Columbia telescope. (Columbia, S.C.) 1819-1821, July 10, 1829, Image 1
STATE PRINTER. ?'
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, JULY lO, 1820.
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U. S. Military Aoadmmv, >
Wmst-Poirt, Jurr, 1889. 5
7b f*f Stcretury at bar,
Sir :-Xbvttg been invited by you to
attend tho examination of the Cadets of
this Institution, aa a Board of Visiter*, for
the pressot year, and having in that capa
city completed our obeervationa and in
| quirics, we beg leave to eubmit to your
^Mwideratiaa the result of our labour*.
? The exaaaiaation commenced with the
[Mathematical Department, and nothing
could surpass the proficienoy of the Cadets
in whatever was connected with the science
of Calculation. The meet complicated
diagrauie and igurse were drawn with the
greatest neatness, dexterity and precision;
and all the required demonstrations, how
over elaborato or involved, were conduct
ed with a promptitude and correctness
which quite astonished some. members of the
Board ofVisiter* whose pfeviousexpcrience
enabled them to lodge of such exhibitions.
Nor could there Be r fallacy in this, or in*
deed in any other l-w* ?>;" tho examination
Rince in addition to tho questions proposed by
by the examining Professors, many queries
and some of thein of tho most abstruse
character were propounded by tho Visitors
themselves. Alt were answered with equal
rcsdln?i, propriety and exactness.
In Engineering military and civil, tho
attainments of the Cadets were no less
Katisfectory. In reference to military ope
rations, the mode was exhibited of con
structing and arming fortifications, whe
ther permanent or temporary and whether
Rook jrrorks were designed for attaok or
defence, either in the field or on the sea
SU KVKRY FRIDAY MOKNINU
IN
In the civil department was stated the
manner ot collecting and preparing the va
rious materials used m masonry and carpen
try , in architecture ornamental and useftol.
in the structure of roads, bridges and rail
roadi, in remedying the obstructions in riv
ers, and in the formation of canals and ar
tificial harbors.
While on tho subject of Engineering,
however the visiters are bound to remark,
that at present tho civil branch of tho sci
ence can be more thoroughly taught than
tho military; the models kc. belonging to the
former being more complete than those ap
pertaining to tho latter. But this school
is primarily and essentially military. To
that the appropriation, which has been
come years annual, be continued for the
purchase of models, and tho employment
?f a modeller. If this be done for a short
time, whatever may bo requisite will be
obtained, and then tho expenditure may
ccase.
To the Mathematical sciences, and their
various and important applications sue-1
reeded Natural Philosophy: embracing
Mechanics and Optics, Electricity, Mag
netism and Astronomy. On these several
KubjectH, the acquirements of the Cadets
were highly creditable: but two deficien
ciencica were noticed. Pint tho entire
omission of Acoustics, they not being con
tained in tho text bows which are used.
Secondly the course of instruction is not
tniAciently practical. The laws regulating
the proportion of sound are obviously con
nected with military manoeuvres, and every
Cadet should bo able to illustrate,. by ex
periment the truths which ho has been
tpughtin physical science. But this ho
cannot do wttn tho apparatus at present pos
sessed by the Institution. To romody this
defect an appropriation was made the last
year which although judiciously distribut
ed, has been found inadequate, and will hein
a great measure lost, unless it be further
extended. The Visiters, therefore, would
recommend that a small sum bo granted,
and a very small one indeed is all that
is required, tocompleto in this respect the
experimental department of tho Academy.
In Efthtcs, Natural ami National law,
fee. the Cadets proved the excellence of the
instruction which they had received, and
the Valuable use which they had made
of that instruction. Undor this head con
sequently, the Visitors have only to ad
vise, first astriet adherence to the direc
tions of the law, as it at present stands,
with regard to tho subjects which the Pro
foseor of this department ie to teaeh; and
secondly that this Professor have an addi
tional Assistant. This last recommenda
tion involves no increase or expense, snd
would if complied with, be vt>ry dvsnta
gectts.
