Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1839-04-17
NUMBER 3.

Gus, as their fathers were, of the inroads
and encroachmenls Of Power and Prerog-
alive, upon Popular Rights. viii say I o
him, THUS far may'st thou 60, but no
farther-Here shall thy proud waves be
stayed !"
Intimately connected with this subject.
as illustrative Of one of the most PERM.
cious consequences which may be expec>
ted to result from its adoption. are the
heavy defalcations that have occurred
within a few years past, in the Land OF.
ces and in the Custom Houses-dcfalca-
tons amounting, 10 the aggregate to mill
ions OF dollars. Ii has been said, and We
may perhaps be again told, that these de-
falcations occurred while Banks were en-
ployed as the fiscal agents Of the Govern.
ment. But the obvious reply to this re-
mark is, that these repeated robberies
were perpe,raied, in despite ofths chscks
and safeguards afforded by bank agency:
and the fair presumption 10, that these
frauds upon the public treasury, but for
the existence Of those checks, would have
been greatly multiplied. In every in
stance, whenever a defalcation has &C.
CURED, il will DO found, upon examination,
tina, the roquisition to deposite the money
in Bank, had not been complied with BY
tho defaulter ; and that not a cont of the
money, so deposited, wal ever ~purloined
or lost. Il was always distracted while
it remained ia the custody Of the Collec.
tor or Receiver. Tad il been deposited
in Bank AZ il wss collected, it could only
have been Withdrawn from its vaults
" upon the check of the Trsasursr," and
hence, could never have been reached.
except for legal and legitimate purposes.
by the subordinate officer. Abolish Bank
agency now, and leave the pubic money
in the chests, safes and vaults OF incivid-
unls, and tho inevitable result will be-,
the multiplication Of defalcations to an cx-
tent limited only in number and amount
by the temptations and facilities which
this system will present to the avarice or
the necessity of the Sub Treasurcrs.-
The reply which is generally made to
this objection, is as absurd as it 10 trite.
We are asked If Bank officers are more
honest and trustworthy than other indi-
viduals7 We answer promptly in tho
negative; but intelligent men need not
be told that in banking establishments
there are numerous oficers-each acting
MS a check upon the o~thers-and that tho
daily scrutiny into their condition afords
The strongest guarantee ofthe prompt de-
lection of ANY attempt to divert any por-
ton of their funds to improper uses. In.
dividuals, on the other hand, entrusted
with the collection, safe. keeping and die.
bursernent o flarge sums Of public money
the exact amount of which cannot usu.
ally be ascertainad, if thcy wish 10 de.
fraud, and therefore to deceive the Off.
GERS 10 whom they are directly accounts
Bile, perhaps for many months AFTER ito
collection, arc wholly unrestrained by
these salutary checks and safeguards
and they may consequently clude detcc-
ton, as Mr.. Swartwout did, for years,
while they arc daily perpctratiug extcn-
sive frauds. And again-Wbils the Banks
give the amplest security to all dspositorss
whether general Or special, whether gov
ernmen,s or individuals, for the safety Of
the sums deposited in their vaults, itis
impossible that individuals always can,
and very rarely that they do, give sscu-
a, all comparable with the magnitude Of
their actual responsibility. II. indeed,
this assertion had ever been problemntl-
cal, the recent defalcations in the West.
ern Land Offices, and in the New York
Custom House, would have placed 1t be-
yond the reach ofdoubt ; and II 10 render.
ed absolutely certain, when an Admins.
tration acts upon the corrupt and demor-
alizing principle, openly avowsd by tho
friends Of the present, that the Offices Of
the country, instead of being high and re.
soonsible trusts, to be conferred upon tho
mos, capable and worthy, are tho legiti-
mate "spoiIs of victory" to be bestowed
upon the most clamorous and influential
partizans, who display the greatest zeal
and activity in behalf Of the President, or
who can bring to his support the largest
number Of voters. When suoh msxima
prevail, and constitute the almost unrforfh
rule of action in appointments 10 oflco.
the security for tho faithful and honest
discharge Of public Iutics IL necessarily
diminished ; for the obvious reason that
the avowal OF such a doctrine 10 almost
sure to attract to tho standard Of the DOM
lnant party every needy and profiigats
political adyenturer, whose want oil suita-
bic qualifications is generally in the ratio
Of the p~artizan ~intemperance, which, with
the appointing power, constitutes HE
chief. IL not his sole recommendations
Such, unquestionably. was the fact in the
case OF Samuel Swartwout and VIM. M.
Price, the defaulting Collector and Dis
trct Attorney Of New York, in relation
to whom there is now a general concuJ-
renee Of opinion, as well among the sup
porters as the opponents Of the Adminis-
~tration, that they were alike ~irresPonsl.
Bile in ~pecuniary means and q personai
Va not.rifhsfandinQ fha aQle