Camden Commercial Courier

Correspondence of the Charleston Courier.
Washington, April 6th 1837.

Mr. Reuben M. Whitney applied yesterday to our Court, preparatory to his taking the benefit of the insolvent act, and filed in the Clerk's office his usual schedule of debts and assets. The day of hearing is fixed for Friday, the 13th inst. I have not heard whether there is any intention to oppose him, or whether any one is able to file any allegations for that purpose.

The notice of this act, which will be found in the papers of this morning, has filled every one with astonishment, as it was generally believed that he was in the receipt of a salary from the Deposit Banks far beyond what he required for his annual expenditure. It is not above eight or ten weeks since that he gave a most splendid party, declaring that it should eclipse any party given in Washington during the same winter. Natural and artificial flowers were strewed in profusion about the supper table; the lights were dazzling, and the music was surpassing. The cost of that supper was said, at the time, to be above 1000 dollars, yet in his schedule he returns the whole value of his property, consisting of carriage, horses, plate and furniture, as only 3000 dollars. So that the supper cost him about one-third of what he was worth in property. His schedule of his debts is very terrific. To one creditor, (H. Gates & Co., of Canada) he owes above 11000; and to a firm in Philadelphia, (Wiggins & Co.) 85000; and to the rest of his creditors, his schedule shows him to be indebted to the amount of nearly 60000. This is an alarming debtor and creditor account for one who is supposed to have been basking for some years in the sunshine of Executive patronage, and to have enjoyed unusual money facilities in consequence of the position he has occupied in reference to the Deposit Banks. It is hard to account for the utter destitution of means which this schedule presents, and, as a natural consequence, many rumors disadvantageous to Mr. Whitney will be circulated.