In teaching French, the object is that
the Cadets should speak the langusge with
the strictest propriety of accent, but that
they shouM bo able to translate with cor
rectness and despatch any work written
in Chat tongue. This ond the Visiters think
i? attained.
l.\ Chemistry no regular professorship
has been cxtitblfshed by the Government,
until lately an officer of the Medical De
partment of the Army, specially detailed
for that purpose, disoharged the duties of
his chsir. Those dutie* since the resigna
tion of Dr. Torrny, have devolved Upon
Lieut. Hopkins, and bow well they have
been performed, tho admirable prepara
tions of his class Ailly evinced. For this
year of toil and responsibility, Mr. Hop
Kins receives, in addition to his ordinary
pay, at Lieutenant, the turn of eight and
fbriy dollar*. Surely this statement of
the fret will at once induce Congress to
rorrtfet so manifest sn impropriety, by
ring ft Profr*???r*nm of
< reo4ing and endowing
Chemistry, Mineralogy and Geol??gy Hieee
sciences are exceeded by none in utility.
?nd surpass all others in tho rapidity and
extant of their Improvement.
While ?penkktg of the Improvements of
the professors, the visiters would remark,
thai one nt these gentlemen (the profrsMir
of natursl and experimental philosophy) Is
rnnch mere highly paid than hie colleagues.
'pLig mAfif>m ?eieK Aft In nmirr
tobe.afcenldbe reetHUd. All thepi'uNmiii?
.^id h.r? t? proportloa to (Mr
respective wants, and be placed upon per*
feet equality both as regard* rank and re*
numeration.
In the examination hall, and dally In tne
field, the visitors had ample evidence of ihe
skill and dexterity of the cadet* In Infantry
tactics. Equal attainments were manifest
in drawing; and iu this department, which
is fully provided with every requisite* It Is
worthy of observation, that on making the
comparison, the class of each year surpass*
esthat by which it was proceeded.
If any one subjcct taught at this Institu
tion deserves superior attention, that ire
eminence the visiter* conceive should be
bestowed upon the department of artillery.
The value of instructions in this department,
results not only from the Intrlsk importance
of this arm of the public defence, uut from
the peculiarity of the knowledge which it
requires?* knowledge not elsewhere to be
very readily attained. Under these im
pressions, tho visitors arc bound to state,
that this branch of instruction though con
ducted with grcut seal and talent by Lieut.
Kinsley, labours under great disadvantages.
In the fir*t place, the appropriation for the
erection of buildingv, Ucc. although not ex
hausted from the great economy observed |
in its expenditure, is nevertheless inade
quate. Seemildly, more time should bo be*
stowed upon the management of great guns,
the preparation of ammunition, and the
study of iivHrtechny generally. Lastly,
merit in this department should be more
highly estimated, in determining the rela
tive standing of the cutlets, since those stu
dies will always he the most eagerly pur
sued, in which rank is conferred by profi
ciency.
Having thus, sir, disposed of the subjects
which are taught in the Academy, of the
manner in which instruction on those sub
jccu is imparted, and of the acquirements
of the cadets, the visiters will next call
your attention to the genehd concerns of the
institution. And here the visiters, with
great pleasure, remark, that the police and
discipline which prevail in the establish
ment are admirable in themselves, and are
faithfully and impartially administered. But
the officers to whom are confided such im
portant trusts as police and discipline, labor
under a difficulty which the visiters would
earestly represent cannot be too speedily
and effectually removed. The evil alluded
to arises in this* manner; to enforcc the regu
lations of the academy, to keep the cadet
i?? all things and at all tunes to his duties,
is a task which admits of no relaxation, is
never agreeable, and frequently bccomes
odious. It is not to be sup|iosed, therefore,
that officers will either seek such employ
ment, or remain in it longer than they arc
obliged, unless there Ik- something to com
pensate them for the irksomeness of their
situation. S<> far is this from being the case
however, that an officer whoso days and
night* are devoted to the unpleasant duties
winch have been incutinm-d;duties, it is al
most needless to say, affect not only the
prosperity, but the very existence of the
academy, is actually in a worse condition
than if he wcic at his post, since his chance
tor promotion to staff appointments is less.
