Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, March 27, 1839, Image 1
CHEttAW GAZETTE
A N I)
PEE DEE FRAMER.
at MnpT.onn Editor and Proprietor C IIERAW, S. C. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 1839. Vol. IV. No. J9.
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1 b
From the Farmers Cabinet. w
MAXUilE. 1
What is th 'greatest quantity of Manure ?
to be obtained J rom given means? c
Mr.Elilor,?Tiiere are in agricultural, 11
as perhaps in every scence, some h-ading 8
propositions, calculated in a particular man- c
/:cr to arrest attention by the:r prominent F
importance. fc>uch I hotel that oi a "Sub. i ^
scriber" in your May number?"What will 1
an a rc of Inn I produce ?" and also tiie question
which h uds litis ar.ic.'e.
Were it possible at once to afford a com- j w
plotc and palpable solution lo mese two "
propositions, what mmd can culculaio the e
vast more tse of treasures iliat would m- rj
stantly become accessible to hutnanity ? As, 11
then, we cannot inquire too stric ly, or w
know too mucii regarding then, I propose, c
after recapitulating a few of the principal r
r -- .?e..l.o..r,l?>|. " #*/ilir-?rnnifr I ti
statements 01 a "ou^i'wvr, 0
the latter question, to furnish my own ex- d
penmen's upon the former. c'
lie informs as tual a single acre ol his
land, with abundant manuring and sup-rior ?
cultivation, was made to produce ih sum ot "
$348 40 p*T annum, lor five succ? ssive 0
years, besides tne vegetables used in a 1
mall family. He further sta es, in sub- ll
stance, as his present conviction, that ihe 11
quan ity of soil cultivated has nothing to do P
with the secret of gathering money out ot M
it ; that "this altogether depends on a judi- 11
cious selection of soil, on the facility ot ob- 11
taining manure, and on the proper applica 11
lion of its food for plants," dec?.hat he 11
found, by actual experiment, made upon a l'
large scale, "that the profit of capital laid c
out in land produced an interest oi only Jive : "
per cent, per annum, the capital laid out iu J c
? ..r.rto camt' !,ind nrnJuoed Itcetl- I e
(IlUillllU UjJUli t'lv ? J
1y per cent." b
Now, my own experience, as I slial! pres. 11
onlly show, abuuduutU confirms the prob- a
able accuracy of all tnese s atements. Let 11
us distinctly understand, then, that it is not ll
the great quantity of land, but the a bun. ^
dance of manure upon a little, that is alone *
required to give wealth and indepe ndence ; 11
that the man who owns five or six acres, 11
may according (to the above data, with the I ?
aid of manure and good m?nagemen\ draw P
from 61,800 to 6?,000 from them each tc
year, while nc of a hundred acres may "
scarcely oblaiu half of it upon the common e
plan. u
But where is the requisi: manure to bs 1,1
obtained that shall so suddenly and surely n
enrich the farmer? In reply to this, I wi 1 simpiygi/e
my own experience, and oy it en- 6
deavor to convince the reflecting larmci l>
what amount can, and in fact has been mad* ?
from means comparatively more limited ^
than is generally imagined possible.
Previous to 1629,1 had toileted in Phil- c
adel hia a sedentary occupation, which by ,T
oxcessive application in it, had so enfeebled j(
my constitution, that I was obliged to seek p
in the conn rv for that measure of health r,
which 1 might no longer hope for in the city.
bo 1 bough", with mv scanty savings, a n
mall place of tea and a half acres, and n
moved upon it the same fall of 1629. t,
Not being acquainted with farming, I ?
hired a nnn to plough two and a half acres,
' - * ,n I iia f ac: and I ?
ana sow n m ?*,. * ..v . t
labor, in putting in, gathering and thraslu
ing tho said crop, was $3 56. The crop
yielded five and a half bushels of very poor 1
black rye, fit only fur hay feed?say at fot.y j ^
cents per bushe!, (us good rye was then
selling a: fifty and titty, six cents per bushel),
was worth 82 20. and the nett loss sustainIT
cd upon fanning the ground was $6 36. jj
The season was moderately good for grain, j
and the two and a half acres, rather a favorabl
specimen of the lest of my land ' I
planted a potato patch the following spring
(1830,) of about the fourth of an acre,
which 1 manured in the hills with one load c
of marl only, and the crop y .elded but three 11
and a half bushels !
