# United States Statutes at Large/Volume 3/17th Congress/2nd Session/Chapter 9

Chap. IX.—An Act concerning the disbursement of public money.
Act of March 3, 1797, ch. 20. No advance of public money to be made. Proviso.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, from and after the passing of this act, no advance of public money shall be made in any case whatever; but in all cases of contracts for the performance of any service, or the delivery of articles of any description, for the use of the United States, payment shall not exeed [exceed] the value of the service rendered, or of the articles delivered previously to such payment: Provided, That it shall be lawful, under the especial direction of the President of the United States to make such advances to the disbursing officers of the government as may be necessary to the faithful and prompt discharge of their respective duties, and to the fulfilment of the public engagements: And provided also, That the PresidentProviso. of the United States may direct such advances as he may deem necessary and proper, to such persons in the military and naval service as may be employed on distant stations, where the discharge of the pay and emoluments to which they may be entitled, cannot be regularly effected.
Officers or agents of the United States to account quarter yearly.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That every officer or agent of the United States, who shall receive public money which he is not authorized to retain, as salary, pay, or emolument, shall render his accounts quarter yearly to the proper accounting officers of the treasury, with the vouchers necessary to the correct and prompt settlement thereof, within three months, at least, after the expiration of each successive quarter, if resident within the United States; and within six months if resident in a foreign country:Proviso. Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to restrain the secretaries of any of the departments from requiring such returns from any officer or agent, subject to the control of such secretaries, as the public interest may require.
Officers or agents offending against the preceding sections, to be promptly reported to the President, and dismissed from the public service. Proviso.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That every officer or agent of the United States, who shall offend against the provisions of the preceding sections, shall, by the officer charged with the direction of the department to which such offending officer is responsible, be promptly reported to the President of the United States, and dismissed from the public service: Provided, That in all cases, where any officer, in default as aforesaid, shall account to the satisfaction of the President for such default, he may be continued in office, any thing in the foregoing provision to the contrary notwithstanding.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That no security given to, or ​No security given to, or obligation entered into with, the government, to be impaired.obligation entered into, with the government, shall be in any wise impaired, by the dismissing any officer, or from failure of the President to dismiss any officer coming under the provisions of this act.
Approved, January 31, 1823.