National gazette. — Philadelphia [Pa.], 1793-02-20 00:00:00, page 2

•wilt be reppeHedaccordinglyi- the lelTon
of wii'd 0111 applicable to j public servant
called to answer btiore the tribunal of the
people. Frank and candid acknowledge
ment, humble deportment, and refpectfu
submission to the public opinion, will bell
accord with yourprefeutfituatiou. F.quai
]y unavailing will it be, thro' yonrlelf ant
friends, to play off the little arts of delay,
or to impede the progrefsof fair &full en
quiry be-ore the Home of Representatives.
That hotife is known to be pretty nearl)
equally divided as to the general policy c>l
your (ileal arrangements,but in the prefeni
enquiry, in which the bank of the Unitcc
States is so materially involved, relative a
the negociation of the foreign loans, (houlcl
a small majority of that hotife, including
the BANK DIRECTORS, be disposed tc
Jlur ov:r the proceeding, and Itiflc enqui
ry, the public at large, before whom you
also ttand, will never acquiejce in the de
ciliou, and the total loss of all future pub
lic confidence Willi follow : for be allured.
Sir, that when Catui.£us invited aflem
liled America, to look thro' the window;
of his breast, and judge of the purity of hi;
political motives, he did not invite in vain,
i'reely will those motives be Jooked at,&
thepropriery of conduit they have induced,
tjs freely examined & difenffed—Sufficient
indeed, if they can bear him through i:i
all the circumitances of the impending en
quiry.
Feb. 18. DECIUS.
For the National Gazette.
Number 11.
THE Public discern the difaffe£Hcn of
the Secretary of the Treasury to the
constitution of the United States, through
the medium of that train of circumflantial
evidence adduced in my last. And yet
the proofs are not exhaulted.
Reader, keep in mind the following po
rtion. A national government was de
signed by the conititntion, which in its ad
niiniftration should consult the will) and
the good of the people.
An adminiftratiou, literally copied from
the monarchical system of Britain, inay
produce a revolution as complete, as it it
had been effeaed by force. If the form
of monarchy was exalted among 11s, a na
tive love of liberty would rally all around
the {tandard of oppolition, except the mi
nions of the idol; 'tis through thouglit
lefl'nefs therefore, and not through pulil
lanimity that wc submit to the fubflauce.
Influence upon the actsofthe legislature,
united with the direction of public money,
concentred in one person, conftitute3 the
e(fence of monarchy. The name ot the
monarch is unimportant. Whether he is
called emperor, king, pope, or secretary
of the treasury, it amounts to the fame
thing. „ ,
Two results flow from filch an union.
The laws, are the laws of this individual,
not of the legislature; they only regilter
his a£ls, and the misapplication of public
money will escape with impunity, if the
checks are the creatures of his admini
ftratiou. „ , . ,
In the letter of the Secretary of the
Treasury, the following article is to be
found.
" Gash in the bank of
the United States, and the
offices of discount and Dolls. Cts,
depofrt, of New-York and j> 605,883 8
Baltimore, not yet pafed to
the account of the Treasury,
pcrjlatement A. B. J
Up' J.i reading this article, the following
interrogatories naturally occur :
How could this enormout. turn of publu
money find its way into the bank, withoul
palling through the several offices of check:
Is the boalt, " That the excellent orga
nization of the treasury department, inhi
bits every mifapplicalion of public money,'
-well founded ? ... , . ,
In what manner has the public derived a
benefit from depositing this money in the
bank ? ,
And may not the public money have been
facrificed to private interelt orpolitical de
l £ This money is a part of 2,304,769 dol
lars 13 cents, borrowed in Holland, and
brought into this country by bills of ex
change, drawn in December 1790, and the
two following years. The Secretary in
his report of January 3d 1 793, slates, thai
017316 dollars, 90 cents, have been, or
are to be applied to the relief of St. Do
mingo and to the payment of foreign offi
cers No part of this sum is pretended to
have been paid previous to February, 1792,
-lltho' nearly a moiety of the bills had been
drawn long before. And it is probable
that about the sum of 473.053 dollars 7
cents, part thereof, is yet unpaid. Howe
ver deduct the whole sum iromthemo
nev'drawn, and there remains 1,387,452
dollars 23 cents. Of this the Secretary
states 605,883 dollars, cents, as being in
the bank, and 636,976 dollars, 73 cents as
due for bills- With regard to this balance,
amounting to 166,976 dollars, 13 cents, it
is hypothecated to the bans of North A
mcrica, as a pledge upon the credit of
which to borrow a fmallerfum.
