Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1837-09-23

fol public money. Every apprehe,..; inc Receivers
o" the 'ubjec,, either in respec, ~ ~ o.v.r
money! on fine faithful DISCHARGE ~, ~ safety The
transactions, may il appears Ia nrs 'nest fiscal
removed by adding 10 the preser, pe edcc,uany
treasury the establishment by ls,. means Of he
po1art points, Of Offices for the d.nas.s lew in.
pufsement Of such portions of lie. p,h,. and d.
as canrof, with obvious safety snd i.olc revenus
be left In the possession of the coII. eoFenencs
until paid over by them to the ,nbr;s cahs officer
! Neither the amount retained in ,h.:- cfed'tou-
those deposited in the Offices, womlJ !: nands, nor
~ condition Of the revenue, Be Iaraa. ~ oriina.
ses man those often under The c,ro - moss ca
omcers OF the Army and Navy, and nix; = sas6usns
en.lrely safe, by requiring such ser sm oe made
exercising such controlling superrisioa "lle', and
gless may by law prescribe. The priue;,' as Con-
H"ose appointments would become u.r ps ofhees
aer the plan, taking the largest numhs. IN.
~. inc secretary Of the Treasury would ss.sed
.."' nor the additional expense. a, n. NY e1-
Tm sixty thousand dollars wear w Ams
Iheie can be no doubt Of the obl;sa,;.
VINO are entrusted with the affairs If C"" o. those
to conduct them with rs little co., ~ government,
consistent with public interest: and :. hson as
gress, and ultimately for the peon,. = 10, Con-
"nether the benefits to be derived ~. decide
OUT hscal concerns apart, and sever;,. ~. Aeep'hs
ION winch has hitherto existed be,ys. e !. 'oanee.
.lnmeht and banks, offer suficien. .dr, NC uov.
!asy ,.e necessary expenses. 1.-THE oh;.sas'a,~
anp'snea IS deemed important 70 4. e Doe
.1:. Of the country canno. allow mv. .,e.s
a:...e tnat the addition to the nubl;c .sn.u
..':" OF comparatively SO small an a,no,~i psa'
VIII De necessary to effect it, win be oh. oun. a.
Twill DC seen, by the report Of III. po.,x,....
urnelai, herewith communicated. tha, ~. ~. ~,
anairs OF that Department have been ,,cc...e.,,N
CONQUERED conducted since May last upon the princ;ol. !.
Sealng only in the legal currency Of the IIp;,.a
oates. and that itneeds no legislation 10
us cleai', ana facilitate the management Of i.
cMceIns; inc existing laws being, in the opioo,
OF that officer, ample for those objects P''"a
Difficulties will doubtless be encoun,.,.a
season, and increased services required sa 70.
public functionaries: such are USUALLY ,.s.. Wv
the commencement of every system. bm ,h.s ~,
be greatly essened in the progress Of its on.r.,.
The power and influence supposed to be eornse,'
ed with the custody and disbursement of n. MI
lie money, are topics or which the public mind !,
naturally, and, with great propriety, pecul;.r,
sensitive. Much has been said on them. IN r...,'
once to the proposed separation of the Gorernm..,
from the banking institutions; and surely M ~.
can object to any appeals or anmadversion, on N.
subject, which econsistent with facts and .v;,c.
a proper respect for the intelligence oi,he peonl.
lfa Chief Magistrate may be allowed to sue.t for
himself, Oh such point, can truly saw, tina, 10
me nothing would be more acceptable, than III.
withdrawal from the Executive, to the grea,e,prae
ticable extent, of all concern III tho CUSTODY and
disbursement Of the public revenue, not that would
shrink from any responsibility cast upon mo by the
duties ofmy Office, but because it is my firm belief
that 'ts capacity for usefulness is in deges pro.
NOTED byt he possession any patronage not aesu.
ally necessary to the performance of those duties
But, under our present form of government, the in-
tervention of the Executive officers in the custody
ard disbursement of the public money seems 10 DO
unavoidable and before it can be admitted that the
influence and power of the Executive would be in
creased by dispensing with the agency ofbaMks, the
nature of that Intervention in such an agency must
be carefully regarded, and comparison must b
instituted between its extent in the two cases.
Tho revenue can ONLY be collected by officers
appointed by the President, with the advice and
consent of the Senate. The public moneys, in tho
fest instance, must, therefore, in all cases paH
through hands selected by the Executive. Oh.r
officers appointed in the same way, OF, as in some
cases, by the President alone, must also be entrs
cd with them when drawn for the purpose Of dis.
bursement. 1t is thus seen that even when banks
are employed, the public fands must twice paw
through the hands of Executive officers. Besides
this, the head Of the treasury Department. who a.
80 holds his Office at the pleasure of the President
and some other officers of the same department,
must necessarily be invested with more or lespow.
er in the selection, continuance, and supervision,
of the banks that may be employed. The question
is then narrowed to the single point, whether, in
the intermediate stage between the collection and
disbursement of the public money, the agency Of
banks is necessary to avoid dangerous extension
ofthe patronage and influence Of the Executive,
Butisit clear that the connection ofthe Executive
with powerful moneyed institutions, capable Of
mnistering to the interests of men in points where
they are most accessible to corruption, isles liable
to abuse, than his constitutional agency in the ap-
pointment and control of the few public officers re-
quired BY the proposed plan? Will the public
money, when in their hands, be necessarily ex-
posed 10 any improper interference ON the part OF
the Executive? May it not be hoped that pr.''
dent fear ofpuhlic Jealousy and disapprooa,,oa ~
a matter SO peculiarly exposed 10 them, Will dete
him from any such interference, even ifh'ghsr mo
tives be found imperative? May not Congress 70
regulate by law, the duty ofthose officers and sub
ject il to such supervision and publicity, as pre-.
vent the possibility of any serious abuse on The an
of the Executive? and is their equal room for SUCH
supervision and publicity in connection win
banks, acting under the shield-o corporate immu'
mites, and conducted by persons inespons'
BILE TO the Government and the people! Aibe'
lieved that a c0nsiderate and candid investigation
Of these questions will result in the convictions that
the proposed plan is far less liable to objection on
the score ofExecutive patronage and coat:ol, than
any bank agency that has been, or can DO dsVi'eo'
With these views, Ileave to Congress the meas
ures necessary to regulate, in the present smsysn.
cy, the safe keeping and transfer Of ths poOl1
moneys. In the performance Of cona''a'ion.'
duty have stated to them without reserve, INC I
suit Of my own reflections. Tire subject n Of slen
importance, and ono on which We can scele: =:
expect to DO united in sentiments we ae IN W
terest. 1t deserves full and free discussion, aaa
cannot fail to be benefited by dispasso,asa y
of opinions. Well aware myseh -. -
the duty Of reciprocal concession among %o
ordinate branches Of the Government, lean an
reasonable spirit Of cooperation 80 TAI = ...,.
Ill sAsNNA