Being a total stranger to the nature and a
character of soils, but having previously, P
from some cause, entertained the notion that
land in general produced about twenty.fivo
bushels of whea , or fort) bushels of wheat, ^
or forty bushels of corn; or four or five n
loads of hay to the acre, the conviction I c'
had now received of the absolute worthless. H
ness of my land fell upon me like the shock I'1
of a thunder-clap. Discouraged by tiie
greatness of my disappointment, but not
quite confounded, 1 determined tnat manure, b
in future shouid be every thing to me and w
stand in the 'stead of both land and crop. c
Being greatly improved in health, by the 'z
change of situa ion and exercise, I plied my 8(
avocation with increased diligence for the ?(
maintenance of my family, and made it the I'(
amusement of my leisure hours and ieisrne ( S(
moments to collect from every corner, and i
pannel of fence, every thing that I imagined ! '
could furnish a vegetable nu'rimenf. and
laced it in the cow yard, so combined wi:h
te litter as *o absorb and retain every thing
f the putrescent character tint might bo
eposited there. Ely such means 1 have
one on, every year increasing the quantity
f my manure, to an extent mat I believe
stonished most of mv neighbours. The
allowing is a sketch of the means I posseacd,
and the methods I took to obtain man.
re for the present year.
I commenced las: summer by collecting
nto the outer part of my bog pen every thirg
if the weed kind 1 could find about the place,
ill I had a layer aoout twelve inches deep,
iluch I covered with a layer of earth about
ive inches th'ck, continuing the process till
lie pen was filled to about two and a hall
n In rim full I lilffir#?d mV lOllSe
orn cobs and th?- principal part of the
uckwhoat straw into the pen, interspersed
irith layers of earth in the same manner.?
Pile two stalls of my stable I served also the
nme, taking care to save theiein all the
ihafTand refuse s'ruw afer thrashing. In
h^se stalls I poured weekly, through the fall
md winter, (for 1 had no cattle in tiicm ex ept
in bad storms) the soap-suds and such
?u;rcsccnt fluids that might be obtained,
eepmg the corners and outsidos, and under
lie mangers carefully saturated.
As soon as my corn was gathered in the
ill, I cut the s?ubs close to the ground, and
r.T.'fled ihem imrcvdia.cly, while yet heavy,
ito ihe burn yard, where I packed them in
very part of it, and also under the shed,
iug uu area of ground about forty feet by
v? n:y, and in a few days covered them also
dtii a layer of earth, from a fence-row,
lose by, to ihe depth of about eight or ten
iches. Upon this earth I foddered in)
iree cattle during the winter, occasionally
epositing more earth upon the liucr as it
ollected there.
Your readers will readily judge, that the
hject of all this preparation was not so
luch tor the sake of saving the materials
ollec.ed there u.? to obtain a menstruum, or
atlier sponge, if I may so cull it, calculated,
.) absorb ut.d retain ail the urine deposited
i the yard during the win er. The como
t masses, however, or layers, thus coljcted
tog' titer, are noi to be considered as
fiaaure prepared lor the soil, but only aa
i (i j
naicriais ih.it require to be tnorouguiy nnxou
i order to reduce them to a state tilted tor
rapid and complete incorporation with
lie soil. Accordingly, with this vies*, I
ommouced late in April the operation ol
.lrn.r.g it, which, from its having become
loselv packed to the depth of twenty inchs,
with the s'aiks at the bottom, could only
e done with the aid of a gruboing hoo, turung
it in strips about a foot w ido, reaching
f-ross the yard, and throwing the loosened
rianure back a sufficient space to allow a
rench between, wide enough to work in.
ktier removing the whole cover f rom the
talks, along a s:rip, as before mentioned,
icy were easily grubbled up, by first cuf.
tig them tluougiiull along tin* solid edg<
f the s rip with the hoe, it being made
retty sharp for the purpose. In addition
> this pile of yard manure, 1 have a.so emp
ed the contents of my hog pen and stabies,
xUndin.t the pile several feet, and lying
pon ;he ground when lirst loosened, nior<
tun two and a halt teet deep, kj: uns rnuure
I have used sixteen loads tins spring,
>r truck and garden, and,judging from tnu
zq of the pile yet remaining, th-re cannot
e less than sixty loa s. whicn being turne
nee more, I intend to use for wneat next
ill.
