Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-11-24

preparations. GO The appropriations here
tofore made for the military establishment
have been subdividcd into a number of Sc
Iparate heads making specific and distinc
appropriations FOR the pay of the army, 70
It's subsistence, for clothing, sc. and it wa
supposed that the monies thus distinctl,
appropriated were respectively applied L
the specific objects, for which they were
| appropriated. Ii however appears by Z
letter from the Secretary of the Treasury
of May 1895, that by far the greatest par
! OF the expenditures for the military depart
ment are found by experience obe unsus
ceptible of that particular distribution
which is observed in the issues of monies
appropriated TO other objects; and that
appropriations for military purposes ought
to be considered as general grant a
such sums as the public service is found to
require, to be issued according to exigen-
cies, and-appled and accounted for pursu-
ant to law" The House will recollec, that
at this time we had not that other depart
ment which has since proved yet more
unSascehnbte of any economical regula-
ton, or legal control. The Secretary of
the Treasury gees on to say 1t would
seem that, If those appropriations are
considered by the treasury department, as
general, of which grants, to be issued &C
cording to eXigencIes that or some other
executive department is to judge, and if,
therefore, the monies specifically appropri-
ated tn one head of service are applied to
another head, they are not applied and ac-
counted for pursuant, but contrary to law.
Such 4 mode is undoubtedly liable to great
abuses: it Geceives the legislature who,
when appropriating one hundred thousand
dollars for the defensive protection os The
frontiers, did not think that the treasury
would assume power to apply them to the
Quarter master or ary other department.
IL dcprives the legislature from any con-
troll, not only over the distribution of the
monies amongst the several heads of SER
vice, but even over the total sum to be ex-
pended. For the million and a half Of dol
lars, appropriated for the annual support
of SIX thousand men, the nominal establish
ment, may be spent in the same time, and
in fact has actually been expended within
| IA months for the $500 men who constitu-
ted the effective establishment. The same
abuse has, for a considerable time, pre-
vailed in England, where it has, at several
periods, been taken notice of, and did late.
iy produce motion OF impeachment a
gainst the ministers.
" On the other hand tits impossible, for
the legislature TO foresee, in ak its details
a reasonable discretion should be allowed
to the proper executive department. The
most proper way would perhaps be, not to
enter into so many details, not to make
specific appropriations FIR every distinct
head of service, but to divide the general
4 appropriation under a few general heads
only, allowing thereby a sufli -ient latitude
to the executive officers of government,
but confining them strictly, in the expendi-
tuVe under each o. those general heads, &c
the sum appropriated by law"
The two cases noticed by MIR Gallatin,
were the mingling o. Jumping of approprI.
atoms, and the expenditure Of money OF
objects authorised by law, but for which
there was no appropriation. The present
case not only embraced those two, but ano
ther, and much stronger case than any
which Mr. Gallatin had imagined tie e.C.
: Ihenditure Of money NOT oNfy 5vifhoUt an an
, , If.ToIirGGc1i, BAT ajfon objects mol hreVi
ousiy authorised by La7o.
But Mr. K. said it was asserted that the
articles were not paid for; that contracts
only had been made for them. So much tn;
worse. In point of principle there was NJ
, ICifieTence between contracting an illega
! debt, and making an Illegal disbursement
: of money. But in point of economy, there
was a great difference against the former
- IlthesC articles had been bought with cash
they would have cost less Merchants al
over the world looked to hrQft Woul
J they deliver upon contract to be paid som,
. months hence, provided Congress appro
we'd, their saltpetre, for instance, at a casl
lprice--at time too of imminent danger O
war, and when every article of mlitar
equipment must be expected to rise cnor
!, Inousy in value. He could not see in soc
4 "A procedure (granting the fact to te 50, {
y which however he doub.ed) theme TO
leulogy on the economy Of men in Office, 0
! Iany mark Of Prompti;ude TO provide 30
:, the public defence, which could be don
a lcHeciually by the legislature alone.
!, lie put IT TO the Candor OF the gentlemW
:, from Maryland to say whether, ifthe Pre-
sident had pursued different course, hal
met the public expectation and convene
Congress, he could not have found in tn
i Prospect shewn by the Executive for IN
: laws, and the constitutional rights Of tina
House, by prompt recurrence 20 the on
source OF legitimate authority, a more rea
q dy and natural defence of hia conduct tina
= that which he had laboriousIy but fruitlcss
= ly taxed his ingenuity to produce. Tn
= gentleman's argument proved too much -
! The more he magnifed the danger Of tn
6 crisis 70 justify an illegal and unconstitu
!. tional expenditure OF the public money, tn
= more clearly did he demonstrate the ne
= Icessity of convcning Congress. But, sji
when the call Of an immediate prcparatic
a. o.. e AZ