The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1837-08-23

sesois uhu CaihCouy iCCoHHenuS IL 10 tne
Republican party, as highly proper and ex-
pedient. Mr.. Leigh, the late Opposition
Senator, from Virginia, recommended the
same policy in 1884, in letter published in
the Richmond Wing, and also in speech
delivered by him at Petersburg, in October,
Of the same year.
Mr.. Leigh's language was:
ain my opinion, the trainers of the Con-
stitution had no thought Of any bank agency,
Whatever, State or Federal, either for facili-
iating the operations Of the Treasury, or for
regulating the currency and that to admins
ter the Government in the true spirit Of the
Constitution, and according TO the intention Of
its founders, THE TREASURY OUGHT 70 BE
DIVORCED FROM ALL coSNExIoN WITH BANKS,
STATE OR FEDERAL"
There is the present fayorite creed of the
Globe" and the author is Hon. Benjamin
Watkins Leigh, of Virginia
But what position did the Globe take
them Hear him:
1.-THE PROPOSITION is DISTINGUISHING AND
REVOLUTIONARY, sUBvERsIvE OF THE FUNDA-
MENTAL PRINCIPLES OF OUR GOVERNMENT,
AND or IT'S ENTIRE PRACTICE, FROM 1889
DOWN TO THIS DAY"
III is as palpable as the sua, that the efect
of the scheme Uouid be to bring the pubic
treasure MUCH NEARER the actual 'cus-
tody and control Of the President than ii is
nor, and EXPOSE 1T TO DE PLUNDERED BY A
HUNDRED HANDS, ,ohere one cahnot now reach
n"--Globe, Nov. 20, 1851
What lhen7 why, the public money, from
the time of their receipt to the time OF their
disbursement, amounting. as they often do, 70
ten or twelve millions of dollars, must remain
in the hands of individuals appointed By The
President, and removable at his ,riI! And this
comes from man who has leagued with
scores of others to denounce the president as
an usurper, and contemner Of the constitu-
ton and laws, because he claimed for the ex-
ecutive the custody Of the public money, in
much more limited sense! He has never
claimed that it should be retained in the ac-
fual keeping of executive officers, but only that
it must be at their credit, and within their con-
troll, under such restrictions as congress may nm
pose in some BANK or BANKS, or other places
Of deposite. But Mr.. Leigh thinks that, ac-
cording to the true spirit ofthe constitution,
it ought to be kept their pockets, chests, or
vaults, where they can approach it every day,
and use it without the checks Of warrants
drawn, countersigned, registered, and record
ed, and passing through many hands, without
which not dollar can now be touched by
any public officer not even the President him
self We do not agree NTH Mr.. Leigh IN the
opinion, that it uas the intention Of the consti-
tuition to leapc NTH the executive this most dan
gerous control oper the public money. If did,
not having the terrible political conscience [ ]
of this wise senator, we should be obliged
to insist that on this subject, also, the con-
stitution should be restored to its original
meaning and the unauthorized constructions
which have been grated upon it, Topped Off
But Mr.. Leigh feels himself under no such
necessity. Thus does he excuse himself for
abandoning his reading Of the constitution on
this point, viz:
that this principle piH eper be acted on to its
full ertent. The FRIENDS OF THE STATE
BANKS, the friends of National Bank, and
the supporters of the Executive claims to
power, will all combine against it; and the
nation, most probably, will never agree, that
the immense sums yearly paid in for revenue,
shall, between the time of collection and the
time of disbursement, be wholly unemployed
and unproductive"
If Mr. Leigh has reference to the friends of
President Jackson, when he speaks of "the
supporters of the Executive claims to power"
he may be assured that they will, to man,
be united against any such monstrous accu-
mutation of power over the public money
which such plan would throw into the hands
of the Executive. And we venture to allege,
that HAD SUCH SUGGESTION COME FROM
GEN JACKSON, it pould haze been sung
through the old dominion with the reiterated
falsehoods about the proclamation and the
protest, as conclusive proof of all the aspra-
tons which have been charged to the Hero
of Orleans /" SEE, (they would say,) HERE
HE WISHES TO PUT THE PUBLIC MONEY d.
REcrLY INTO THE PALMS OF HIS FRIENDS
AND PARTIzANs, INSTEAD OF KEEPING 1T ON
DEPosITE IN BANKS, WHENCE 1T CANNOT DE
DRAWN FOR OTHER THAN PUBLIC PURPOSES,
WITHOUT CERTAIN DETECTION" In such
case, we should feel that the people had just
cause for ALARM, and ought to giue her most
,cafchful attention to such an ofort to EN-
LARGE EXECUTIVE POWER, AND PUT IN ITS
HANDS THE MEANS OF CORRUPTION. And are
these the principles upon which Mr.. Leigh
expects to return to the senate from the land
of Jefferson"
"Mr. Leigh knows that the PREsIDFNT
HIMSELF is OPPOSED TO THE PROJECT which
he aseribes to has supporters, and that has
friends in Washington, mhethsr of the Cabinet
or not heartily concur NTH htm IN the course
Of policy 1t IS erpedient TO pursue" Globe,
Sept 30th, 1884.
Now, the Globe intimates that the scheme
was always favorite project of the late adj
ministration, urgently recommends it to the
repuhEcan marty and congratuates itself that