Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-01-15

each aud every wear, Severaiiy report 10
Congress u distiRct account OF the expru-
dllurc aud application OF all such sums
ol money as may, prior 10 the 3Oih Sept.
preceding, have been by them respectively
drGWH from the treasury IN virtue OF the
appropriation law Oi the preceding year:
and the sums appropriated by law Tor
each branch ot expenditure, IN the steve.
raj Departments, shall be solely applied
80 the objects Tor which they are rcspec-
lively appropriated, and to no other"
Upon this change OF the policy in
relation To specific appropriations, and
the specific application OF them 10 def
mite objects, and the alteration made by
this law as 10 the manner OF drawing the
sums appropriated from the treasury by
warrants, and charging the moneys so
drawn In the books ut the accountants OF
the departments respectively, and by
requiring the head OF each TO render and
report accounts and their ad ADMINISTRATION
ri these funds, the conclusion was inevi
iable-ii was The only one which could be
made--ihat, as by so drawing the moneys
from tie treasury, they would be removed
aud taken from the power aud oonlrOuI
OF the Secretary of tina, Department, his
authority OF carrying the unexpended
balances OF such appropriations 10 tie
surplus .fuHd Was Withdrawn in all cases
where the moneys had been so drawn from
the treasury bv warrants from the other
departments. Such moneys were not then
uneXpcnded IN the treasury. Drawn out,
they were III course OF expenditure, as
much SO as il paid over 10 any subordi
nate otflcer-the paymasier, for instance
oil either department, TO be dIsbursed
balance renamed unexpended in the
hands OF paymasier, could The secretary
carry that Ia the surplus iund How
should he know the fact, aud the amount
The secretary adopted the corr ct princi
pie OF considering the money expended
when thus drawn from the treasury; and
the practice of discussing the SAM, as
agent OF the departments, upon their
orders, was convenient an. administra
tive, according 10 the spirit and letter OF
The law. lie could not officially know
that the money, or any portion of il,
remaining IN his hands, as such agent,
was uneXpended. The law did not
aui orlze him so 10 consider II. The
expenditure could only be known in the
department TO which The money belonged.
II would be expended by engagements
made or de BITS contracted, though not
actually pal', i'll iulhlment of such Ell
gagements, or TO the satisfaction of such
debts, b"iug bound for thai object. ID is
impossible, therefore, the Secretary of
the Treasury could know when the
money WAS expended, or what remained
uneXpended, otherwise than by the war
rant III virtue of winch ii was drawn from
The treasury. With that, his response
billy and duty terminated, and his
authority and confront over the money
ended. Moreover, the officers respectively
were directed 10 report TO Congress, from
lime 10 time, the situation of those funds,
that, II their pleasure, they might trans
late ihe application 10 other objects. In
the recess, the President is very properl,
vested with that authority, by The proviso
Ia that list section of the act--now called
infamous IN the law, as having been
improperly obtained Be that as il NAV,
think II good provision, necessary to
the attainment OF the legislative intent.
aud the accomplishment of their objects.
Wisely and discreeily exercised as that
discretionary power seems 10 have been
by the execuiIve-at least the contrary is
not smSgested-l am utterly unable TO
perceive The danger which gentlemen
apprehend, thai by ii fund NAV be
h1N"hiuia'"u ioi iIIIClt OF dnOlllOaS pro-
ieets.
rapport tt be continued
MONDAY, JANUARY 10.
Numerous petitions were this morning
presented. and referred to the considera-
lion OF various committees.
VACCINE INSTITUTION.
MIR. Kent, from the select committee 10
whom the consideration of The petition on
Z h. al, L.. 4 A
a bill TO incorporate the Managers of The
National Vaccine institution; which was
twice read and committed.
M S"uthayd, from the committee on
Indian fairs, To whom was referred the
petition OF suuhry inhabitants of ST Lou
Is, III Missouri, praying to he inc0rporat.
ed to carry on The fur trade, made re
port unlavorable TO the said petition,
which was read and ordered to lie OIL The
table.
The following message was received
from The President of The q. States, bv
the hands Of MIR. J. J. Monroe:
IOhe House Of Representatives. Of lie Uni
ted iSfateS.
In compliance with a resolution Of the
House OF representatives, of the l4th OF
December, 1870, requesting me "lo cause
10 be laid before il any information MAY
possess respecting certain executions
which have been inflicted on The army OF
The United States since the year 1915
contrary 10 the laws and regulations pro
yidcd Tor by The government Of The same"
transmit a report from the Secretary Of
War, containing detailed account in re
latlon TO The object OF The said rrsolm
lion. JAMES MONROE.
WASHINGTON. Jan. T. 1890.
Accompanying the message was trans
mllcd 10 The House the report from ihe
War Department, referred TO, and sundry
documents all of which were read and
ordered 10 be printed.