Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-01-18

irSlsa'inn or whatever inference NAV be
derived from il this house he hoped would
do lis duty, whenever lii occasion Was
presented Tor reform III any branch Of tie
government.
The honorable gentleman farther in
s,sfs OH tie unresiraned appropriation
oi tins fund, said Mr.. S. because (ifi un-
derstand him rightly the expenditure
having been already incurred, without The
authority OF "A law, the public faith" is
pledged TO supply the deficiency for which
this bill provides. Sir, said Mr.. ). the
ideas which The gentleman has formed of
what he has been pleased to term the
q" piedge OF the public faith" differ very
widely from NINE 1t is true that il
has become fashionable TO disburse the
public moneys without appropriation,
and then ciaim lis sanction by The pas.
sage OF law uf indemnity to cover The
excess OF expenditure: but the public
faith, III The only true and appropriate
sense OF The term, Is pledged in none Of
these cases. We have so often been told
OF tins sort OF pledge of the public faith,
that J am tired OF hearing this perversion
oi terms reiterated III our ears. The
funds of this nation can, in no sense
Whatever, be pledged b, any pow er of the
gov rnmeni, except with the previous
concurrence OF this house. All expendi-
lures without our consent are ulIauiho
rized. Not even the Executive, much less
the h. ads of Departments, are vested
with authority to PREJUDICE The applca
cation o! The public money. Ii is lime, l.
fear, thai we should travel back To the
| constitution. The House of Represem.
talives are The Immediate guardians of
the Treasury, and we have lately had 100
many OF these dangerous appeals 10 This
house To sanction anticipated objects of
expenditure. Our power will soon be
frliiered away, and our constitutional dis
erection become merely ideal and visIona.
~, If we llslen tamelS 10 ibis sort of doe
irlne. We are not sent here TO record The
edlcis of the other branches of The gov
ernmeni, but 10 express the public will.
TIE Disposition OF the public moheys is
lodged exclusively in our hands, and TO
Us has The NATHAN coRhded the trust OF
protecting lis revenues aud resources "a
gdinst the designs or the abuses of power.
We only can lawfully direct their appli.
ca'i0h; and the safety OF the nation de.
pends OIL our faithful and vigilant dis
charge OF thai duly. Representing, as |
believe do, AN intelligent ami indepen-
dent community, cannot submit patient.
ly 10 yield 10 other hands The protection
of their Interests. II is well worth our
notice, that We are moi only providing by
this bill Tor expenditures made without
appropriation, bul that we have passed,
III the same committee of the whole,
bill appropTIaiing S 300 900 tor advances
also towards The supply of the army Tor
the next year. During this discussions, ii
recommendation has also passed To tile
committee OF Ways and means, through
this house, from the Treasury Depart
meui, for an appropriation of S 100000
Tor paying the deficiency in contracts for
making the Cumberland road. Al The
last session, we not only appropriated,
for " claims due and becoming due UNI
der existing contracts, the sum of
8 $50 600. but To put all end 10 The drain
from the Treasury produced by that oh
Ject OF expenditure. we also appropriated
5 2S5,00O for " completing the said road
conirs- that, for one, never expected
OF hoped 10 be agail' asked for further
appropriations for that purpose--but It's
even so-thc contracts were made, even
previous 10 the last session, and we shall
probably again he told that the public
iallb is pledged 10 meet the expenditure
Nor Will This Instance probably be the
last, during the session, III which the APP
preparations have fallen short Of The ex-
peDdiure. II Is lime that we seriously
reflected on The danger of these precr-
dents. Continue 10 sanction them, aud
al the same time leave unrestricted the
power OF transfer, and this house NAV as
well al once dlsarm itself, and place the
disposal OF The Treasury III other hands
than those 10 which the constitution has
cOHiided il.
Under all the circumstances under
WHICH the expenditure provided for by
| Ibis bill was made, | shall vote for lis
passage. ] wish, how ever, in my remarks,
thai my meaning should not he misun-
| deTsiOOd. No feelings of hostility To The
| present administration of The government
! have prompted me To notice the subjects
! WHICH have been introduced to the House
on ihe passage Of this measure. In all
| the measures OF that administration
which teud 10 promote our national pros
| perliy and TO secure and perpeIuate Oui
| republican institutions, they shall receive
| from NE, humble as NV station is, oI
| feeble us my Influence may be, cordial
and generous support and do not he
| state 10 say, that, however various our
former views of public policy may have
| been, whoever looks around him at this
! time, and considers the sum of happiness
which this country enjoys, compared
with that Of all other nations, and is moi
cODIeuted, is unfit TO enjoy the blessing,
OF freedom under any government what
ever. But, sir, il is neither the part O
! friendship or wisdom, 10 seek TO screen
their eTTers or cOnniVe at their faults
| 10 render our gov rument respectable
| abroad, and inspire universal confidence
al home, II Is our part 10 project IFS ad
minslralion from abuse, aud preserve IT,
purity uUsuIhed. AT least, whether cen
sure is implied or not, they have no rea.