Ann it must, too, be borne in mind, that
those officers who are selected fot the da
les of which we arc speaking, are precise
ly those wfi'tse merits woold lead to the pro
motion mentioned. Compulsory service,
consequently, on the one hand, and what is
worse, frequent changes on the other, are
unavoidable, and constitute the most serious
evil to which the academy is at any time
subjected. The mischief may be, in part,
if not fully remedied by a more liberal, and
it i? believed, bv a juster construction ot the
law, granting officers of companies, wheth
er captains or lieutenants, extra-pay for ex
tra-services. l'han this nothing can be
more proper, and well aware of its weighty
importance, the visiter* cannot too stronglv
urge it upon your early and most favorable
attention.
The management of the academv, as it
regards the diet of the cadets, their sup
plies of clothing, necessaries, &c. has not
escaped the attention of the visiters. All
these subject* have been cnquiied into, and
were found, in every respect, well regu
lated,
The last topic to which the visiters wouid
call your attention, i* tho want* of the in
stitution. A large number mi^ht be easily
enumerated, but the b mrd well knowing
that a sound economy should ever charac
terise a wise administration, will mention
but tw?>?a bouse to preserve the health of
the cadets, and a building for the worship
of God.
With regard to the first, it it well known
to alt who huve attended to Mich inquiry,
that se\ ere mental labor, without corret
ponding corporetl exercise, wll< undermine
the strongest runs'notion. The cause of
this r.eed not be here investigated. The
fart in notorious, and ha* been observed in
thin plucc as well as clsewhere. True it is,
that many of the cadets do not die, the
mortality being as low as one sixth of one
percent. Hut it i? believed that Mime, Af
ter leaving the wliml, hwv? ultimately fal
len victims to the sedentary habits which
have unavoidably been acquired at thisca
tsbllshrrent. A ?.?alamity.moieover, of this
kind, it mutt be remembered, in more like
ly to befall those who are the most emu
lout of distinction. With regard to all the
cadets, however, it may be averred, that
they arc constantly tasked to the utmost, in
the way of mental exertion, while from the
nature of the climate, for very nearly an
entire moiety of the y ear, they are, for till
the purposes of recreation, debarred from
the use of liieir limb*. A building sufflc lent
for the purposes contemplated, may, it ta
understood, be erected for some six or seven
thousand dollars, a sum altogether insig
nificant in comparison with the magnitude
and the Importance of the object to be ob
tained.
' The apartment at present used for divine
worship, was originally designed to answer
a different purpose, for which indeed i? li
much needed. If this were otherwise,
however, more room and better accommo
dation are wanted for religions exercises,
and a mere expression of the fnct, Is all
that the christian ruler > of a christian peo
pie can require, when those mien alone arc
competent to rectify the evil
to bearing cordia
testimony to the teal, ability and devoted*
ness of Col. Thayer, and the Academic
Stuff. Froosthe Colonel himself, and tl?c
various gentlemen connected with him, the
visiter* experienced individually every
courtesy, civility and attends* And the
different members of the board will now re
turn to their respective dwellings, fully per
suaded that this institution, even In peace,
more than repays its cost to the nation.?
They are yet more thoroughly convinced,
should the storms and perils of war assail
us, tliat among the graduates of West Point,
would still be found the appointed and effi
cient defenders of this, our country, so fa
vorrd and so beloved.
We have the honor to be,
Respectfully, your obt. serv'ts.
PIERREVAN COUHTLAND.
Pmldcnt. ?
J. BURNET,
W. I. WORTH, Lt. Col. U. 8. A.
WM M. DAVIS,
CHRISTOPHER E. ROBBINS,
J. AUGUSTINE SMITH,
TIM. WALKER,
E.S. DAVIS.
THO. S BELL,
LEVI FOWLING,
THOMAS CLELLAND,
F. W. HATCH,
WM. ROSS,
WM. LAW,
ROBERT ARCHER.
Seo^ry. to tlte Board.
