Kentucky Gazette

FROM THE PUBLIC ADVERTISER.

MR. BRADFORD,

The singular and curious document published in your paper of the second inst. emphatically styled the Black List, has excited much interest, and produced some severe strictures. Knowing it to be incorrect, and believing that it was published, in the first instance from base motives, I cannot consider it official; but whether true or false it has had the effect intended as to some individuals against whom it was designed to operate.

I therefore think it my duty to state that so far as relates to myself it is not correct, and to lay before the public a short statement of facts.

In the year 1818, Gen. Harrison gave an order directing me to settle my accounts as Quarter Master General of Kentucky, with Colonel James Morrison, late Quarter Master General to the North Western Army. On settlement with him the whole debt against me was $8072 92, I then delivered Colonel Morrison vouchers to the amount of $7887 39, leaving a balance against me of $971 53, all those vouchers were allowed and passed at the War Office except about $155. In the above balances there was an error against me of $1000, in the addition of a receipt given at Franklinton—I have twice since sent on other vouchers but whether they will be passed to my credit I have not been informed, and I have now in my possession vouchers, some of which are not complete as to form, but for all of which I am justly entitled to a credit, to the amount of about $500. The difficulty of procuring correct vouchers for every item where business is transacted by so many agents at different points, is well known to every one acquainted with the movements and supplying of an army in a wilderness, and it is very doubtful whether satisfactory vouchers can ever be procured, indeed in some cases, to my knowledge important vouchers have been accidentally lost. This fact I know I can assert, that so far as public money has went through my own hands it has been correctly applied.

I have also a fair claim to a credit to a large amount for pay, subsistence, transportation &c. and for the discount, obliged to be allowed, on bills received, in order to turn them into current money; and I believe if the Government would pay me what they justly owe, I should not be much their debtor.

It is true that since the settlement with Col. Morrison, an account has been exhibited against me, on which suit has been brought, and is still pending in the Federal Court of this state. In this account charges are made against me which are incorrect, and never ought to have been made, which it will be in my power to explain and correct on trial; and which I am determined never to pay. But taking the whole of this account, it does not amount to any thing like in sum reported against me on the black list.

The documents in my possession are too lengthy for publication; I have shewn some of them to the printer and will satisfy any gentleman who feels an interest with a sight on application.

There are several individuals reported as defaulters, who I feel confident have settled their accounts—about which due inquiry is considered to correct the statement so far as relates to themselves.

THO'S BODLEY.

Lexington, March 9, 1821.

The publishers of Newspapers who may have inserted the Black List, will do an act of justice by publishing the above.