In tin's manner, from only three head of
attU. and tne fattening of four hogs, I hav?*
lade from seventy to eighty-two lior.se
jads of manure, the li'ghly lertilizing pro.
ertiesof which arc abundantly attested by
ly own former experience. I will not say
lat i is stronger than the best barn-yarJ
lanure, but from its closer affinity to the
ature of the soil, and greater facility for
eing rapidlv combined and incorporated,
dthout loss bv evaporation, I have no doubt
will be frequently found, upon trial, more
ffective and more durable.
In the process of turning manure, thus
repared, I hold it of the highest importance
> mix well the earthy and vegetable parts
igethcr. Few are perhaps aware how
apidlv the earth facilitates vegetable de.
omposition, and to what a surprising dc?
ree i: absorbs the excess of fertilizing oL
uvia, which must otherwise be evaporated
uring the process of decomposition. Tins
ircumstance, I believe, taken in connexion
nth t!?o careful economizing of all animal
xcretions. constitutes chiefly the great se.
rt t (I might, perhaps, add alleged necroinncy,)
thiit has added already so much
erlure to my previously exhausted soil,
nd be??n so profitable to me, and so surrn-ing
to my neighbours.
No firmer can imagine, that lias not
icd the experiment, wliat a prodigious
uon'itv of rich vegetable, and fibrous earth
1 ~ll/-??rt#J fmm prtrrtAra nnd hv.nla.
lay uc luiir.bibvi iwui vv...v.? ~j t
es which lie out of the way of cultivation,
nd which, from their retired position, have
erhaps never so much as attracted his noce.
All such refuse trasn, and fibrous
arths and weeds, by being conveyed to his
arn-yard, at intervals, during the fall and
inter, and judiciously combined with its
antcnts, will be converted into a rich, fertil.
:ing, and durable manure, merely by aburbingand
retaining t int excess of pntrecent
fluids and effluvia wlfch is otherwise
)st by filtration and evaporation ; that is, by
asking away and drying up.
W- \l
9i(tslo?rn, SnJem Co. jY. J.
Vm, 20th.
From the Southern Agriculturist.
CrLTITATIOW OP IRISH POTATOES.
Potatoes delight most in a rich loam, hut
not too moist. Wet land pr./duces too
much top and w atery fruit, wiiich will no1
i keep through tho winter, and is aiwnyi
i st.ong and unploasant to the taste. Very
i dry Jand produces a small crop and knotty
rut:. Land (hat is apt to bake (as we com.
j monly pnrase it,) should ulso beuvoded.
i Fortius crop, tho earth should be wel
j ploughed so as to pulverize and clear it ol
,J weeds, h should have nothing about it tc
j shade it?a great error in the cultivation oi
! potato, s is, loo much hilling of shew. !
I havelbuud, by many years experience, tna
* it potatoes are planted in a mellow soil
they need scarcely any hilling. Tney will
bed themselves at that distance from the
I surface of the grouud, wluch gives tneis
. the greatest advantage to procure nourish.
, ment. This depth, I have observed, is
, generally about lour incites ; and this deptl]
i the plant finds by something which 1 will
| J venture to callin>tinct. It the earth in which
I )0u plant potatoes should be hard, and no!
, j yield to the pressure of ttie roots, it will then
(! be necessary to hill them ; but great cart
. | must be taken not to hill them too much ;
j never let them be covered above four inchII
es ; and th s hilling must be given wiih dis.