[From tlir New York Courier and Enquirer.}
Nero Pafier.?'Vtit Baltimore Chronicle
assrrtn, that a person has passed through
from Washington, bearing letters of intro
duction to certain leading politicians, the
object of which was, to establish n new pa
per nt the scat of government, which is
supposed to be intended to befriend Mr.
Van Burcn, should he be n candidate (or the
presidency These rumours of establishing
presses (or the advancement of individual
objects, are all false; and Mr. Van Burcn
and Mr. Calhoun are probably the last per*
sons who would encourage aprojcct, which
hnd for its object personal aggrandisement
, No paper, started with such views, can ev
er have influence; they always carry with
them a personal identity, a selfish motive,
inconsistent with what in exported lrom the
free and fearless discussion of independent
journals. Sagacious politicians who desire to
sour to emincncc, and sit in the high pla
ces, never undertake to manufacture their
own wings, unless, indeed, they are dread
fully wedded to what is erroneously called
the American system; and men of legiti
mate claims can always obtain the support
of presses posscsMng an established charac
ter and influence, and resting on a more
solid basis than an unsteady individual pat
ronage.
No now press can succeed unless it takes
u wider and more general range, unless it
embark* for our principle and the support
of our republican institutionH-~thc people
will never pay for a paper that start* into
existence to support A?or B for any par
ticulur office. Such were never the ob
ject# pf establishing l'ressca in a free
country.
However, we are always well disposed
from sympathetic feeling* toward* these
new presses if they are to be established.?
We know that hard heads and long purses
arc ueceaaary for their commencement, and
painful days and sleepless nights and empty
pocket* the consequence of their continua
tion;?they are quick-sands in which a man
may lose himself; like wells in which you
are constantly dropping something and
?vhlch never till v?-they arc tike overtrading
and overroanui>fturiiig; without good mnn
ngetnent and i'ndoubted support they are
/irq/ltlfi plagues to their funndors and
inventors.
The National Journal at Washington is
carried on we should infer at a great annual
loss, and if the National Intelligencer, had
all that was due to that establishment, the
worthy editors would never be compelled to
stand on deck with ropes in hand, ready to
trim ship to every breeze.
There is no profit, then, in starting a pa
per at Washington, and no where else, if
we are to iudge from the signs of the times.
We have In our own city, within two years,
the evidence of " The Chronicle," "tne
Timet,*' " The Telej[rafih." " The .Advo
cate," and until the late arrangements,
" Tmk. Coumkh," th-?t thousands and ten*
of thousands must necc*.? :ly be lost before
a paper can be established in this city, and
even when considered established, one lulf
of the daily papers but add to their original
losses. But if public men will be generous,
if they will say. " We will throw away
430,000, which must be sun!: or lost on a
paper in its commcncen;rnt," there is no
checking such genet ous ambition, and if mo
ney is to he thrown u way, it cannot be better
done than in newspapers.
(From the importance which tho case of
Tobias Watkins has acquired, arising prin
cipally front tho character of thu man, tho
intermit taken in liiin by the frienda of tho
coalition, tin- necessity of punishing fraud
ulent and dishoneat public agents, and the
strenuous effort* of the accused to evade
punishment by tho mcrett technical excefi
/tone to the/orm of Indictment, wo nppre
hend tho following account of thn true me
rit* of the caso, upon which we rely, will
bo acceptable to the reader* of the Tele*
copo.)
[Prom the Baltlmnro IN pnMicsn.]
LKTTEU I.
H'athington, June 22, 1829
Sir,
Observing that yon have honored my
communication of the lath Inst. with a
place is your columns, I shall proceed to
give you In detail, the promised facts.
The earliest and one of the most simple
cam of detected fraud committed by Dr.
Watklas, bear* date March 6th 1857. On
that day he addreaaed a letter to the Secre
tary of the Navy, of which the following
la a copy.
" 44* Auditor1* Office, 6th March, 1M7.
