Ga. ! which location he had been prevailed upon to : make for the purpose of obtaining a larger and more lucrative practice in his profession. And there, in the midst of his usefulness, in the midst ol bright hopes, and in the midst of san guine prospects for the future, he was cut ofij and has left a blank in the hearts of his friends which can never be filled. He died on the 19th of May, 1841. We feel tiiis notice (brief and imperfect as we are forced to make it) to be a duly which we cw r e to the memory of one, who was in life alike distinguished for his talents and pat riotism—of one whose heart overflowed with ail the kindly sympathies of oar nature. In liis own household, and by his intimate friends, iie was almost worshipped for his unchanging kindness, his deep, devoted and enthusiastic affections. To the widow and the orphan, he was a friend and a father, ilis heart was ever full of charities to his species, and his soul abounded with “good will towards man. ’ His own interests were continually sacrificed in acts of kindness to others, and the tear of pity for the unfortunate stood in /use ye, when the world turned coldly away. Oh ! who shall represent him in the circle of his benevolence? Who shall fill his place in the hearts of his friends ? It is a poor offering this, which we bring to ihe shrine of his memory—a better tribute is paid there, by the blessings which come from the hearts of those who have enjoyed his friendship, and experienced his kindness, awl on lko.se hearts his best epitaph is written. BROUGHT TO JAIL, ON the sth April, a negro man by the name of Lli WfS, who says he belongs to Mjs. Harriet Pope, of Jackson county, Florida. The owner is re quested to come forward, pay expenses and take him awav. WM, BROWN, jailor. ‘Columbus, Ga. Aprf! 29 12 ts