Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-08-26
POLITICAL.
from The Richmond Hing.
VIEWS OF A SOUND AND ENLIG IlTENED

ance TO sentiments in relation To The money power
which must command the hearty approval of every
man who Is Republican in ciple--wbo is ~ ia
yor OF divorce Of The Purse aud the Swoid, aud OPP
posed to an absolute Executive.
The views OF Mr.. l.. on this great and vital subject
are those which were entertained hy the champions
OF English freedom-by the llampdens, Sydneys
and RussnIls-which were adopted by the trainers OF
our institutions--ior which Washington and l1s i'm
mortal cnmpauote fought aud rlnmphed and lhoy
are the views which, when majority OF the people
oil tins country shall cease In entertain aud enforce
IN the administration OF the Government, that Co
yernmcnt will cease 10 be blessing, But Mr. l..
expresses hls sentiments with such eogeney and co-
quenee that their iofce will be but weak cned by any
| comments from us.
Mr. LciRhs opinion Of Mr. IAN Bmca's Sub 7rcd-
SHry Scheme.
The following is extract flom letter Written
| by Bennmn Watkins Leigh, Esq. 10 gentleman in
Mecklcnbufg, dated the 2ath October. 1893. 10 the
publication OF which Mr. Leigh ~ The request Of the
gentleman to whom IL was addressed, has gwen his
consent.
In transmitting this extract for publication our
correspondent says:
:. In favor OF The Sub-Tteasufy myself,- least
ofthe gtcai principle OF " Dyotec."--I frequently
IN arguing tliM question with my friends lfevions
the reception ii Mr.. Leghs letter, (whcn appeal.
ing 10 the authority OF distinguished nnmes) men
toned HIM ~ u friend 10 tho Sub. Treasury scheme
also, rom my recollection Of his speech Peters
burg and letcr addressed bv HIM some shoii iimr
before 10 Mr. Peasants aud other gentlemen Of
Richmond. Being convinced by this letter thai |
had done him injustice IN this respect. aud thai his
opinions tins subject las far my information tx
tendedl were very generally misunderstood, | con.
ceivcd IT 10 be bun IN net oil jastcc to himself aud
his many friends that his ,eal opinions should be
known"
Ettract from Mr. Lcighs Letter.
c" can hardly explain my oplnons on the qncs
lion OF the Sub Treasury. IN the con pass of n letter
Sub | nIp IA,
nj FccfSbarq, was IN organization OF treasures and
treasures ~ various poins IN the Union, all con
nected with the General Treasury ut WASHINGTON
and under the direction of the treasurer there, and
OF the Secretary Of the Treasury, who all tho
tcSsurers, general aud subordinate. and the Sc.
crelary OF the Department, should be held direct
" responsible 10 Congrrss-thnt s, accountable
each and every one, WHEN called upon to account
directly TO Congress, and not indirectly through the
President. II wns essential piincfle OF such
system, that the public treasure should he in the
custody OF Congress regulated entirely by law, and
that the presdcni should have no share, as cunsti
utlohally he WAS eutled TO ~ share IN The
tody, any mo,e than IN the disposition OF IT, save
what was entrusted 10 him by lar, Now Mr.. Van
Burcn's Sub Treasury system is based upon the as
sumption that the custody of the public treasure be
longs, by The Consttnftop tn the Executive, because,
tarsoofE the Executive has The mp l9inment and re
mo,al a all officers appointed Ter the custody and
administration oi the treasure, and the Sab Tteasu.
y plll hcfHtu ohIS inieuutH 10 RECOGNIZES OV tar
the Presidents constitutional rieM Of custody OF the
public money, aud 10 regulate the details OF the
system AZ 10 endnc the Executive right OF custody
with the utmost possible dccice of Executive iunu-
encc and the bill, moreover pointed out lis oby.
Gus consequences 10 that sane EXECUTIVE BASK,
which General jackson was willing furnish Con
gross scheme Of, II he had been consulted, aud which,
the Sub Treasury bill should ever become law,
will, IN avery few years, am confident, be openly
proposed aud adopted. | shall never acknowledge,
either directly or indirectly, orby any Of in
direction OF implication, that the President las by
hc CoastdHion. any right whatever TO any SOFT of
custody OF the public treasure, any duty power
IN respect TO II, save What may he gwen or impo
scd on him By lac, aud modified OF taken away fion
hm by id~ Sooner, much sooner Than admit this
new, and TIL General Jaekson's time. unleafd Of
claim 10 constitutional right in the President
which the law cannot deprive linn Of 10 the cnso-
dy OF all public money. will vote Tor m bclosl..y
monarchy hr The cLlim, ll-sdmittef aud acted on
must lead to monarchy, aud TO The worst Of mouar-
clIes. by HE wolst, though by Ear the easiest Of all
conceivable roads, BY the road of genci ri corruption
worked by Executive influence on the money con
of the nation exercised for Executive pirpo
scs. II ~ IN vain 10 talk oi hard money currency,
(sncc 1t is morally impossible To accomplish the OBJ
JrcD hong The States have and exercise the
power ofcreating banks, and that without the least
stint or moderation. II is moral law which can no
more be controlled Than any physical Law of nature
that there be two currenCics IN any country, that
which is cheapest and least valuable wall soon ex
clude thai which is dearest and most valuable. So
FAR as | am Informed, Nj. Calhoun and Mr. Benton
are the only prominent statesmen in the public coun
cIls who 90 for the hard money currency, and they
differ in this thai the former is for hard money
currency only IN the money operations ri the Gov
ernmen the Latter is for in all the transactions Of
the community.
The great body Of the Administration patty stop
far short OF them both-apd hence ii was that they
castratod the sub Treasury bill of Mr.. Calhoun's
hard money clause. The party opposed 10 the Adj
minlsraon seem destined to be forever weakened by
divisions among themselves that proceed from their
giving infinitely greater importance 10 the few ques
lions hch they differ, than to those which they
agree. The Ministerial Party have never any nsur-
mountable dlsagreemens- they unite in the same gen
eral purpose, and disregard all other objects. differ
cnces OF opinion an THAT neral pup is h.. secu
ruv OF political over IN ther own hands. and with it
Tie honor and emoIuments OF Office OF this the sub
Treasury system has afforded a singular exempiica-
ton. When mentioned that system in my speech AT
Peesburg.it was ieprobaedb by he whole Ministerial
party, particularly by their chief organ the GloLa ds
a system which would give uncomfortable monar-
chical Influence to the Executive and upon the
principle they assumed, and srl assume, and which
seems now hardly TO be contested; but which
then denied aud still senuously deny. They were
right tire principle namely, that the President has
constitutional rieht, iHnescrpble by lar, to the
custody Of the public money. But now. the Minis
teraI party silil holding the principle as to the
inherent constitutional power Of the Executive, and
designing 10 Fct that principle, ale sirenuou sly
uphoidmg the President in the sub Treasury
! scheme and even those who are opposed to that
particular scheme, (witness Mr.. Richie and that
whole clique are still the friends Of the administration
and the devoted partizans of the President On the