Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-01-12

heat-Or To- the senior 60 ordinate branch of
the government: To the representative branch
the purse strings OF the nation had been coil-
hded. lt was safe deposite of an important
power. Immediate responsibility tn the peo-
pie would be a safeguard against its abuse and
no consideration could Justify a transfer of
that power from the hands in which the con-
stitution had placed it. The moment that
power was surrendered, their authority must
dwintlc, and the last hope of the people mnst
expire with those who had BETRAYED their
cause. MIR. Nj. thought it was due, therefore,
not only 10 she interests but To- the character
ni the House of Representatives, that they
should act upon their own responsibility, and
be governed by their own Judgment. He then
referred TO the letters from the Secretary of
War, rs laid on the table, to shcw that no APP
preparation other than to- limited extent, and
To cover the disbursements of short period,
ought upon any principle of policy or consttt-
tionai right To he granted. The agents were
bound to make their returns quarterly TO the
Secretary of War. 1t was therefore difficult
TO comprehend that the expectation of being
informed upon the subject was either unjust or
improper. We have been told that a deficit
oil 10000 dollars has been incurred-but the
quo mode is behind the curtain. Nine months
mad passed since the last general appropriation
Dill, anu not single quarterly return had beea
disclosed To this house 10000 dollars only
were required as a definite sum To meet the le-
gal payments under the existing laws 100, 900
dollars had been appi opriated the last wear to
the Indian Drpartment-4O,O 900 dollars, there
fore, must have been appropriated for the Incl
dental expenses and yet we are told 100
dollars have been expended, that is, $4,000
dollars according Ia law, and 10000 dollars
according Ia discretun--T0,0 900 dollars of ii
without law, and the whole Of it without ex-
PLANTATION or account In this, as in every 9TH
er case, 1t was the peculiar province of the
liouseof Representatives 10 decide on the pro-
prlcty of the disbursement Never should a
rule he adopted by which the discretion of a
Secretary should become Il law 10 Congress.
III II IS To he borne that we assume arrearages
without inquiry or without knowledge, who
siiaii assign limit To the draft upon the nation
al c%cheq"er' Hour agents are allowed TO
probe and empty the public purse with as
much familiarity as their own, to whom shall
the people resort 10 guard them from the ex-
traSagance of their agents. As ii is the right.
50 also II is'the duty, of this house tu inter
pose; and, unless all control Of the public ex-
penditure is surrendered, and unless the rcHre-
sehta'ves of the people forget their legitimate
powers and functions, | trust this grant will
De limited to the extent proposed by the mo-
ton.
Mr.. NcDCFFIE next took the floor, and
spoke for nearly half an hour TO the question
before the House. 1t was to he desired. he
admitted, that every member should be ac-
qnanted with the facts necessary to enable
nm to decide correctly on any question pre-
sented Ia him; but it was equally desirable,
before gentlemen require further information,
mat they should pay some attention to the
information which they already have, and
that, before they deal in lavish censure. they
should understand something of the subject to
winch they apply it. He was himself of OPT
mon, that the information now before the
house was such as ought to be satisfactory,
ana that the various views which Lad been
taken IN debate related to almost every thing
else than the proposition actually under conside-
ration. Atter stating the question before the
house, Mr.. McDuifie went ON to- say, that the
house could not, by the vote it was about to
give, comprOmit Itself TO IA continuance of the
existing system of Indian trade, nor would it
eompromlt the dignity of the house The
proposition appeared TO him to be proceed
lnS oil course, and not depending, for It's adop-
ton, on the general principles Of the Indian
system. with regard to the information on
tins subject which gentlemen seemed to re-
quIre, the Secretary of War had given to the
house already all that was in his possession,
an stating the objects of expenditure, &c.
When gentlemen called for specific account
of the expenditures of the Indian Department
Tor the last year, they might, if they had at
tcnded tn the letter Of the Secretary of War,
now before the House, or if they had taken
any pains to understand the system ofthe In
dian department., have seen that they asked
what Is lmpracticabc. From the very nature
OF the expenditures of that Department, the
money being GdUanced quarter after quarter, it
frequently happened, and was so stated in the
Secretary's letter, that the expenses of the
whole year are incurred before a single ac-
count is received at the War Office. ANY par
tlal accounts would exhibit dellisive view
oithe expenditures of the past year, and could
he OF no use to gentlemen from one section
of the country there might be two quarters
accounts: from remote section single quar-
tcTs only, and from another no accounts at
all, and thus nothing like ii general view could
be given Ofthe whole expenditure, &c. MIR.
McDulic passed on from this topic, TO that of
the confidence which it was becoming the dig
NIFTY of the house 10 bestow on the various
members of the Executive Departments, or
on other members Of the general government.
IL was new thing to him, he said, and per-
iectly strange, that Il reasonable confidence
IN cOrrelatIye branch of the government, e.
qualiy entitled to respect with this house
should be regarded as criminal, or even blame
able. 1t was an old maxim TO trust eUery man
IN his oicn art, as we every day trust even our
lives TO those who are in the humblest con-
dltions of life The gentleman last up had de-
mandcd if this house was to be informed by
the Secretary of War what are the necessary
expenses of the War Department. If they
were not, Mr.. Med. asked, upon what infor-
nation were they to act? Are we, said he,
TO shrug up our shoulders, stand still in the
proioundness Of our own ignorance, and refuse
to receive information from the Executive Of
hccrs of the government? We had better re-
cPIycit from auV quarter han nnf have IL at all