Selections: Public Improvements At The South

The Investigat ing Commil ;ees of Congress appear to bt making thorough searcli, and the monstrous exlravagancics vvhieh have grown up under Mr.. Van Buron's administrador), surpass belief. „The ' disclosiires they make are also quite curjous. Amonnr the enses reported on. ie that of Cnpt. Talcott, of the engiucer?, wlio had the charge r.f n slcain dretlging boat employed in decponinnr the channol across the bar at thé moiitli of the Mjsaissippu The committee Savs: The atnóunt charged by Capt. Talcott, for his services from the I'.ri April, lfi.'J?, to loth April, 1839, exceeds the sum of $17,000. The amount allo wed him is $G,394. Theexces?, near $11,000, has been retained in bis hands, and the government is vow compelled to resort toan action"at law for che purpose ofrecovering the monoy. The folfówing is a list of sorije of the itoms which wcro rpjccted by the depnrtmcnt; 1 ponknife, L4: Damask napkin?, tnble cloths, etc.. $10(f; 2 dinner sctsofchairs, S108; picklcs, ñ,:0; tongue?, $Lï: maccaroni. Sil: vonnicoila, 21,20: G bottíes champoinrn brandy, 3,75; 5,200 lbs. of ice, $71,37; 8 fishing 'linos, '3,75: 67 doz. egír-s $33,91; 42 boxes raÍMÍrs, $141: 1 bushels dried peaches, $36; with pmplesupplicd vf of walnutand mnshroom catsup, uepper sauce, sapo, nutmegs, cloves, cinnamon and other spices. There is nne itetn in the nccount, upon which Mr. Meriwetber of Georgaj who drew the report, very naturally makes no commeni. Il stands dr foílows:"Pees lo tho sheriff of Charleston. Sil-" On inquiry of tj disbutsing ofïicor, it.nppears that tho boat put into Charleston for fuel on lier voynrre out from Philadelphia to the Balize, and that this sum was "paid the city authnritics to obtain Uie release froni pris oí of two of the crew (freo ncgroesj tákeh from on bonrd (he drédge boat on her toucliins there for fuel ii lier woy uut. Lot üs héar no more complaints from the South of the npgflect of tho general government to e.vpcnd a due proporUori of the public nionoy ín improving or forlifyiror tlicir jortf. They ought not to liave a dollar, until they learn to respect the rights of American citizens. Ilerc■ - - - ' ■ =_zrz__ are men in the immodiate employ of the government, for the verv purpose of improving a Southern port, seized for no crime, imprisoned in sneer wnntonness, and the governmcnt taxed eleven dollars to procure the relense of a part of tho crew of a public veseel from ja il in ono of o ir owh seaports. And a committee of Congress reportinor on the very trnnsaction, pass it over vv ithout a word of