' This statement isextrafted from there
t'.irfcs, in the mode mo ft favorable for the
officer. It demonltrably proves that
605,885do.'iars, Scents, have been out of
public life from the moment ihev were
drawn, to this day—1,567,673 florins,
which nearly amounts to the sum, were
drawn between December 1790 and May
1 -91, if.cliilive. Indeed, the oills for the
greater part were dated in December 1790,
-uiH in January following.
The public have loit the interest upon
the 605,883 dollars, 8 cents for near two
years. For if the bills in some cases carri
ed an interest for a (hort space, and two
years in others have not elapsed (luce the
aioney was received, yet the loss of inter
est on the monies unpaid to St. Domingo
uid the foreign officers, and on the sum of
166,976 dollars, 13 cents, will be an equi
valent to balance those conliderations.
But the questions are not forgotten.—
They are answered thus
This money was placed in the bank by
he unchecked agency of the Secretary oi
:he Treasury.
The organization of the department is
neffectual, or the Secretary has broken the
avr.
The public have derived no benefit fron
his money
It was under the exclusive secret con
:roul and direction of the Secretary, to be
ifed as his interest or policy should die
ate.
For the public it could not have been li
ed, either in anticipations or otherwise
jecaufe it could not pass out, unless it hat
>revioufly passed into the treasury, and ir
his cafe the check offices would have ex
hibited such use.
It is necelfary, before we proceed, tc
mderltand something of the nature oi
hose powers really poffelled by the Secre
ary of the Treasury. He is regardec
>oth by the constitution and the laws as :
langerous officer; and to prevent hin
rom a [fuming functions both legiflativt
uul executive, by a pecuniary power, wif
iom, with particular allidufty, imposes up
in him certain prohibitory injunctions.
The constitution enjoins a periodical ex
libition of public funds, by which it is pre
umed,accounts,fuch as can be understood
liade up of items and figures are meant ;
ind hot volumes of metaphysical reafon
ngs.
The laws, clearly as to taxes, inhibitint
lim from its custody, have provided a trea
urer to receive the money, and several of
ices of check, through which all account
null pass.
As to loans, the President is the chect
>rovided by law. The enormous sum o:
4,000,000 of dollars, may by law be bor
owed and applied, but not by the Secre
ary. It is no censure upon others to ob
erve, that the Prelident was perhaps th(
>nly individual, in whose hands the legif
ature could, with indubitable propriety
lave depolited a trust so important.—Maj
t not be demanded.
Whether the President fan£tified the bor
owing and drawing money hither frorr
Holland, from December 1790 to the pre
"ent year ?
Whether he fanftified the keeping ft
rreat a sum of public money out of publi<
iriew ?
And whether he fanctified the keeping
Congress itfelf in the dark upon the l'ub
ieft, for several felfions ?
These questions may be boldly anfweret
in the negative. The President's nice ho
nor would never fuft'er him to sap a demo
cratical government, which he has engager
to support, by countenancing dark monar
chical manoeuvrings of public money. Ani:
liisintegrity is above commendation.
Several fedions of Congress have elajffec
luce the bill-drawing bnlinefs was adopt
ed, and yet the secret was preserved will
unexampled fidelity, by the Secretary, the
Treasurer, and the Bank-Dire£tors, fell
for, as it whs, by at least two resolutions.
But this is denied : " 'till the last refoln
tions" [fays the Secretary] *' no call ha:
3een made, which rendered it proper tr
exhibit a general view of the public mo
lies and funds, Or to shew the amount anii
ituation of such as were unapplied."
On the 30th of December 1791, the
House of Repr,efentatives resolved, that
t fliall be the duty of the Secretary of the
Treasury, to lay before the House of Re
jrefentatives on the 4th Monday of Ofto
jer in each year, an accurate flate
nent and account of the receipti and. ex
penditures of K\A.public monies,isc.
And on the 19th of January 1792, the
"aine house ordered, " that the Secretary
:>f the Treasury be directed to lay before
:he house, such information with respect to
'he finances of the United States as wille«-
able the legijlature to judge -whether any
additional revenue will be necejfafy, in
:onfequence of the proposed increase of the
military eftablilhment."
Pause here for a moment, and scan the
veracity of the aifertion. The firft resolu
tion calls for " the receipts and expendi
tures of all public monies."''' Was it not
then " proper to exhibit a general view oj
all the public monies and funds ?"—No, fays
the Secretary—Were these monies,it is ask
ed, public or private ? If the former, they
fall within the very letter of the resolution.