I j cretion; lor if they have bedded themselves
(I (us they will in mellow lan<l) four inches
and you udd four incnes more of earth, yoi
( ! sutfocute the fruit. Take an example ; po
tatoes, just us they begin to blossom, begir
i to torni tneir bulbs. It you leave then
now, the fruit will grow rapiJIy ; but ifyoi
shuuld add earth to the hill, the young bulbs
ior want of ttiutair which can pervade loui
j inches of earth, will cease to grow, and oth
| era will sprout above ihem ; and tins will be
j the progress ol nuiure so long us you continue
to burden them wttli earth. Therelore,
to procure an early crop of potutoei
' be sure io give iliemyour last earth as sooi
I - - ... Ki.t niuiiiirli ir? rc>r*<>ivH ii._
dN lilt; piuill 13 uig vuuug.i ... ...
When they know (excuse the expression]
that you have left your earthing, tiny wil
begin to vegetate, and increase with great
J rapidity 4 but will make no progress while
i you keep burdening and stifl ng them.?
i Thus much as to the culture.
I A word relative to ihe nine of gathering
' i this crop must conclude these remarks.?
if Every production ot the earth has its ina.
, turity. If >ou harvest potatoes, before
\ they are ripe, llie.juice ;,nl be crude, the)
i will be unpleasant to the taste, and will noi
keep so well as if suffered to grow longer,
T/io sign of ripeness in this Iruit is the
t fading of the leaf and shrinking of the stock,
i This is remarkable in almost all bu-'boui
I roots, especially the onion and po'ato, thai
I they receive their first nourishment from
the root, and finish their growth by wiia
thr-y rtce ve from the top.
EXPERIENCE.
Pendleton District.
MANURING WITH ROTTEN LOGS
AND BRUSH.
/*-? " >. '
['Correspondence oj trie farmer s i\egisi:i-t
Clarksville, February 12.
Upon the testimony of some of the mosl
respec able and v ritable gentlemen of Huli.
fax county. Virginia, 1 shall proceed to give
you an account of the remarkable effects
of a new and rare manure, as exhibited bv
an experiment in .hat country, a few years
since. The manure above alluded to, is
only rare us to the manner of its application,
for in old Virginia it very much aboundeth.
The experiment was as follows : A g"ntleman
cut down the pine growth which h d
covered a piece ot land,exhausted and turned
out of cultivation by his father or grandfather.
As is usual, he suffered the logs
and brush to lie upon the land the first sumnier.?In
the fall a d wintersucceeding, he
commenced h:s preparations for a crop of
I corn, by running two strokes with a large
! two-horse plough in the same furrow, one
j turning to the right, and one to the left. Thij
i trench thus made, was filled with the logs
| and brush of the pine tiees most co venieut
! to it, which cleared a place lor the second
furrow : and so on, until his log and brush
material was all consumed. With this prei
paration he passed over half the land. The
balance was simply flushed with the fame
' two hr rse plough, and well manured from
, the stable and farm-pen- The crop grown
i on the beds, manured in the hill wi;h pine
j logs an! brush, was not only the best corn
of the two, but was unusually rich in its
I growth, and heavy in its production. The
| owner of the corn was induced, from its re*
markably luxuriant npp ?ranee, to pull up
j one of the logs, durino the growing of the
I crop, to see how it was that such vigor was
; imparted to it ; he found thecountless numf
berof little thread-like roots, which mainly
contribu'e to the supply of the vegetable, to
; have perforated the water-soaked and partly
discaved trunks and limbs of the pine trees,
; burried below.
Here, Mr. Editor, is a fountain of man.
urc, which, in its general diffusion through
i our State, and in its practical good effects
, as demonstrated above, hiJs fair to rival the
| boasted marLbeds of lower Virginia ; and
that which has hern regarded as an indrca.
tion of poverty and decay in our hinds, may
be made the instrument of their restoration
and recovery.
Your obedient serenntI
T. CARRINGTON.
i MAKING WALKS IN GARDENS.
We have seen many gardens, well stocked
with vegetables and blooming with flow|
crs, which might have been greatly improv
i crl in appearance by adopting a somewhat
I more tasteful method of making the walks.
