The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-12-27


lie the duty OF the 1reurer lay his accounts and all
ls other trantatfions before the General AAembly.
E'r what purpoge The: they may fee II he divert
fiiapPly any OF the public treaIure-How is this
to be determined By examination and COMPARE
i. OF his vouchers AID documents with the fa,ement
e, his accounts. But how can this now be done by
the General AGembly, iuce committee from the
"uie OF Delegates hath deroyed thofe vouchers and
documents
le hath always been the deity Of the Treafury de-
TN-tment to keep regular aud dana accounts of re-
seipts and difburfements be fubmtted 10 the i.-
ipecaion and examination of the General AiIemby.
and appears that the early praaice OF the govern
'nen commencing in l776, in relation the iubjetf
" examining; the rreafrers accounts and thereafter
ueitroying the vouchers was appoint, by aa of
the Ceserai A6smSiy. fpeeial committee for thar
Purpoie, with ntractons detroy particular fpeci-
fed vouchers, and TO give the TreaIurer certificate
thereof. This method was continued until 1850, at
tie practice examining the Tr. aiurrr's
accounts, and dettroyng his vouchers by Joint COM
mtee OF both Houies commenced, aud hath been uf-
ed eves iince until th. yearThus, before the PAT
iage OF the aorcfad a Of 1885 which repeats al O.
ther laws on the fubj-a, and fubeluent the time
when Handing committee raed by law for the
purpofe already noticed, from the year $50 to 1885,
the Houle OF Delegates, in appointing committee
examine the Ireaiurers accounts accompanied it with
An order, that meliage be fent TO the Senate to
inform them that this Houfe have appointed COM
mittee to examine the Treafur's accoupts-thae, if
they peafe appoint committee of their houie,
TOR the fame purpoe, both committees may proceed
IN the bninefs together ); and the like condua was
ohierved by the Houfe of Delegates in 1886 4 1857
and in all iucceedng time, the fame courte hath been
eiientialy obferved until this year. And although no
authority isgiven BY the al Of l7S5 to denroy the
vouchers of the Treaurer yet it hath niually been
done IN the preienee of and by, the joint committee
OF both houfes, who repreented the C.nnal 1fea5Iy
Ill the examination OF his And the chair
man OF the committee OF each houfe, puruiny, as
1t isiuPpofed the pra aiec of the old natdng COM
mittee, fgned a receipt for the vouchers deifroycd
which ssheii as the Treaiurer's publication "A
report OF this joint examination and de(lruGlion OF
vouchers was made to each Houfe, accompanied
with itatement OF the 1reafuress accounts; ard
thus report, being approved the Houfe of Delegates
reiolved, that the TreIurer's ac'rs. do pas-and
meiiage vas, by that houe fent to the seate to de-
lire their concurrence. This notice of the manner in
which the lTeaiurers accounts have heretofore been
examined is taken, not TO prove that either Houe OF
the General Aiiembly may not appoint a committee
TO examine the Treafurers accounts ~ithost at9ipp
with the other but to Thew that neither hath the
right defrny the vnnche:s r;srv the other marin
examined mud approved them. For the General AZ
iemby cannot know rhat the treaiurer hath not "d-
verified or miiapPiied any OF the public .reare when
no vouchers can be produced to one of rhe Houles
theEeo TO iuPport and jultiGy a;enent of the ac-
COUNTS which he offers lay before IL But the ata
which paied the 2stn OF January, 1892, entitled
An ACT for calling in and regtering certificates OF
ths pubic DEBT OF this Rate, PLACES iu0jec1 q
it'll itrOnger point Of view, if indeed any shg fur
Their were wanting TO thew the thaughtIeis condu4 of
the committee OF the Houie of Delega:es-1'hs act
declares that owners and holders o certificates of the
public debt FALL DEPOT, then. with the Irealurer
who Rail give receipt therefor, ipecf wing the a.
mount diitinguihng principal from interei, before
the Auditor iha lille ne certificate FOR the rrnci-
icrf, ,n,. 81.
81 deb,s due from this conirnonw a,n upon which,
in;srea is allow ed BY law Gall be receivable in df-
charge OF arrears OF public taxes due prior To the
year l79S and farther that tie Trcafurer of this
.son nios.s cath hall keep hoo, or books well
h.'nd ®ift~r of all oe-stsrs.es alphaeti< ally
ranged, for The principal aforefid and of f,eh o.
ters as from time 20 time fhail b. paid in di(charye
taxes or otherwiie redeemed, and hali ALTO e,,,t
e ami 'sesve TIE original eeytatef eeG.ed 4y;5 bin,
ey sri"e IF tsiS ae amt all ether, 7ebib may be
10 tDaf tie aue may be infected By TIE Ieeedng General
A0ea6y. This a6f gives no direction for the deiruc
ron oil the original certificates, yet the committee O.
the Houie Of Delegates hath deAroTed the original
certificates, which had been regiGered before thev
mad been nipected by the G.Ne,a! 1f:1bi, although
the law poirvely directs thar they ihaD! be care
bully filed and prelervsd' By the T-afuer, 10 thar
'he fame may be inpected by the General Aaernbly
by what coure Of reafoniug can the conduct of thst
coHlI,iittee be fulfilled Could they millaEe them
fe'vcs for the General AGembiy Was their con-
auct the effect oil negligent inattenton TO tie
sour- which had heretofore been obferved upon n,i
lar ocealions Was the refu of defigned iilref
peet TO the Senate? Will the Houfe of DELEGATES
fanGtion fuch cendud However thrfe auctions
may be anwered the connitteea are Of opinion tIat
the Treaiurer would have aeied confidently with his
GGty ii he had refuled allow i6af committee 70 def
troy his vouchers. And this COMMITTEE to WHOM, the
lreaiurer could produce vouchers to iuRify the
hatemen Oh his accounts, which he offered to exhibit
Ieiuied on their part IGN the s.a certificate with
oat which, uneis otherwife ordered by the Senate
the freaiurer's accounts cannot he aid to have re-
eeived the fanoton OF the General Afiembly
Keioved, therefore, the opinion Of this commit
e.that the CONDUCT Of the committee Of the FIouG.
OF Delegates,in dearoying the vouchers and doeu-
neats of the Treasurers Office relative TO the GATE
inent OF his accounts, dsfgned to be laid before the
General Aiiemhly cannot be fulfilled and ifallow-
vi and approved by the Houie Of Delegate vii, have
. d'FeGt tendency tn dellroy elat harmony winch
ought TO iubGit and he eherihed between The two
Louies Of tAeleglature.
Keioived. ALTO, as the opinion Of this committee
tha the ireatorer ,by the condua Of the aforefaid
Fo'hDtre at the Houie of Delegates was mi1ed into
preach OF his duty inuot withholding from the def
traction oi the committee OF the Houfe If DELEGATES,
te vouchers and documents relative 10 the accounts
o his oi!se, .ia,emeBt Of which he is bound IN Law
before the General hG-obly, before they had beeu
'hpeeted and examined by the committee of the Sc
Kate.