Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-05-10

receivers, or paid over just as he shall think
proper to direct! Though it may be that
We have no just ground to apprehond any
m;sapplicaiion of the public funds by the
President (and l for one certainly have no
such fear), vet is it fit in a Republic that "a
ny one man, no matter how exalted !n'the
public estimation, should have It IN hISp po-
wer to dispose of the public moneys at his
daertion9 Isl fit, | repeat, that such a
state of things should continue even for a
day? But, Sir, party which calls itself re.
publican, has suffered not only months, but
years to elapse under. their administration OF
pubic affairs, without providing aremcdy
iorthis evil.
But although we may have no fear of the
fidelity ofthe President, SO far rs regards
the expenditure ofthc public moneys by him,
yet the mischief ofincreased executive pat.
ronage is actually abroad. The command
ofthe repositories ofthe public money con-
fsrs upon the Executive, in effect, the con-
troll ofevery Bank in the Union; nearly five
hundred in number. tits not only the De-
posite Banks which are liable to become the
instruments of his viii and purposes in the
selection of their officers and the general
Management of their affairs; but the control
which he exercises over them, clothes hlm
Wit, the power to cmbarrass and cripple the
operation Of every other bank in the United
States, iifhe shall think proper to exercise 1t.
Does any one doubt the ability of the go.
vcrnmcnt, acting through an unofficial and
irresponsible agent, upon the various depo-
STORES ofthc public moneys, to bring sud
den destruction upon the interests and al.
fairs cf any bank whatever which may incur
the displeasurc of the party in power! If
the late Bark chartered by Pennsylvania
shall be able to encounter the hostility fthe
government, undertake to say it will be
the only one which can hope to sustain it.
:selfin such conflict. The very conscious
ness that the power exists in the Executive
Of the United States to inflict so great an In
Jury upon the interests of any institution
which shall cross the wishes ofthose IN po-
wer, whether there shall be any intention to
exercise it or not, will cause every Bank in
the country to become moro or less subser.
,sient to thcpurposes ofthc dominant party.
But is there not just such an agent as have
described now in the employment ofthe Co
vcrnment? Tie Secretary Of the Treasury
could not be safely made tise instrument OF
Executive influence and control over t6e
institutions of the country. tbs
acts and correspondence would be official,
aud might be called for, and exposed. E.
ven his verbal instruction and intimations
couldnot be disavowedby the Government,
should they by any accident be brought to
light. But not so ofthe acts oftEe agent,
generally resident in this city, and notorious.
" in the confidence Of the Executive and
the Deposite Banks. Sir, when we consi-
der that the surplus revenue, including the
balance in the Treasury, will
during the present year, average not less
than thirty.fye, and probably forty millions;
and when we bring to'mind the immense in.
fluence which tho =gratuitous use of this e.
capital gives to tho Executive, be-
sides the ordinary patronage oftbc Govern
rnenf, it is time that The country should a.
wako to sense ofthc consequences. Can
public freedom long resist the assaults OF
such tremendous inllueRce when brought
10 bear, as we have Just reason to believe
they are, directly upon the election of the
highest officers of the Government! rs
not British capital; II is snotthe money ofthe
United States Bank, whether dealt out in
loans, or iargesses upon particular indivl-
duals; it is. the peoples own money which
is turned against them,to corrupt the purity,
and destroy the freedom Of the elective
franchiset
fTo be cont;aaed.l