The second resolution demands " Such
information with refpeit to the finances of
the United States, as will enable the lea, ill a
ture to judge, whether any additional re
venue'will be necciiary, &c."
The finances of the United. States, are
comprelfcnfive expreifions, but, fays the
Secretary* no propriety could even from
this order be inferred, why he Ihould
"/hew the amount and fltualion of such
public monies and funds as were unap
plied."
Now considering that Congrefswere re
solving in the dark,as having no knowledge
of this bill-draining bufinejs, if they die
not hit the nail on 'the very head, the Se
cretary's ingenuity might have helped then
to tljeir o'ojeft on the score of the true fpi
iit and intention of the order. If they had
luckily Humbled on unapplied funds, tc
me it would seem, that they would have
found the very thing they were looking
for.
Whenever power is given to him, the Se
cretary is not deficient in the talent of ex
panding the sense, and giving a scope to thi
intention; and if accounts of public fund
a;-e demanded, he is equally clever at whit
tling down the sense to the letter, and tha
he even sometimes obliterates.
Does this mode of administration consul
the will, or the good of the people ?—an<
if not, has not the Secretary fruftrated th(
design of the constitution, in the eftabiilh
ment of a general government ?
If toconceal from the people, and theii
representatives, The nature and extent o]
public resources—to incur a loss of inter
est, upon an enormous sum of public mo
ney by a non-user or a mis-lifer—to evade
official checks eftablilhed by law and the
:onftitution, —and to retain an uncontroll
ed power over immense funis of money,
which are, to fay the lealt, operating ali
,!>« time for the emolument of paper
men and paper institutions.—is theft
:hings produce pleasure or good to the
ieopie, then the Secretary is guided by the
Constitution in his administration ; but ii
"rom these facts, opposite conclulions mill)
: ollow, then it is evidently proved, that he
•egards the conflitution with the molt in
veterate difaftection.
FRANKLIN.
Philad. Feb. 19.
CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Monday, Feb. it.
"The bill for relieving Simeon Thayet
,vas read a third time and palled—two pe
itions from French inhabitants in tiie ter
itory N. W. of the Ohio were read and
eferred to the committee on the petiti
ons of the Gallipolis settlers—a reprefen
ation was read from the Poll Master Ge
leral of the United States, stating incon
/eniencies in transmitting the Mail thro
New-Jersey, from a state law fubjefting
tage-coaches to a tax —referred to a com
nittee on the Poft-office law—the Speak
er signed 2 bills, one for licensing veflels,
:he other for coilipenfating the President
md Vice-Prelident of the United States—
\ meflage from the Senate that they have
3affeel the bill for compensating the Pre
sident and Vice-Prelident—a debate took
ilace on reading the report of the Secre
:ary of the Treasury, containing.a plat
Cor the reduction of the public debt—The
:ommittee rose without deciding.
Tuesday, Feb. 12.
Several petitions were read and refer
red —a meiiage was received from the Se
nate, notifying their agreement to the re
port of the joint committee, refpccting the
mode of counting and sorting the vote;
for President and Vice-Prelident—The
House then went into committee of the
whole on the Secretary of the Treafury'. l
i!an for reducing the public debt—The
.onimittee rose withoutdeciding.
Wednesday, Feb. i».
Elijah Boftwick's petition was read the
:hiril time and paffeel.
Mr. SumpSer called the attention of the
House to an ast palled the last feflion, pro
viding for the settlement of claims noi
barred by the limitation heretofore etlab
lifhed : recurring to particular sections ol
that ast, he shewed that the proviiions
therein contained fubjeft the claimants to
so much expence and delay in getting their
claims adjusted and fettled as amounts to
precluding them from obtaining that jus
tice the ast appears to be designed to af
ford. Mr. Stimpter conclueled hi) re
marks by moving that a committee be ap
pointed to bring in >a bill for repealing the
fei'ond feftio* of that act, and to provide
adequate regulations in the cafe—laid on
the table.
The bill for refunding Jacob Bell cer
tain duties on pickled fifh was taken up
in committee of the whole. Being repor
ted without amendment it was ordered to
be engrossed for a thirel reading.
A message from the President that he
had signed an ait relative to claims.agamft
the United States, not barred by any ast of
limitation — a meflage was received from
the Senate, thai they concur in the bill for
repealing part of a resolution of the late
Congress refpefting the inhabitants of Poll
St. Vincennes.
