The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1828-02-25

| not iittle on the character with which we eul-
bark IN H. The estimate which other nations
form al onr character. Is affected by the mnnnff
IA witch We are represented ahload The sub.
lcct OF our iotrien intercourse l. not, therefore,
10 he too lightly dealt with Il . nnr for which
the Constitution aud laws of the country hsnc
made peculiar provision "a provision, rs con.
c'He, overlooked OF msstaled by the terms Of
the resolution
By the Constitution OF the United States, il is
provided that the President " shall nominate
and, by and with the advice aud consent of the
0rnnie. shall appon., Ambassadors, other Pub
lac Ministers aud Consnls.' Over the exercise
Of this power, no control j. given. lay the Cons,-
htInn, 10 tougrcas nor have they ever under
taken To exercise any other than thai of limit
ing the compensation 10 hr allowed 10 such OH
Gers Tor Then services aud the expenses tncur.
lcd u, them IN the discharge OF their duties.
flow, THIN, was this provision ui the Consiltu-
uon reduced To practice IN the original ulgRnsn.
hnh ct The Government : In hs speech at thr
opening Of the SECOND session Of the FIRST Con.
grcss, President Washington brought the sub
lect before the two Houses in the following
torInS
The interest ofihe United States requires
that ON intercourse with other nations should
he facilitated by such provisions as will enable
ne 60 fulfil my duty III that respect III the man.
ncr which circumstances may rcudcr most con-
dncive 10 the public good and TO Ills cnd that
the comprnsations To he made Ia the persons whV
may he employed should according 10 the nature
al their appointments, be defined nv law aud
competent fund designated, for delraying ihe
EXPENSES incident 20 the conduct OF our torclgn
Alihirs
With the subject thus presented to them what
did Congress do Did they pass law creating
such aud such missions No, sir Did they hps
propIiair sums OF money for such aud such sala
res aud expenditures No The law passed Is
h,,ci. and, bearing strongly on this aud Other
matters u interest, beg leave 10 cite IT, II bears
date Isl July. 1870:
" Bfn cHarieL sc. That The President Of The
United states shah hr, aud he is, authorized 10
draw from TIC Treasury Of the United States.
sum not exceeding forty thousand dollars nnnu.
Fav, To hc paid ont Of lie moneys arising from
the duiirs On imports aud Tonnage ior the sup
port of such persons MS h. shan commission 10
serve thr United States IL iotrIgn parts, aud tor
the expense incident ia the business ~ -hich
they mny bc employed Proridfd That. eScn-
evc OF nm outfit, which shall IN 10 case, exceed
the nmont ofonr years hll SALARY 10 the Minis
len Plenipolcntinly or Chnrgc DIES Anii,es, to
whom thr same may b. allowed the President
shall not allow 10 any Monster plenipotcntaiy -
greater sum HAN ~ the rate of nlnc Thousand
dollars per nnnum, rs compensation Ton all
his personal services, and Other expenses uot a
greater sum for the same than four thousand
hva hundred dollars Ter huuum Ia II Change dcs
Nfnir,si Go, grratc' sum Ion the same ihau
| one thousand three hundred and fifty dollars pr
nnnnum To the Secretary al any Minister Plcn-
ipotcnuaiy and pr0rifrd di,o, That the Pres
idcnt sba account, cclGcally, for all such *.
rcnditurcs ofthe said money. ns IN his judy
4 A.. u u Al
mount Of such expenditures NJ he may think II
advisable u I 10 specify. and CAUSE regular
statement aud account tbcrcofi TO be laid before
Congress, annually, and also lodged IN the pro.
per Office ofthc Treasury Department
" See 2. And b. n fttriher cuarird. That this
act shall continue aud lac IN iorcc lor the spnce
OF two years, aud from thence, until the end OF
tn. bctt SESSION ol Congress thereafter, aud no
lorgos"
ln.rr ia one phrase IN the law to which IN
v,it the particular attention oithc House, e di
| he hdH commission n phrase throwing iight on
questions not long since much agldtrd here 81
| elsewhere
The nen law on the subject WAS passed gfh
| February, 1913 II continued The act Of Jul,
| 100 fui ano her year, and hence. 10 the end o
thc next session OF Cong c,s thereafter, and u
mcnded II 10 the iolo"mg effect:
Sec :. aud he II tniher clatind That IL al
cases where any sum o. suns Ot money have -
sued. OF shall hereafter issue, from the Treasury
forthe purposes otinteTCuursr 81 treaty withfoI
clgn nations, IN pursuance 81 any law, the Pies
idCni shail be. anu be hereby -, authorized h.
cause tie same 10 Lr duly settled. annually, viii
the accounting officers Of the Treasury ~ man
ncr follow lng, thai Is 10 sa, by cuusinp III,
same 10 be accounted lor, specifically, ~ all IN
stunocs wherein the expenditure thereof mny, II
his Judgment he made pubic, ind by making d
certificate Of certificates. or causing the oecIt
tnry II State TO makr accrGcaie ~ cc,tifi ates
Of the amount Of such expenditure, rs he ma,
thlu,, II advisable not 10 SPECIFY md every s0ci
certificate shall be dcemcd sufficient voaohr
! '.r H. sun az ,ums therein expressed 10 hay,
expended"
/ lis - TIE hIst full enactment Of the mode o
settlement by cclh6caic,o r without sprc9eatlo,
although the elements OF the pIO,n Ion exist II
tho law Of 100
BY fhe law Of March 90. 1874. the large SUI
Of one million OF dolIus was Appropriated II
addition to the annual iorIy thousand dolIars, Il
dcltay any expenses "iucu Iuielt be- incurred
~ relation To thc intercourse hctm rru tbr Int,
States aud Foreign nations Ia b. applied. TN
der tie direction Of the President, who, u nsccs
sary. WIS authorized 10 borrow lhc money M,
an account oithe expenditure. is suon rs mieh
ne, v - 70 ~ l'lib - ltlt AyiliEita i|H ~ d
appropriation vas Designed 10 nret the expens
oia treaty with Alpiers
Several similar aels we're passed, nj snbse
qucni Sessions OF ongre,s, TIL, on the loih o
May, ispO. LAYS passed. giving 10 the lcgisla
ton on tins subject somewhat modified form
This law Is cuulled " An Act 10 ascertain III
compensation of Public Ministers II con
tiins 10 appropriation. tire enactb the forine
limitation upon the compensation of Minister
Plrnipatenlia,y, Charse dies Afages, ard th
occrrtafies OF Ministers the second section di
rccts. that, where any SUN Of money shall b'
drawn from the Treasury, uHdtr ung i0i0, ma
king appropriation for the contingent expense
Of intercourse bcfwrru the United States anC
foreign nations, the President snail cause the nc
counts IL he settled by certificate, - presciihe
by the act of9th February, 1893 committing lh'
substitution OF the Secretary Of STATE, tor th'
President This wear Tor the frs time, The ap
-. T.