Western courier. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-09-14

\
shrink from any responsibility ast.upon
me by the duties of my office but because
it is my firm belief, that its capacity for
usefulness is in no degree promoted by the
possession Of any patronage not actually
necessary to the performance Of those
duties. But under our present form Of
Government, the Intervention of the Ex-
ecutive officers in the custody and dis
bursement of the public money seems to
be unavoidable; and before it can be ad
mitted that the influence and power Of
the Executive would be increased by dis
pensing with the agency of banks, the
nature Of that Intervention in such an
! agency must be carefully regarded, and a
! comparison must be instituted between its
extent in the two cases.
The revenue can only be collected by
officers appointed by the President, with
the advice and consent of the Senate
The public moneys, in the first instance,
must, therefore, in all cases, pass through
hands selected by the Executive. Other
officers appointed in the same way, or,
as in some cases, by the President alone,
must also be entrusted with them when
drawn for the purpose Of disbursement
1t is thus seer that, even when banks are
employed, the public funds must twice
pass through the hands of Executive off.
GERS. Besiie this, the head OF the Trens-
ury Department, who also holes his office
at the pleasure Of the President, and some
other officers Of the same department,
must necessarily be invested with more OF
less power in the selection, continuance,
and supervision, of the banks that may
be employed. The question is then mar
rowed to the single point, whether, in the
intermediate stage between the collection
and disbursement of the public money,
the agency Of banks is necessary 70 avoid
a dangerous extension of the patronage
and influence of the Executive? But it is
clear that the connection of the Executive
with powerful moncyed Institutions, capa-
BILE OF ministoring to the interests of men
in points where they are most accessible
to corruption, is less liable to abuse, than
his constitutional agency in the appoint
mcnt and control of the few public Off
GERS required by the proposed p!an?--
Will the public money, when in their
hands, be necessarily exposed to any i'm,
proper interference on the part Of the
Executive? May it not be hoped that Il
prudent fear of public jealousy and dis
appreciation, in matter so peculiarly ex-
posed TO them, will deter him from any
such interference, even if higher mot YES
be found imperative? May not Con-
gress so regulate, by law, the duty of
those officers, and subject it to such su,
pervision and publicity, as to prevent the
possibility of any serious abuse on the
part Of the Executive? and is there equal
room for such supervision and publicity in
connection with banks, acting under the
shield of corporate immunites, and con-
Quoted by persons irresponsible 10 the
Government and the people? 1t is be-
lIeved that considerate and candid in
vcstigaion of these questions will result
in the conviction, that the proposed plan
is far less liable to objection, on the score
of Executive patronage and control, than
any bank agency that has been, or can
be, devised.
With these views, leave TO Congress
the measures necessary to regulate, in
the preseh, emergency, the safe keeping
and transfer of the public moneys. In
the performance Of constitutional duty,
have stated to them, without reserve, the
result OF my own reflections. The sub
Ject is Of great importance and one on
which we can scarcely expect to lie as
united in sentiments as we are in interest.
1t deserves a full and free discussion, and
cannot fail to be benefited by dispas>
sionate comparison of opinions. Well
aware myself Of the duty of reciprocal
concession among the coordinate branch
es of the Government, can promise
reasonable spirit of CO. operation, as far
as it can be INDUCED in without the sur
render of constitutional objections. which
believe TO be well founded. Any sys.
tenn that may be adopted should be sub
jected to the fullest legal provision. SO as
10 leave nothing to the Executive but
wl@ IS necessary to The discharge Of the
duties imposed on him; and whatever
plan may be ultimately established, my
own part shall be so discharged as to give
to it fair trial, and the best prospect OF
success.
The character of the funds to be re.
ceived and disbursed in the transactions
Of the Government, likewise demands
your most careful consideration.
There can be no doubt that those who
framed and adopted the Constitution,
having in immediate view the deprecia.
ted paper Of the Coniederacy--of which
FIVE hundred dollars in paper were. at
times. only equal to one dollar in COIN
Intended to prevent the recurrance of
similar evils. so far al least as related to
the transactions of the new Government.
They gave to Congress express powers
to coin money, and 10 regulate the value
thereof, and of foreign coin they refus