Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-07-15

coh.ans, constituting p..aeipl o.jeu, IA tllc pro
per arrangement of Treasury. have been sup.
posed 10 be wei adapted To their purpose, OF Sc
curing the faithful application OF ;hc public mo.
neys, aud preventing them iion being improperly
dawn out. In this respect. it is believed that no
Geect has hitherto been discovered.
Tho smpliica,ion OF this system, or the ,akin,
away OF OF the established forms, intended "a.
CHECKS, ii l. supposed, would render it easy TO
get money out OF the Treasury. Butts there no
danger that excess in that direction, may render
too easy aud thus defeat the src.roect OF guard
ing The Treasury irom improper ,lraughts? This
u a question oil vast Importance, aud involves con-
Slueratons oil much more serious character than
those which teons TO the question Ut contingent
expenses oil the departments. 1t is not alleged,
and the minority of the Committee 10 not believe
thai those who arc entitled to receive money from,
Tie Treasury, experience delay or Inconvenience
Facilities to those who not entitled precisely
what ought 20 be avoided. They would expose
Tie treasury TO be p!nndured. aud the money pla-
ced "ierc Tor the public service, 10 DC applied 10
improper uses.
Is more than the minority oil tAe Committee would
take upon ;hem 10 assert. but ii i'll the xpeiienc-
OF forty years, it has been found TO be free iron de
iec'' anu July 10 answer its purpose and CONT
ioes 10 thc present moinent, They have no hesita-
hon III saying chat they TO not Anow how there can
be 6e!te': and In this they are supported by the
authority OF al! the distinguished citizens who have
been at lis head. including the very eminent nan,
who devised the system.
Iosive up what is certain, for what, is uncer-
tam; To propose reform where defect exists: 10
administer medicine 10 tie well: is contrary TO
every dictate OF prudence. wise man has said
=" 1t Is good also nct TO Try experiments in States
except ihe necessity ne urgent, or the utility evil
ueh'; and well 10 beware that Il be the reformation
that draweth Oh the change, and not th. desire of
Change tiat preteudetl the rciormation''
AT all events il must be admitted, that-belore
On existing system Is changed, the system TO be
substituted ought 10 be clearly s'ated,,u order thai
we may have the benefit Of estimating al least lis
probable operation, before allow IL to ,ipersede
one which has borne the test OF experienced And
even then, we should ponder and hesitate, before
we allow an untricd theory TO supplantswbat has
been proved 10 be good. There Is iu,Ic,, WEIGHT in
tie home'y maxim, g let well enough alone"
IL has been suggested, also, that the orgQniza-
''0'' OF tae accounting department OF the rleas,-
~ nishi be reduced, and some OF The officers dis
penSed with.
the 20 oil Match, 1917. Referring to that act. ior
the details, the minority Of the Committee will on
~ observe, that il abolished three officers es
tablishcd five
The act OF the I'd March, 1917, was passed up
on great deberation. and with the benefit OF the
DestAghts that could be obtained By a resolution
OF Tie Senate, of the 10th April 1915 the sccret.-
fieS were rcquI ed jointly TO report plan 10 en-
sure me annual settlement OF ,hc public accounts
anu more certain accountability of ;b,. nnblir
!
NO ON December, 1916, re ,ort wa, .irned
W James Monroe. William H. Crawford, Gcorse
ufaha', (Acting Secretary OF WARY and h. ".
S'o"i!lhSiiieid his report, the result of much
'AfesuS"u0h, by men oil high standing and great
experience, thoroughly acquainted with the work
'nS OIL lie system, recommended among 9th. +
.,i'ii9s' 'he organization existing, and stated
'ei reasons at large. for which rete to the re-
~ =, among tle documents Of Congress. The act
o' March, 1917, adopted the plan recommended
established the Offices, and assigned TO them their
respective duties, subject certain alterations,
permitted to be made by the Executive
ne minority ofthc Committee perceive NOTHING
the history oil this plan, TO induce belief thai
II was temporary, or intended only for a particular
occasion On the contrary, it was evidently IN AMI
10 NC permanent arrangement, prov ided-the
only sense IA which any such plan can be intend.
ed 10 be pesnaieHt-it should bc found to answer
its purpose.
Ii may he affirmed, therefore, in the FIRST nlsce.
that it has grcst authority in its favor from he ella,
'aetef anu knowledge o. those who dc ysed and
oi those who adopted ii. as well as from the deli
beralon with which il was introduced
In the next place il may BE- observed that its
Objects were OF the highest IMPORTANCE 60 en-.
sure The annual settlement of the public account,
anu more certain accountability OK the public
expenditures, in which the former pla,! is suppo,-
cd TO have been deficient.
And in the last place, it may be Observed that II
has not disappointed the expectaton th.t If yoonIt
counts, and more certain account ability of the
public expenditure"
lis having been attend =. with some small in .
crease oil expense, Of the fact be so) would be no
argument against IL would possible small
saving be an argument CT any weight IN favor of
clahSe' IL Is net Question OF eXpense, but o! el
uc!nhcY. ihe whole eXpen,e niig!lt be saved b,y
aoo'ishing the accounting department: but shat
would be the consequences: That no account,
would be settled. Those who proposed, and those
who adopted the plan, forcsaw that it ,YonId per-
maps occasion some small increase OF expen5.; but
"hd was mat IN comparison with 1ae prompt set
mement oil accounts, and certain accountability?
The whole expenditure from the Treasury. 10 the
amount OF millions, i authorized ami checked bv
this Department. There, every Individual must
exhibit his az counts and vouchers. lie cannot re-
cejYe payment or acquit,auce, until his account !.
settled. IheTc, too, the Treasury finds its pro
lection against unjust claims. The citizen o,,rht
not TO be delayed in receiving what i, due ta hin,
tho Treasury ought not TO be burihsned with
payments he IS not entitled TO. Upon t.is princi-
PIE tAe organization rests and ii il DO elfeciual
great caution Cu@lt 10 be used IA peru,ittiur
change THE loss to ti.c citizen, Or to the pubic
consequent U9on error, would greatly out
weigh any small saving Of expense, even if that
be practicable.
IL it be within the range Of their d,,,, Tho mi.
n0rty OF the committee would state that ;hcv fid.
" concur IN the suggestion &c the repor, oil 1916
iha there ought to TIC law officer connected with
thG treasury, 10 sGpcfintend the suits brought bv
the United States. 1t is believed that there arr.
at tines some millions OF dollars In controversy
UP TO the time Of suit brought, tie concern i, lis
Cal; hence-iorWarc, II is legal AMI REQUIRES t,c
superintendent OF mind accustomed TO, and en-
pioyed IN legal pursuits Whether this duty ni,ht
be dsvoived upon the Attorney General, with an
increase ct salary, and restriction OF practice i.
question upon which they would not undertake
10 SPEAK 100 positively. IL dcpends upon couside-