"Bia?I will thank you to eaaaaa requisi
tion to be Issued Inlavor of Purser Ramble
ton for jsoooi? under the head of " Fay
Afloat,w made payable to my order, at the
request of! |r. f f amble ton, flijr the put post
of paying his drafts on me to that amount
T. WATKINS."
'Secretary ot the Navy.' *
Without any other Authority tor the act,
Mr. Southard endorsed ui>on the letter in
pSc?. OTE*TUT. <&.ifiil!
money waa drawn from the Treamy by
Dr. Watkins and charged to Summit Ilafn
blston on the l>ookt of the 4th Auditor's
office. There I* no order or request of
8. Hambleton, and no drafts of his paid by
Dr. Watkins on file in the NawJjfcpart
ment, or in the 4th Auditors Officer nor has
Hatnbletoo ever charged himselt with the
money, or in any manner acknowledged its
receipt. If Dr. Watkins had such a re
Suest from Hnmblrton as he all edges, or
' he had paid any of his drafts, it was his
duty to file them in his office, as hie au
thority for charging that gentleman with
the f9000. The absence ot every paper'
of thin description, and Hambleton's omis
sion in al) the accounts rendered by him
since March 1827, to charge himselt with
the money, or in any way to notice It, or the1
drafts alluded to by Watkins, afford the
strongest presumptive evidence, that oo
such request way ever made, that no such
drafts ever existed, and that Hambleton
was wholly ignorant of the whole transac
tion.
With this evidence the ease was present
ed to the Grand Jury. But that body re
fused to act upon it, on the presumption as'
1 understand, which was ccrtainly contrary
to every reasonable and legal presumption,
that Dr. Watkins might have had authori
ty from Hambleton! Surely, they might
as well presume that any culprit whose case
isprescntcd befori tlicm in the mostaggrava
ted colors, ha % a good defence which nobody
knows any thing about, and on that ground
refuse to indict him It was proved that
Watkins had drawn $2000 of publio money
and charged it to a distant Purser, without
exhibiting the slightest authority for doing
so. The only reasonable presumption was
that he had none. But if be had any which
he had carelessly or criminally neglected
to file in the public offices, it would have
formed good ground of defence before a
Petit Jury. It was not the province ol the
Grand Jury to presume lie had authority
when it was proved there was none in his
office, the only placc where it could have
been rightly left. If he had put public
papers in his private bureau, himself and
not the United States ought to be responsi
ble for his wrong.
But even this singular presumption of the
grand jury, was,a few d*ys ago, completely
rebutted and overthrown. The present 4th
Auditor had, under date of April 29th, 1829,
written t?? Mr. Hambleton, calling his at
tention to the fact of his being informed of
this charge, and requested to know why he
had not credited the government with the
?2000. Mr. Hambleton replied under date
of May 20th, that he was unaware ot ever
having received the money, and that he had
written a Icttci toDr. Watkins many months
ago, requesting a copy of the document on
wliich the charge against him was founded,
to which he had never received any reply
NimucIi letter can be found in the 4th Au
ditor's Office, and if ever received, It must
have been suppressed. Mr. Hambleton'*
letter to the present 4th Auditor, was laid
before the jury, for the purpose of showing
them that the presumption on which they
had refused to act, wus wholly unfounded.
Still did the v adhere to their presumption,
that Watkins might havo had authority,
and they refused to act on the ca*e, unless
Mr. Hambleton himself were produced be
fore them.
I shall not go further than the facts war
runt, when 1 say, that not one of the jury
hesitates in believing that Dr. Watkins hat
received this 43000 of public money, charg
ed it to Humblcton without authority, and
dishonestly applied it to his own use; yet,
they refuse to find a bill against him, be
cause, contrary to all probability and their
own belief, he may fiottlbly have had au
thority Why, sir, a inrtit jury, if true to
their with*, most have found him guilty on
the evidence presented to the grand jury.
The government proves that their was no
authority for receiving this money filed in
the office where it ought to I It is tlifcn
incumbent on Dr. Wutkins to shew that he
had authority, mid explain why it was not
in its proper place I f he could not do that,
a jury must take it as proof that none exist
ed,and would find him guilty. Hamblcton's
presence would not he necessity to his con
viction; the absence of all authority, with
Watkins* inability to explain, would he con
ducive. 'l'he oath of Hambleton that he
never \in\c the authority, could not be more
so It is not the habit of grand juries to re
quire as strong evidence to indict, as petit
juries require to convict. Rut here, a grand
jury refuses to indict upon evidence, which,
with wt other explanations thnn the unau
thorized presumptions which the grand ju
ry set up, would Inevitably lead to convic
tion. I)<? not the jury, therefore, In refus
ing to present this case, exhibit a caution
wholly at war with the due administration
of justice and the public safety.'