; | These are frequently, with great labor, dug
i half a foot or more deep, and made level
L | upon the surface?the soil being thrown upi.
on tl.j adjacent beds or holders. An in
i comparably neater method is to make the
| walk three or four inches deep at the sides,
. gently rounded, and highest in the middle.
This looks belter, is not so much affected by
I , wet weather, and is much more easi'y kept
f; in order. The leve! walk is objectionable
) j on manv accounts. It r< quires ten times
f j more labor to make it than the other. It has
I j an awkward appearance when it is made,
II especially if deep. If no* gravelled, it be.
comes and remains muddy after ashowei ;
[ and if the garden is not on perfectly level
? grouii'1 i soon washes into ruts, and then is
t: j a; a tc* repair.
The walks in the garden arc, generally,
i a great enhancement of, or a foul blot upot
11 its beauty* Made convex, as we have re.
i i commended, and covered with gravel,
i ; (whjre it is convenient or practicable) they
11 constitute one of the plcasantest features in
i i that pleasant picture?the neatly arranged
i; garden*
: j Doing up the seides of Beds and Borders
, i as intnnaialy cou :ected with the neatness of ,
the walks, may also deserve a passing no* [
i tice* This may be well and handsomely!
y done with the spade and line alone ; but if j
j j the sides have do other support, it will be j
. necessary to repeat this tedious job every j
i fyring?;o avo d whi"ii, various means are j
j i ttsorted to*?It is said that limestone curb-1
i i ing, where it is light and uniform has an ex-;
, ciedmgly neat appearance ; und hard bricks i
r lu.d on the edges, we know answers admira- (
. | bly. But a cheaper, though less durable j
j1 material, may be had in cedar, locust, or j
. j even good white-oak plank or lathes, an j
. .neb thick,and about four inches broad,
| These properly put down, neatly jointed at
, ! the corn rs. and nailed io stakes driven /?.
j side the beds, and a lit le below their surj
| face, so as not to be seen, will not only look
well, but last a number of years, and are
) easily repaired when they do (nil- Plunk
. ( of the above dimensions and managed as
. j directed, will be found to be a very different
j affair from the broad, rough boards which
r I are sometimes seen in our gardens, propping
[ I up a high bed or horde , at the side of a
. | deep walk, themselves propped up by stakes
; driven outside the beds, the whole of materr
iuls and workmanship which are destined to
i speedy dilapidation.? Tenncscr. Farmer.
FREEIUMS FOl THE PRODUCTION OF SILK.
) t
, t The executive commttee of the Amerij
! can Silk Society, in nccurdance with ilie
t j constitution of said society, olTer the follow.
i inn npnmmiYis v 17
I ! "** Y --
t | 1st. For the greatest quanty of mercban* j
! table new silk, produced by any individual
1 from cocoons of his or her own raising during
the year 1839, One Hundred Dollars,
or plate of that value at their option.
| 2J. Lo the person or association who
j shall make the greatest quantity of merchan:
table raw silk from one fourth of an acre of
|, ground, the trees of wuich shall have been
I planted in the year 1839. Two Hundred
Dollarr or plate of that value, at their option.
' i 3J. To the person or association who !
' j shall make the second greatest quantity of j
merchantable raw silk from one-fourth of;
j an acre of ground, the frees of which shall i
1 have been planted in the year 1839, Oxi
' Hundred and Fifty Dollars, or plate at
1 their option.
4:h. For the best pound of sewing silk,
made from cocoons ofthc competitor's own
ra.suig, in 1839, Fifty Dollars, or plate,
of that value, at their option.
5 h. For the second best pound of sewing
silk, made from cocoons of theenmpe.
titor's own raising in 1839, Thirty Dou
. lars, or plate of that value, at tneir option.
Five pounds of the silk offered for the first I
j premium, and the whole quantity produced
j for the other four premiums, must be de.
posited with James O. Law, t.easurer of
the American Silk Society, in {Bakimore
previous to the next annual meet ins of the
Society, which takes place on the 11th De. I
! cember, 1839.
