Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-12-07


ciares, permiued The Bank 10 Withdraw
from this obligation, and agreed to allow
certain ate banks $4,000 annually,
IA fact which is mol disputed for per-
forming the very same service, he vo-
unfairly increased the annual expendi-
ture OF the Treasury by that amount
relinqulshed "6y agreement" right
which by the charter of the Bank OF the
United States, and its own engagement
with him, he held in the fiscal services
OF that institution, and then gave to the
state banks S54 900 annually, fol- right
TO command The same fiscal services
from them.
| This new agreement, alphabetically
extended and careiesSiy erecutea, |
have ventured to denominate, in what
the COMMITTEE consider my first charge,
miSmanaging Me Public funds :" nor
am now able TO devise more appro-
PIRATE expression. The Committee
would, probably, have come to the same
conclusion, in regard to this subject, but
Tor what | suppose to be the fallacy,
which, as already minated, they admit
ted into their reasoning, of restraining
the import OF the word casa to the sy-
nonime oil coin; and of considering the
public funds as consisting of other than
such as were cash, or equivalent 10 coin,
and such as we're not mode OF CLASH
ficalion which implies, obviously, thai
the parts were greater than the whole
Under their favorable, but, as con.
ceive, erroneous view of this part OF the
Secretary's conduct, which, in a private
individual, would be considered highly
indlscreet,. the Committee Justify it as
coniormabie "to Usage for many years."
and to the "practice OF different officers
al the head ofthe Treasury. of assuming
that II was their duy" TO manage the
public funds in manner similar 10 the
case here Investigated. But this refer
| cnce TO antecedent usage is not likely 10
strengthen the position it was intended
to support. The duty OF Mr.. Crawford,
and the usage OF the Treasury, were ne
lcessariiy repugnant; for the resolution
OF 1916, and the law Incorporating the
Bank OF the United States, were adopted
;}r the express purpose Of correcting
the evil OF usage, which, according to
the admission of the Committee, "was
evidently in dsreg gard of law" There
fore, when they prove, as they do prove,
that the management of Mr.. Crawford
was ID conformity to usage, and the prac-
tlce OF his predecessors, they prove it
was - evidently III disregard Of law )"
was contrary TO the resolution of 1916,
which they themselves declare made
ii the duty of the Secretary TO correct
| this departure from law - and thus de-
monsrate, not only that be miSmanaged
me hn6Hc funds, but, that he violated,
at the Same tIme, both his duty and the
! law.
ltthese permanent deposites, and the
accumulated sums which were patiently
permit ed 20 remain 10 some OF those
banks are not 10 be considered gra'uitous
loans, and an illegal employment of the
public money, the loans which it is now
in proof before the Committee, the Sc.
cretary has made to various banks at
this district, cannot fail 10 satisfy the
Committee that the charge OF mismana-
| cling tie uati7nak funds has been clear
| ly established.
The corruption of the British Paria-
ment, ard the illegal conduct Of the Bri-
fish Ministry, are subjects of frequent
and just reprobaiion, as the purity Of our
Legisisture, and the exact snbservlcnce
of every branch of our Executive 10 the
laws of the land, are deemed causes of
satisfaction, and sources of pride. When
Mr.. Pitt, whose influence in Parliament
was as transcendent as his fame, under
took, al period of grea, commercial
pressure, and at a calamitous season of
war, to make loan of 40 900 sterling,
to the house of Boyd and Benfeld, the
subject was brought before Parliament,
and, as the loan, though not gratuitous,
was found to be "no legal employment
of public funds" and, although the OPP
position admitted there was no ground
10 impute improper motives TO the Pre-
mier, it was dec Jared by the House of
Commons, an act OF dangerous usurha-
ton, and to prevent its being assumed
as precedent, or extended into usage,
as we'll as to acquit this powerful and &C.
iebraied Minister of moral or Official IL
ability, on account OF it, bill Of indem-
nifty was introduced by one OF his friends,
and passed into a law.
Here ii is to be observed, that the loan
Of MIR. Sitt was advanced (even as MIR.
Whi,bread coniessed) on unqaesnonable
securities. Those OF Mr.. Crawford do
do moi annear La have heen "a n lelu t,ra