I understand that \lr. Hambleton is ex
pected in this city in a few days; but wht til
er he wdl arrive during the session of the
court, is wholly uncertain. Were thin the
only ease, the effect of the grand jury's hesi
tation would probably l>e to set at liberty a
speculator on the treasury, whom they all
knew to be guilty, and enable him to escape
merited nunishment.
The public have mi account to settle
with Mr. Houthanl. They will require to
know u|ww what principle, or nccontfing to
what law it U, tiiat he issued this requisition
upon the simple request of the 4th Auditor,
1h the bare word of an accounting officer,
without voucher, sufficient to draw from the
Treasury lar^e numi of money, and charge
them to dU'nnt agents of the government!
The draft of distant agenta or officer*, are
generally drawn on the Secretary of the
Navy, nnd not on the 4th Anditor. The
latter haa no concern with the dUburte
ing of money, he can never rlghthdy draw
it from the treasury) hegi?es nosccurHy.he
never draws drafts, unless it be for specified
objects cohncctcd with the navnl service.
Mr. Honthard, therefore, took spon him
?ell A heavy responsibility when upon th?
bare word of lJr. Watkhte, he pat at hit
disposal $7000 at the public money. Hoi
this is not the only case, aa I shall shea
you fan the progress of tfaete letters, in trhtcl
he was kind to hit friends to the detriment
of the nubile interest
In my next I will give you a detail of the
frauds committed by Watkins in his trane* i
actjous with Mr, Paulding, which have al
mdjr eat such a figure in eoavt.
| LETTER U.
8?a,
ly'athlmgton, June 35*41830*
I shall now proceed to detail to you the
frauds committed on the United States by
Tobias Watkins, through the Navy Agent
in New York.
The first step in this process was a letter#
of which the following is* copy k
" Treatury Department, 4th Auditor'*
Office, 5th July, 1827, .
Sir.
You will receive by the mail of to-morrow
or next day the Treasurer's draft for $500
?five hundred dollars, under the appropri
ation of arrearages, in order to meet my or
der on you of this date for that sum. That
time might be given for the remittance of
the draft, my order is made payable at three
days sight, and will be charged when paid
to "arrearages." It is in favor of S. & M.
Allen, & Co.
I am Sir, very respectfully,
Yonr obedient servt.
T. WATKINS.
J. K. Paulding, Esq.
Navy Agent, New York.
On the 6th July, Dr. Watkint procured
a requisition on the Treasury, to be issued
by the Secretary of the Navy in favor of I.
K. Paulding, for #1000, chargeable to the
appropriation for " arrearages prior to
1837, for which #30,000 had been appro*
Eriatcd at the previous session of Congress.
y what meaiiH Mr. Southard was induced
to issue this paper, there isnq evidence ex
isting in the Navy Department or Fourth
Auditor's Office.
Dr. Watkins next wrote the following
letter:
" Treatury Department, Auditor'*
Office, 0th July, 1837.
Sir,
Instead of the remittance of 8300 men
tioned to you in my letter of the Stu inst. you
will receivc, so soon as the requisition can
pass through the forms of office one thou
#and dollars under the appropriation for the
payment of ?? arrearages," of the receipt of
which please to adviKC mr.
1 am, Sir, respectfully
Your obedient servt.'
T. WATKINS.'
J. K. Paulding, Esq.
Navy Agent, New York.
The next piece of cvidcncc exhibited, is
the following letter:
"Dreanury Department. 4 th Auditor'*
Office, 25th July, 1827.
Sir,
I hnve this day drawn on you in favor
of C. S. Fowler for rive hundred dollar*,
which you will please tochargcto "arrear
ages."