Gideeon B. Smith,
Cor. Sec'ry. American Silk Society i
?
can you cipher.
1 Suppose a man fond of noise and fun to j
burn twelve and a half cents worth of pow- j
der every day, how much will be destroy in
n year ??Answer -$65 50. How much ;
i in forty years! Answer?$1,820. And !
; suppose lie spends one hour in burning it,
and that the hour be worth twelve and a half ;
i cents, how much will this item in forty
|years? Answer?$1,820 more. Three j
tboussndsix hundred and forty dollars, gone ,
I for gunpowder mid fun !
O r\Crhotrinrr thn mnnev for I
OUppUSlT, JIIMCUU ui ...? #
j that po#der, he had saved it, and instead of j
j wasting that hour daily he had earned j
twelve and a half cents, and put both on in- ;
icrest : at simple and compound interest, !
what would have been the amount in forty I
years? Answer?$J 4,11744 !--Fourtcen4
j thousand one hundred and seventeen dollaiw
! & forty four cents ! Enough to purchase a
j farm o three hundred and twenty acres, at
! one dollar twen'y five cents per acre : and
! build on it a house worth two thousand doL
! lars ; a barn worth one thousand dollars;
i dig a well worth one hundred dollars : buy
| furniture worth eight hundred and seventeen
dollars forty four cents ; farming utensils
i worth one thousand dollars ; ten horses
worth one hundred dollars each ; ten yoke
i of oxen, each vnke worth one hundred dol- j
lars ; forty cowa worth twenty five dollars I
each ; one thousand sheep worfh three dollars
each ; eighty hogs worth ten dollars
each ; and enough left to educate two sous
at coilege, giving tliem one thousand dollars j
each !?Enough to make a firmer some,
what independent in these hard timt s.
No what is the difference between wash 0
ing one hour and twelve and a half cents a j
day for powder and Tun, and wasting the j
same time and money for intoxicating drtnk 1
Can't you cypher? The man who ^
spends his twelve and a half cents worth of
grog, and his twelve and a half cents worth ^
ot time, daily, loose* in forty years, that fine
fa, m with all i's valuables. He looses all J
c<
his comfort. For you m iy just as well at
tempt to comfort a man under a burning ^
fever with baked pork and beans, as administer
comfort with two jerry, hot punch, or
t ? - A. I ? I .L .II I 1jA II
ny oioer ooomna Die uroin. ne toovcs r???
character ?VVho respects the grog bruiser ?
He looses his health offi a, and usually bis ^
reason, and in the end is lost himself. '
Now, if you can cypher, try and es:imate
his loss.
investigating committee. ^
Exlravt from their Journal.
Arent S. De Peyster sworn as a P
witness. j
Examined by Mr. Wise. ?
Question. While you wore connected
with the custom-house, do you know wheth- u
er or not the officers of the customs were 11
called upon to pay any part of their salaries,
or any assessment or tax thereon, for u
party or political purposes? If yea, state e
whether jou . ave ever, and when you have l'
made any such payment, and state the molive
upon which such payments were 11
maic. ?
Mr. Wagener objected to the propound- *
ing of this interrogatory, and called for the ^
yeas and nays. ?
The committee decided that the interro.
gatory should be propounded. Tens? 11
Messrs. Curtis, Dawson, Harlan, Smith, ?
Wise--5. Nay?Mr. Wagener. r
The interrogatory was then propounded, 1
an I iHm u'ifnp<e< rrnvA the following. v
"" * e? o
Answer. The Weighers were called on
to pay ?15 each for the support of the o
election, and when I declined, Mr. Van* c
derpoel. the Deputy Surveyor, observed f
that I ought to consider whether my 81,500 t
per annum was not worth paying 815 for.