A flatement was read of the votes for
President and Vice President, as foil w :
George Walhington 132, John Adams 77,
Geo. Clinton 50, Thomas Jeiferfon 4,
Aaron Burr 1. —Other matters, of a confi
dential nature, being communicated, the
galleries were cleared.
Thursday, Feb. 14.
Mr. Wadfivorth's report on the petiti
ons of the French inhabitants of Gallipolis,
was read and laid on the table—several
other petitions of a private nature were
read and referred—Some confidential com
munications being then announced, the
galleries were (hut—A meflage was receiv
ed from the Senate, informing that the
President had approved and ligned the
" ast refpetting fugitives from justice, and
abfeondingfervants"—alfo, a bill from the
Senate, for concurrence, for providing
more effectually rot the collection of du
ties on merchandize, &c. imported into
the United States, and on the tonnage of
yeflele.
Friday, Feb. r 5.
A supplementary bill to the Collection
Law, received from the Senate, was twice
ead, and referred to a feleft committee—
he bill for refunding to Jacob Bell cer
:ain duties 011 pickled fifh, was read the
hird time and pafi'ed—a bill for placing
)n the pension lift O.ich militia officers and
oldiers as fiiall be disabled in the public
ervice, was read twice, and referred to
1 committee of the whole house—a re
jort was read on the petition of the prin
ers and booksellers for taking off the du
y on imported printing paper—-The re
tort is against repealing the duty, but ill
avour of taking off all duties 011 import
ed rags—referred to a feleft committee—•
1 motion was laid on the table by Mr.
3oodhue for extending the term for re
viving fubferiptions to the loan of the
JnitedStates tothe day of A re
>ort was read and laid on the table, from
lie Secretary of War, favourable to the
petitions of I. Hafkell and A. Watson—
The reading of communications from
:he Sacretary of the Treasury was then
aken up; and being finifhed/a motion was
made th3t these coinmnnications should be
■eferred to a feleft committee, with in
trusion to report on such parts as may
>e proper to be publiihed—another moti
on was made, that those flionld be printed
without any such reference as are not
?xpref>ly communicated r.s confidential.
Some debate taking place on this motion,
the galleries were cleared—the house be
ag again opened, a rneffage was received
from the Senate that they have passed the
•ill for promoting the progress of ufeful
irts, with amendments—alio, the bill for
:he relief of H. E. Lutterloh, which they
luive resolved, do pass—The amendments
from the Senate tothe ast of establishing
iudicial courts, &c. were referred to a
committee of the whole on next Monday;
Mr. Giles, of the committee appointed to
enquire into the canfesof the failure of
Gen. St. Clair's expedition, brought in a
report supplementary to that made at the
laftfeffion—read, and 100 copies order
ed to be printed : the consideration of
which was pollponedto next Wednesday ;
the committee of reference for consider
ing certain communications from the Se
cretary of theTreafury, relative to public
iccuunts, reported a llatement, as, in their
ipinion, proper for publication—agreed
:;> by the Houfe —the amendments of the
Senate to the bill for promoting the pro
gress of the ufeful arts, were also agreed
:o—a motion was laid on the table, for
:!ie appointment of a committee to bring
11 a bill for fixing the time of the nextan
lual meeting of Congress.
Mr. Giles laid a motion 011 the table to
:he following effect—Th.it the commif
ioners for purchasing the public debt be
lirefted to lay before this House a ftate
n?nt of their proceedings from th®- com
mencement of that inf'titiion to the pre
enttime.—fpecifying the sums carried to
:l:e credit of that account, and the four
:es from whence they hive Been drawn—
ind the amount of monies now on hand
-pplicable to the purthafe of the public
debt.
Saturday, Feb.
After the reading a petition from Oliver
Bowen, praying iVttlement of accounts for
ervices rendered, the house proceeded (iiiv.
committee of the whole) to consider the
1 >il 1 for regulating fees in the treasury de
partment for the transfer of public fecuri
lies—Afterfome time the bill was report
ed with one aroerdnjer.t, which was read
and' laid over for consideration—Mr.
N'adTon, from the committee on the di
.l ribution of the papers received from the
Secretary of the Treasury, made a report
of mere papers in those parcels which
might be puJjiiflied, without inconveni
ence—laid on the table—a report was also
made from the committee on thepoft olfics
Uw—not read, but 1 jiU on Uie table.