I am Sir, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
T. \VATKINS."
J. K. Paulding, Esq.
Navy Agent, New York.
As.advised in these letters, J\Ir. Pauld
ing received the remittance oi $1000, and
paid the first draft on the 11th, and the se
cond on the 30th July. When he forwarded
to Dr. Watkins his accounts for the quarter
ending 30th September 1827, he inclosed
the original drafts, tu his vouchers, to ena
ble him to obtain a credit for the 41000 in
the settlement of his account. The ac
counts were placed by Dr. Watkins in the
hands of Mr. Henry Forrest, an examining
clerk. When he came to the two cliargc?
of $500 each, for money paid on those drafts,
he could not find the vouchers. He took
them to Dr. Watkins, and enquired what
he should do with those items? The Doc
tor took up his pen and ran it through the
entries, and told Mr. Forrest to suspend
them, observing that he or the Sccrctary of
th? Navy was to settle them.
Tlie account was settled and a statement
made out foy Mr. Paulding, in which his
attention was callcd to this suspension.?
That statement and two others afterwards
made out, though recorded in the 4tli Audi
tor's Office, with a letter purporting to
have accompanied thom, were never re
ceived by Mr. Paulding, and he was never
informed of these suspicions until after
the present 4th Auditor came into of
fice.
Not one oi the letters, copies of which 1
have here given, though all purporting to
be official, was recorded in the 4th Audi
tor's Office, nor was a trace of the transac
tion there to be found* cxcept the charge
against Mr. Paulding of J1000 on ac
count of " arrearages," and the crazed
nmount.
Upon the submission of these tacts to the
Grand Jury they found the following pre
sentment :
"Dhtrkt of Columbia, County of 14 at ft inff
inffton A/ay Term, IBUV.
Tn?t .furor* of tho United States for tho
body of tho County aforesaid, on tlicir
oaths and affirmation present:
That Tohiaft Watkins in hiM rapneitv of
4th Auditor of the Treasury of the United
States. ostensibly for tho public service,
but falsely and without authority, did on
or about the 6th day of July 18517, procure
from the United States Navy Department,
6ictions to the United State* Treasury
partment, to place in the hand* of J. K,
Paulding, Navy Agent, at New York, the
eum of one thousand dollars, which sum of
one thousand dollars the as id Tobias Wat
kine, by letter* of advice in his official ca
pacity, and by his drafts on said Paulding
sold to Charles fl. Powlcr, did receive for
bis own private use, vis. Ave hundred dol
lars on or about the 6th daf of July 1427,
and the farther sum of Ave hundred dollars
on or about the 86th day of said month and
fi#r' AVSW? WAY* Atrrmrn.*
There never wm a plainer eut ef fraud
made out Tn?t Dr. Watklaa procured
the requisitions to be twtteri.by which the
money wu drawn from the Treasury j that
he drew drafts and sefld them to a broker
in Wa?hlngten}that by hUletteraof advlco
he artfullyInduced Paulding to pay them,
under tl??? conrtetlon that he was doing that
which had betorehand the sanction ot the
Secretary offh** Navy Mid the 4th Auditor;
to entii
accounts;
train affects
?M not one man
fifth* of it wmP
them hit personal friends,
tate for ? moment. In their
they were unanimout..
In pursuance of'the
Grand Jury found an Ind!
cuou common tow. The
prisoner demurred to it*
ground, that an indictment for a
mhted against the United States,
sustained at common tow. ?'The
cided that the indictment was matou*w|*?
a* i em moo tow t but quashed that wl
jury had found, because, if I folly
stand their acute reasoning, its
forth what sort of a talc K watt
the
to the Secretary of the Navy to
to issue the requisition! That
cure it to be issued, there
that bis intention wan to put
ney into his own pocket, could not b? ques
tioned: that he succeeded, the evidence fcd
lv established; but because the ?fiee\fic falte
hood by which he nccocnpiUhed all. this
was not set forth, he is to escape with im
punity. The Jury would not And a bill set
ting forth the specific falsehood, because It
wai not proved before them, indeed, it is
very doubtful whother Mr. Southard* or
any other pervon knows or remembers what
it was. Why require it to be alledged or
proved? Dr. Watkins was not iodlCted tor
tolling a lie, but for defrauding th# United
Ulaie*. It could avail nothing to law or
morality, whether he effected the Iraud by
truth or falsehood. But the court hold out
a premium for ingenious rogery by>lrtual
ly deciding, that no trend is punishable,
which Is effected so artfolly. that you can
not prove the culprit told a ac
complishing his purpose!
