Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1839-09-05
II 11p "a Z.
NIX. LEIGa's OPINION
OF MR. VAN BUREN's sUE.InEAsUI
SIHEAlE

! The following Is an extract from a letter
wrIiIen by BenISmin Watkins I.eigh, Es,l. 10 a
gentleman IA MSckIeRbuIg. dated Ihr 2.hh oc.o-
Der, 1875. To the Pub.ies,iUno Of which Sir. Leish.
al lhe felucSI % ihe gentleman io whom ii Ma
I addressed. has gwen las consent
| ia transmitting ihis extract for publication
our correspondent says:
| In ia'"f 81 the Suh-Tfeasury myself-at
leas' at tie great pHneipe of "Dnurcc,~ -
ifr9nenuE, "a arguing that question With my
/ Ifiends previous To the Tvccpsicu Ol MT Lct.h'S
I le''ef. tShen appalling 20 tae auihoriv II dis
/ uhsniNhec namrNl menuoncd hlm - a iIirnd 10
lir sub Treasury .cben- alsu, from nay fvcoi.cc-
I h"h "l hH spvcch al Petersburg. aug a lcisf
! addressed by han some short time tricfc Ia Mi
( Iiea>anis aud oihct gentlemen OF Rlchmond 49,
/ teing convinced rs hrs letter that had done
hun iulusiicc m has Ie>pcci. aud thAI his npn-
iNn> GA 'hi> sullrct a. iar - NV IDlutmatlnn
,ilenced9 we're very generally misunderstood
conceived to D. bat act uf justice a. himself
and b., many lt,ends that d., real Cniuions
! should te known" lE.fLa.sn9 Uhs
! Il can hardly explain NY opinions On
the question OF the Sue. Treasury. N the
compass Of letter. The Sub Treasury
system spoke OF IN nv speech at Pc.
feTi1HTg. Was an organization OF treasures
ana ueaSuteTs at various points IA tie
u mon, all connected with the General
Treasury at HasAtsgfon. and under The
direction of the Treasurer there and of
The Secretary ul .he Treasury Wtle all
ihe treasureD general and subordinate.
and The Secretary oi the Department.
should be held directly responsible TO
Cong!ess-ibat -, accountable. each and
I every ooe. v hen called upon. 20 account
Z directly 10 Conggess. and not indirectly
through The President II WAS an essen
'ial ptincIple OF such a system, that the
public treasure should be IN the custody
OF Congress. regulated entirely by Law
and that the PRECEDENT should havP no
share, as cons,rtuiioualiy be was entitled
10 no share IN the custody, any more
than IN the dI'posrIon OF II. save What
was entrusted 10 him Nv lar. Nov Mr.
Van Bufen's Sub Treasury system !,
based upon the assumption iha, Me Gus.
iody oi the public treasure belong. Lv lie
Constitution, 10 the E1ecu.ivc. because
iorsooih the Executive has Tie arrolnt.
ment aud removal OF al! officer. appointed
Tor NE custody and administration Of the
treasure, aud the Sub-Trea.ury oil seem.
ed only intended 20 recognize be- H,,r. the
Presidents ooHsiiiufi0DaIrig4t OF study
OF The public money. and 10 regulate the
details OF the system 30 ~ TO cndue the
Executive right of custody with the al.
most possible degree OF Executive inAu.
enee. aud the lIil, moreover. pointed out
as Obvious consequences 70 that same
Erecnfirs Bunk, which General Jackson
Was wiling 20 furnish Congress a scheme
OF, " he had been consulted. and Which. n
The Sub Treasury bill should ever become
law, Will. IN very iew wears. ! am
confident, be openly proposed and adopt.
ed. shall never acknowledge. ether
difeoily or indirectly. ar bv any manner
OF Indirecuon OF Implication, hat tie
President has by tie constitution, sny
right ~hNieNor 10 any sort 81 custody of
The public treasure. or any duiV oF rover
ia respect 10 II, save what may be gwen
to or imposed on him by hr and modified
or taken away from ham bv lar. Sooner
much sooner. than bdmii tins new and
I'll General Jackson time. unhesrJ Of
Clam TO constitutional right IN the
President which the law cannot depr,ye
BIN at, 10 the custody OF all public money.
will vote for an here diiary monarchy.
Tor lhe claim. II admitted and acted on.
must lead TO monarchy. and TO the worst
Of mo0sTehe' by the orsi though by far
The easiest OF ell conceivable .oads: by
The road OF general corruption. worked by
Executive influence on the money ron
Germs OF the nation. exercised for Execu.
i've purposes. Ii ~ vain t0 talk of hard
money currency. (since il is morally i'm.
possible to accomplish the otjecN 40 long
A. The States have. and exeroi,e The pow.
er OF creating banks. and ihst without the
les't stunt or moderation. Itisa moral
law which can no more b. Controlled
ihsn ahy phvs' NJ law oi nature hat IL
There bt tao Curencies ~ any country
that which Is cheapr., and least valuable
vii soon exclude that which D. dearest
and most valuable. So far.ss I am io.
iofmed. Mr. Calhoun and Mr. Bpnion
are The only prominent sfaie.men in il.e
public Councils VITO 90 fofthp hand ug.
uey cuue1cy. snd Hey differ IN Ia.
that The former - Tor lard money cor.
f'ney only m The money Operations Of
we "''"fhWsni. Tie latter - far 80 all
ihe transactions of The commonly.
De great body of the Atni ..'nr..
la'l i''p hf Fh7u ~ them LUth-.nt
hrnee u va, hat hey es.ifsi~d the srb
I Ifea.ov biiI ~ Nr Csls0un's ,r1.
I ney clause The party opposed % fi,s
I AdWuisifa'inn seemed destined io De-
I i"re'cf weakened by cuDl.r. .f,.,.
+ 'hrufrlres. that pfccssI % COL. their ,t,.
+ coz nhn'ely grTsief importance uiIs
I lev QUESTION IN which itry differ tiaa
. D..
''ienal Pa.iy have never say irsprn.a.r,.
able dpaRreemfbis--itev Bee orc tt-
sans general psfpo.e spd di.resaiI sg
/ other objects. or differences 81 crtl.l.
and hat general pufposs 0, tie srrafi',
/ p0irical poueria their own hsnts. at4
euh % the bonofs sod eurIuura.s Of
/ Office 81 hif he cub Treasury tysier.
( has afforded nnguiaf sr~mphG. agan
Whsn n.ebiiooed that psen. ,a ry
I 'peseh 81 Petersburg n U.s. fstr5bs'eI