llnd^r the impression that it was the price <
for my situation, I paid it. The above 1
occuird during the last spring elec ion for *
charter officers. During my holding offico, 1
lor aboui five years, 1 was occasionally call- '
ed on, but always declined until within the i
last two years. 1
Question. Is the office of Weigher,
which you held, regarded as one under the c
United S;ates, and the salary of which was t
paid out of the Treasury of the United 1
States ? I
j Answer. Latterly paid out of the Trea. t
! sury ; formerly a commission was allowed I
on the amount of goods weighed. The i
office is one held from the United Siutes. <
Question. Do you know whether other i
' subordinate officers besides yourself in the (
custom.house were called on and required i
to Dav such tax or assessment upon their i I
y
salaries, for the use of pariy and politicaJ i
purposes ? J c
Answer. Only by hearsay, as it regards i
the other officers, but I saw many of tne
Weighers pay the tax of $15. c
Question. Was the money thus col. v
lected from you and others to he used for s
political purposes? If yea, for which e
of the then and present political parties ?
Answer. It was intended to be used to ,
support the election of persons attached to
the present Administration. .
Question. Who collected the tax from *
Weighers ? '
Answer. Mr. Vande/poel. J
Question. What offi e does Mr. Van* n
derpoel hold in the custom-house, and what *
his 6alary ? *
Answer. At that time he held the offict |t
of Deputy Surveyor. I do not ireoliec n
*1 -I '-l Ilia onlarir I Imliuvp hp nnW >
Hit' UlJiUUUl Ul IIIO iXliaijri t UUIIVI v ||? ..W Q
he Ids the office of Appraiser. Cl
Question. Had he a book of the nnmes t
of the officers from whom lie collec ed, or
had he a list of them ? ' .
Answer. . A lift.
Examined by Mr. Harlan. 01
Question. Are you acquainted with William
M. Price, late District Attorney of the
United States? If yea, please to state p,
whether he was regarded, before and after a|
his appointment, as a man worthy to be CJ
entrusted with the collection of large sums q
of money. jq
Ans ver. I am acquainted with William
M. Price, late District Attorney, and an. t0
?wer the question in the negative. <j
Question. Was the last payment of$I5, to
referred to by you in your answer to the dc
third question, paid before or since the pre- w;
ent Collector (Mr. Hoyt) came into office? a |
V Answer. Since ihe last Collector cam? fa
into office. it
Question. Were you removed from of. af
fice by the present Collector 1 -If yea,state $ti
when, and whether any reasons were as? M
igned therefor, and what they were. th;
Answer. I was removed by Mr- Hoyt, p<
(the present Collector.) but have nover thi
condescended to ask the reasons, and must, cc
therefore, be under the necessity of re. a0
ferring to the Collector, w!io iy>ow pres- 0r
ent- 0f
Abraham B. Vandbrporl sworn as** *
WITENBS8.
Examined by Mr, Wise,
Question. What offices have you helJ
1 the; custom house; when did you com.
lence to hold ihrni: what the salaries df
ffices h^ld by you ?
Answer, i w <s appointed Jo the oflico of
nspector of tut1 Customs in May, lditf, at
>1,095 per year, and held it until 1836,
rhen 1 was appointed Deputy Surveyor, at
11,500 per year, and M o Hi, 1838, ap.
oiuted Apprmser, at fcS,0JO per year.
Question. Do you know wuether the
fficers ot the custom-house have ever been
ailed on to contribute sums ot' money tb
any and political objects 1 What officers
uvc been so called on ; by witora j for
rhat amount; with or witliout regard 10
i?eir salaries of office, when did they ocx* . ; ?
i ibute ; if they refused, wusinf mUfnatwfr , "
iven that their refusal might occasion their
umoval what amount has to been cootn*
uted and collected, and for the support of
-hat paityu at any on# election ?
This interrogatory was objected tt> by
Ir. Foster.
Mr. Foster called for the yeas and nay-.