It is on such grounds as this*that1
cuit Court for the District of; Co
have quashed this and several ether.
ments. Fraud and crime wtUexoK to 1
impunity, and honest men are chained with
persecution and tyrranny for their perse
vering efforts to bring the bold and acknowl
edged culprit to justice! ? X
In my next I will give you the particulars
of two other frauds committedTon the Unit'
ed States through the Navy Agent at New
I York. :
MISCELLANEOUS*
^i'nu Goto' RsoiolT-^e have Wlh
nrto inadvertently omitted to montion tho
flattering discoveries of the precious met
al -which havo been made the present sea
son in this (Rowan) county. Previously,
no serious attempt had been made* to as
certain whether there wan any Gold in the
county. Recently, however* spins, Kniall
particles, accidentally found indiioed a
search on the part of soma of our enterpri
sing citiwens; and the Kucqeas which at
tended their effort*, prompted others to
inake search; until there have fcsep, top to
this time, more, we should presume, than
fifty gold mines opened in tho county. In
all that district orcountry south and east of
Salisbury, extending from Cabarrus to Da
vidson, more or less gold is scattered through
the ridges; and it has also bean found to
exist north and west of tho town; In tho
oxtrenio part of Uto county, adjoining lie
dell, a company from this place is working
a valuable mine which promises to be ex
tensive. At some of the mines s lew miles
east of us, where companies of <
havo recently commenced oner
has been dug up, so rieh> that it is thought
some of it will produce at the rate of dO
dwia per bushel! A confident belief is en
tertained, that Rowan will prove as rich
in hot if)'den treasure sax any other OQJUI
ty in tho stato.
Gold has recently boch found in Wilkes
I county, in a number of places. Many of
tho enterprising citizens there are buying
and leasing land, for ?he purpose of pUrsu- *
ing tho mining business. We Have been
informed that ono or more of the compa
nies contemplate the immediate erection of
|itoaehinory, for pulverising and washing
the ore.
A new and very rich minebSS bedn dis
covered on the plantation of Major Jona
than Harris of Mecklenburgh county. By
the labor of four negroes, Major Harris re
alizes about a hundred dollar* worth of
Gold dailv.
In Guilford County, we leara that
discoveries of tho pronoun metal oro Almost
daily made; and gentlemen of skill and en
terprise are going into tho business pretty
I'lrlrrff ? w *
Iti Lincoln as well a* Rutherford countia*.
Gold haa been found in divofa placea} and
we I earn that proparationa are making to
work tho mines.
In Randolnh, Chatham, Stokes, Rock-*
ingliain, and Kuny, *omn Gold, and indi
cation* of more, have recently beet) discov
ered.
In Mecklenburgh, new and rich vein*
are constantly opening, extcnmVo machin
ery is continually building, and large quan
tities of th?- precious metal are daily wash*
cd out by steam, water, and home power.
In Anxon and Montgofoerv, the mine*
continue to bn worked with profit; si*
though not ai extensively in the letter
county as formerly.
In Davidson county, a number of new
mines have I wen onened, and machinery is
erecting to work them.
It ia stated in the Pioneer, tl
ny hare commenced the Gold
ne*a in York district, with a i
of success. A gentleman of 1
found a mino on his plantation,
milo from tho village, which ]
productive.?WMtrn Carol
The Kditors of tho New Bedford Courier
copied tho following from a bank bill a few
days sihef:
"A Nf-w Bedford Whaleman bide fkra
well to his Isst dollar, of a three years voy
age, amonnt fair' <?fk J*W, thr Wholo of Wtifch
has been spent ia intemperance. June 1,