Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-02-12

through the Senate. Every proposition to
postpone or to commit. for the purpose of
giving time and opportunity for enquiry,
was borne down by well disciplined and
unvarying majority. No enquiry was insti-
tuted-no investigation crmittcd.-The
considerations which, in the Judgment Of
the Coalition members Of the Senate. call
ed for this largess to Messrs. Gales &. Sea-
ton were SO predomina,ing and imperative
as to supcrcede the usual steps of enquiry
Those forms which in ordinary occa-
s'ons are deemed essential to guard the
approaches to the public treasury were
broken down or dispensed with, and in
one setting, this measure was discussed
and finally adopted by precisely the same
majority. which, in every stage Of the dis
cussion rejected every proposal for post.
ponement or commitment.
But what we consider as particularly
Objectionable in this proceeding. is tina,
the Senate should, without consulting anv
other branch Of the Legislature, undertake.
to appropriate sum SO far exceeding the
contingent fund Ct that Body. The annual
amount OF this fund is $50, Oeo.-IIe,e
they apply sum more than three times.
indeed, nearly four times its amount
IN subscription to Gales g. Seatop.
Tor upwards of 10000 volumes of pub.
lie documents. Ifthey can do this, where
is the limit to their power Of appropria-
ton Ii simple vote of the Senate can
charge, as in this case slos,2o2 to their
contingent fund, while at the same time.
that fund contains not ono cent applicable
to its discharge, what IS to hinder their
applying millions in the same way. thus
evading all the forms of Legislation, and
breaking down all the guards and delences
which the Constitution and laws have G.
rected. with so much so!;citude, around
the public treasury. For ourselves, we
know not whether the annals OF our legis-
latlve history contain, in any period Of
them. more reprehensible proceeding
one to which in its character and example
the people should be more alive; and to
which it is more imperiously requi, ed of
them to apply every corrective which is in
their competency 10 apply. The uncon-
trolled power wherever it may reside or by
whomsoever usurped, of drawing money
from the public purse is fatal to the public
liberty.-In this case the power is no:
without controul. and we do hope the
check will be effec,uaIly appied.-The
consent of the house Of Representatives is
necessary to complete the appropriation,
and we trust that consent will be with
held.
In what we have said, it is not our in.
tentIon to express any opinion of the VAL
ue of The publication or the proprie,y OF
making it. Unnecessary to preserve the pub.
tic records Of the County, the authentic
materials of its future history, it should,
PROFESSIONALLY be made and if necessary
to save the individual who may undertake
it from loss, the prudent aid of the public
treasury should not be withheld. But agains,
the present lavish expenditure so evident.
y intended for partizan reward, we do
with all our might, protest.
A friend, who was member of the
Virginia Legislature in the session of
lsl5-l6, and who was in correspondence
with MIR. Jefferson on the subject of the
batch of Banks at that time proposed to
be established, has thought that it might
be of interest at this time, to give to the
public, the following remarks, by that
distinguished statesman, on that project.
Monticello, Jan. 81, 'I6.
DEAR SIR:-
n n
With respect TO the Bank mania, ! FORE
saw it in 1871, and then opposed the es-
Enlistment Of the Bank of u. S. which
| knew was only an incubation. have
marked the progress of the disease, and
seen that it was incurable, and to end in
death. There will be a vast crush of
private fortunes as on the death of the old
continental paper, as Of the Assignats of
France, the Mississippi paper Of Law,
the South Sea paper Of England, sc.
The most pitiable of its victims now, as
before, will be the helpless widow and
orphan. Prudent men will mitigate its
effects by caution. They will protect
themselves as they do their fences when
the woods are fire, by freing against