The ques.ion, Shall the inle rogutor) 1*
ropounded ; was put, and decided in the
I firmutive, Yeas?Messrs. Curl is, Dawson
larlan, Smith, Wise?5 ? Nays?Messrs
'oster, Owens, Wegener?3. t<
Other proceedings were h id, in regard io
diich Mr. Wiseofiercd the following rCsoon
:
Hesolved, That the following f.icl b? em
jred on the Journal : Wr. Wise propoundd
the witness, Abraham B. V.?inlarpofcl, ...
tie following question, to wit: *-j
* Question, %. Do vou know
_ - ? ? 1
lie otticers of the custom.house have ever
>een called on focontnbu'e sums of money
o party and political objects ; what officers
lave been so called upou ; by whom ; for
rhat amount; with or without regard lb
heir salaries of office ; when did tlwy c on.
ribute ; if they refikeed, was any intimation
;iven that their refusal might occasion their
eiuoval; what amount has so been ctfh.
ributed or collected, and for the support of
vhat party, at any one election V'
The witness took the interrogatory without
ibjecuon to poropounding the same, and pro
eeded to write his answer thereto on the
taper attached to the question, and ltad writ*
en tue following to wit:
" 1 have known officers attnclied to the
:us;om.l.ouse to have been rsHedon for
IV hen Mr. Owens, member of the'Conrttti.*
n.ttee, interposed, and informed the witrfasl
hat lie v as not bound to anawcte any inter,
ogatory relating to Ins priv;?^ uffitirs ; and.
hereupon, Mr. Foshr, another member, of
tie C mmutee, objected to propounding the
nierrogatory. The witness lu re commented
to tear off what ho had written betbr?
>bje?tion was made to the interrogatory*
Vlr. Wise prevented him from doing so, by
orbidding the act. M r. Foster insisted i hat
he witness had the right to tear o(T what ha
iad wriiterr, and that it was not his answer;
jnt.l it was complete and* handed in, and ha
isked the witness whether it was his answer!
ind he replied, it was not j" and tWd
Committee having decided (hat the interrogatory
should be propounde J, the question
>y iMr. Wise was again handed to the whiess.and
he icturned the following : *? I de.
rime to answer the 3d question." Tlie wiN
less was then permitted or^ti.e.
Mr. Cu.tis f,,r *he yeas and niyH
m Mr. Wise's motiou : and the resoluion
iras adop ed. Yets?Messrs. Curtis, Daw.
on, Fosier, Harlan, Owens, Smith, Wag.
uer, Wise??8. Nays?None.
Jlte examination of Mr. Lyon, continued
y Mr. Wise.
Question. Whrls' you were Deputy Col.
?ctor at the port of New York, were you
vtrr tailed on as an officer of rhe cusfomou*'?
to cdnirikute any sum or suma of
loney to pariy or political objects ; if
rhat amount ? was such amount, from joe
ailed for in consider hon of your aa?M
om Government ? What proi/or ion did
hear to vour saia v ? Jid von oav ii t it
* - I /
of, why noi ? wi.o '-ailed for su?-h contri.
utious ? wore o.h'-r subordinates in the
ustom.house to lour knowledge cal ed on
> contribute in like manner?for the sup.
art of winii par : were Juse contributions ..
tied tor? was an^ menace, directly or
r ' t!y. of removal, held over these offit^H I
r yoursel for failures to ^uniwclifil I
jti?ns JM|
Mr. Owens objected to the iuteiroga^Hpflj^^H
The question, Shall the interrogatory^^^wpP
opounded ? was put, and decided in the
Errrative, the yeas and nays having ueen
ille i for by Mr. Owens. Yeas?Messrs.
urtis, Dawson, Harlan, Smi b, Wise?6"
ays?Messrs. Owens, Wagoner-?2.
A nswer. I hare frequent been called on
con.ribue to political objects while I was
puty Collector, as an officer of he cus
m-house. The amount was from twenty
illars to one hundred dollars. Tlie tax
-4 aulantf It k/ ru
as pro mm aucorumg iu o'iioij. it wuc.
proportion of from one to six per cert. I
jquen ly paid a j art ofihe amount i when
was too high, and more than I could
Ford, I urged them to reduce it ; in one in.
inee, where I was assessed twenty dollar*
r. Swartwout told the collector of th?* tax
at ten dollars was enough for me to pay.
jr a few years back I have nor paid any
ing to the General Committee, because I
luld not afford to pay the amount assettbd
id because I could not conscientiously
igor sustain the party. The collectors,
the Tamminv Hn!| General Comm't'e*
I