Maumee City express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1838-184?, 1838-12-15

Thecase ia one which oimperitively claims tht
attention of Congress, and furnishes the strong
est motive for the establishment of a more Sc
we're and secure system for the safe keeping
and disbursements ofthei public moneys thar
any that ,hss heretofore existed.soeu r,i.gt,
Itsseems proper, at all events, that, by an
early enactment, similar to that of other coun-
tries, the application of public money by an
officer OF Government to private uses, should
be made q felony,and visited with severe and
ignomnous punishment, This is already, in
effect the law in respect to the mint, and has
been productive Of the most salutary results.
Whatever system is adopted,i such enactment
would be wise as an independent measure,
since much of the public money must, in their
collection and ultimate disbursement, pass
twice through the hands of public officers, in
whatever manner they are eintermediately kept.
The Government, it must be admitted, has
been from its commencement comparatively
fortunate inths respect. But disappointing
power cannot always be well advised in its se-
lections, and the experience of every country
has shown that public officers are not at. all
times proofagainst temptation. 1t is a. duty,
therefore, which the Government owes, as well
to the interests committed to its care as to the
officers themselves, to provide every guard
against transgression of this character, that is
consistent with reason and humanity. Con-
gress cannot be too jealous of the conduct of
those who are intrusted with the public NOM
ey, and Ishall at all times be disposed to en-
courage watchful discharge of this duty. If
a more direct cooperation onthe part of Con-
gress, in the supervision ofthe conduct Of the
officers intrusted with the custody and appca-
ton of the public money is deemed desirable,
it will give me pleasure to assist in the esta-
blishment of any judicious and constitutional
plan by which that object may be accomplished.
You will, in your wisdom, determine upon the
propriety of adopting such plan, and upon
the measure necessary to its effectual execu-
lion. When the late Bank of the UniteI
States was incorporated, and made the deoosi-
toryofthe public moneys, arightwas reserved
to Congress to inspect at its pleasure, by
committee of that body, the books and the pro-
ceedings of the bank. In one of the states
whose baking institutions are supposed TO
rank amongst the first in point of stability,
they are subject to constant examination by
commissioners appointed for that purpose, and
much ofthe success ofits banking system is at
tributedt to this watchful supervision. The
same course has also, in view of its beneficial
operation, been adopted by an adjoining state,
favo-ably known for the care it has always be-
slowed upon whatever relates to it's financial
concerns. / submit to your consideration
whether a committee of Congress might not
be proftably employed in inspecting, at such
intervals, as nightb be deemed proper the af-
fairs and accounts of officers intrusted with the |
custody of the public moneys. The frequent
performance of this duty might be made ob-
gatory on the committee in respect to those
officers who have large sums in their possess
ion, and left discretionary in respect to others.
They might report to the Executive such de-
falcations Us were found to exist, with view
to a prompt removal from office unless the de-
fault was satisfactory accounted for; and re-
port, also, to Congress, at the commencement
Of each session, the result Of their examina-
tions and proceedings. 1t does appear to me
that, with subjection ofthis class of public
officers to the general supervision of the Exc
cutlve, to examinations by a committee of
Congress at periods ofwhich they should have
no previous notice, and to the prosecution and
punishment as for felony for breach of trust,
the sufe keeping ofthe public moneys, under the
system proposed, mightbe placed on a surer
foundation than it has ever occupied sinceithe
establishment of the Government. io yIaY
The Secretary of the Treasury will lay be-
fore you additional information containing new
details on this interesting subject. To these
ask your early attention. That it should have
given rise to great diversity ofopinoh cannot be
a subject of surprise. Aiterthe collection and
custody ofthe public moneys had been for so
many years connected with, and made subsl-
diary to the advancement of private interests.
a return to the simple and self-denylng ordi-
nance ofthe constitution could not but be diff
cult. But time and free discussion eliciting the
sentiments of the people, and aided by that
conciliatory spirit which has ever characteri-
zed their course on great emergencies, were I
relied upon for satisfactory settlement of the
question. Already, has this anticipation on
one important point at least--the impropriety
of dvefting public money to private purposes
been fully realized. There is no reason to
suppose that Legislation upon that branch of
the subject would now be embarrassed by
difference of opinion, or fail to receive the COR
dial support of a large majority. our rconstitu.
ents. The connection which formerly existed
between the government and banks was in re-
atty injurious to both, as well as to the gener-
al interests ofthe community ut large. tag {
gravated the disasters Of trade and the de- {
rangements of commercial intercourse, and adj
ministered new excitement and additional {
means to wild and reckless speculatibns, the
disappointments Of which threw the country
into commissions Of panic, and all but produced ID
violence and bloodshed The imhudent ex-
pansion Of bank credits, which was the natu-
raj result of the command of the revenues OF j
the state, furnished the resourcesf5f unbound
ed license in every species Of adventure, sedu-
ced industry from it's regulars and salutary oc-
cupations by The. hope Of abundance without i
labor, and deranged the social state. BY temp !
ting all trades and professions into the vortex