The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-10-05
sPEEcH OF WILLIAM Q. RIyEs.


AT LOUISA, coNcLUDED.
Seeing feIlow-ciiizens, the widespread devasla-
ton Of The public funds BY the ineliy Of Executive
agents 10 whose custody they were commiued, and
especially the immense stake Of The national
IN abs uiey al the mercy Of one man In the city OF
New York I felt that some one should assume inc
responsibility Of proposing practical remedy Tor SO
loose and dangerous state Of things ne eape-
Renee OF our own Stale having been full OF insiruc-
lion on this subject, thought il incumbent ON me, u
no one else did, 70 bring forward such plan. You
all recollect gentlemen, the successive and mory-
ing dealca.ions OF Two OF our Stale Treasures men
IN whose probiy the most unlimited confidence had
been reposed but who were unable, as 80 many
others have been, 10 resist the temptation arising
from the possession control OF large snns OF pub
lie money. These occurrences, involving both
heavy pecuniary loss 10 the State, and melancholy
sacrifice of individual character and happiness call
ed upon the Legislature 10 apply remedy ana the
wisdo u and experience Of our ablest practical men
were tasked in devising II. system was al length
matured and adopted which, in Ten years of success
sive experience, has been found to confer The most
absolute security and Is believed to be as perfect as
the ingenuity OF man can devise. The fundamental
and peryadns principle OF il Is, that public moneys
should, under no circumstances pass into TIE hands
of or be touched al ALL by the Treasurer but that
they should be paid directly into Bank TO the credit
Of the Commonwealth, and upon the production oil
the cashiers receipt for the payment The Treasurer
grants discharge to the public debtor. 30, as 10
payments By the Treasurer the sum TO be paid hrst
ascerlaned and settled by the auditor Of public ac-
counts, who draws his warrant Tor the amount upon
the Treasurer, and the Treasurer then endorses on
he warrant, an order Of payment addressed TO the
cashier of the Bank where the pubic moneys are
deposited, by whom the moneyis actually paid The
public creditor Thus, both in The receipts and pay
ments of the public money, not dollar is ever touch
ed BY or leii under the individual control of, the
Treasurer.
This was the system, gentlemen, which, under the
high authority OF the experience Of Virginia, re-
specifically rendered to the friends of the administra
a nd fseta rit fnr
the public moneys, The Bill which offered, pur-
suing the very language OF our statute, with such
notifications as difference of circumstances
quired provided that the public dues instead of be-
ing paid into the hands OF the Executive agents,
should, wherever practicable, be paid directly into
the Banks employed as repositories OF the public
moneys, and there placed at 10 the ered of the
Treasurer Of Tie United STATES. Being paid directly
into Bank, they would be secured against the risks
which experience had SO fully demonstrated TO be
inseparable from the personal custody of the Col
lecors and Receivers, and being placed there TO the
credit Of The Treasurer ofe Uatted States they could
no longer be drawn Out or controlled in any manner
by the subordinate agents Of the Executive but could
be reached only by the Treasurer, under system of
checks and counter checks prescribed by law in
scarrant 10 be draWn By the Secretary Of tie Treasury,
by tie Comptroller and 10 be record
ed By the Register, which had been found 10 furnish
complete security 10 the public moneys when stand
ing 10 the credit Of the Treasurer But recommended
as this system was by the ample and signal success
as sustained by the most obvious suggestions Of
practical common sense il fell beneath senseless
party cateh-oofd T. the divorce of Bank and Slate,
and was unceremoniously rejected, because il was
said forsooth, TO draw the connection closer than
ever with the Banks-or in other words. fellow
citizens because il removed the public moneys far
ther ever from the possession and control Of the
Executive and its agens The proposition had
offered thus failing, my sagacious and patriotic
friend, Mr.. Tallmadge, stern and bold defender Of
the peoples rights and of his dignity and indie
pendence, submitted one which proved an expert
mentans erneis in testing the views of the party
Without requiring the public dues TO be paid or de-
posted in Banks, simply provided that whenever
this should be done by the free piu and pleasure of
the Executive or its agents, the public moneys SO
paid or deposited should be passed at once to the
credit ofthe Treasurer Of The United States instead Of
the credit OF the Collector or Receiver This pro-
position most unquestionably just in ITSELF and even
liberal TO the views of the Executive shared the same
fate as my own, and was immediately and decsivey
rejected Does not this prove gentlemen, to demon
sraon, that the policy OF the administration and It's
friends is under all circumstances to keep the pub
lie money in such situation that It will be subj ct
to the absolute disposition and control of the Execu-
tive and Its agents; and that If Banks be employed
its object is TO employ them in such manner Qeav-
ing the public deposites in them liable to be drawn
out at any time, BY the officers making those depo-
ses,) as to bring the moneyed institutions OF The
country under most dangerous dependence on
Executive discretion Such is The two-fold and
alarming policy plainly indicated in the Presidents
message at The commencement of the late session OF
Congress and which his party have hitherto pursued
with a faithful and unerring instinct
But interesting and important these subjects are
to all OF us, and meriting much fuller develop
ment, II the occasion admitted it, must not abuse
your patience by dwelling on them longer hasten
now 20 Inc next, and am happy to tell you, gentle
men, the last eoant, so far as | am informed in the
indictment for high crimes and misdemeanors which
has been hled against me. | have been charged
iellow-cit'zens, with supporting and voting for a
gag-Mo! II lhave supported gag-lar, have 10
tell you, then, gentlemen that Mr.. Jefferson sup
ported gag law for the proposition which offered
and supported was, as shall presently show YOU in
the rery royds of that great Republican Statesman
introduced Bill "to prevent the interference of
Federal offceholdeIs in elections" The Bill was
referred TO the Judiciary Committee of the Senate,
OF which Mr. Wall Of New Jersey Chairman.
The Committee, after holding the Bill under their
consideration for several weeks at length made
very elaborate Report discussing very much large
the general question Of the rights and duties Of Fee
dera otcehoders in regard popular elections. The
doctrines OF the report were to my mind of the most
startling and extraordinary character, utterly at
with every principle of free representative govern
ment and most dangerous 10 The liberties of the peo-
pie II boldly contended that il was mol merely the
rtg but the duty of oficeholders busy themselves
In elections 10 shape the public opinion and to in
fuence and direct the people in the choice OF their
representatives. In its whole spirit and reasoning
1t was not only justification OF the interference OF
ofhceholders with this great and vital function of
popular sovereignty, but it plainly Indictment
10 The whole corps OF official dependents 10 exert their
cectioneering activity in the litieal contests, on
which the fate of their employers depended. They
ware told, in SO many words, that if they withdrew
themselves from this high responsibility they would
deserve TO be declared Infamous" and to be stig-
mahzed as :" idiots and mutes." Now such mon
strous doctrines these, and the bold and unblush-
ing ayowal Of them, received as they were with the
most marked appreciation by the whole administra-
ton party in the Senate in order instantaneously
moved and adopted for the printing ten thousand
copies Of the Report, seemed to me to call upon every
Jealous friend OF popular freedom and Of our Repub
iican institutions, for an energetic and indignant
padation Of them.