The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-02-19
MR.. RIvEs' CURRENCY BILL.

| substitute Tor the Sub-Ireasury scheme OF
ieredby Mr.. WRIGHT in behalf Of the admins.
tration. II WILDE remarked that il is actually
the Virginia System, which has been pursued
long time in that State, with safety, conve.
nience and public satisfaction. II contem-
plates the collection, and safe keeping Of the
public moneys, without one dollar Of them go
ing into the hands, or being used in any man
ner by individuals, who have been proven so
unsafe by the recent and expensive experience
oil tho Government. Which will the people
choose, the Republican system Of lee al guards,
checks and regulations, or the Loco Foco
Federal scheme Of uniting the purse and the
sword, and leaving all to Executive discre-
ton
AMENDMENT
| Proposed by Mr.. RIvEs to the bill Is 1851 "more
/ enectually TO secure public money in the hands of
othcers and agents OF the Government, and 10
punish public defaulters" viz: Strike ont all after
The enacling clause, and insert the following:
/ That hereafter all payments of public dues, of
whatsoever character description the same may be-
hostages and cuslom-house fees only exceped,)
shall, wherever practicable, be made by depose
of the same, by the person from whom the same
shall or may be due, TO the credit Of the Treasurer
4 OF the United States in some solid and substantial
bank situated In the distrctn which they are paya-
Ole and that no payment of the public dues (except
as herein before mentioned) made in any other
ner shall be deemed valid discharge OF the debtors
obligation or liability TO the Government And il
shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury
with the appreciation Of the President OF the United
States, 10 adopt such measures and to establish such
rules and regulations may be necessary TO carry
into effect this law, and to report all such measures,
rules, and regulations to Congress at It's ensuing
session.
SEC. q And be IL further enacted That in all
cases where The duties upon imports or tonnage are
required BY law to be paid in cash, whenever an
entry OF such goods shall have been completed and
the amount Of duties such entry shall have been
ascertained according 10 Law, or whenever IL is found
to be impracticable 10 ascertain al the time OF such
entry the exact amount of duties due thereon, and
the same shall have been arranged by estimation II
shall be the duty of the collector to issue duplicate
certificates Of the amount of duties ascerained or
estimated to be due on such entry, which certificate
shall contain statement of the name Of the shipin
which such importation was made, the name OF ths
person making such entry, the date thereof, and the
amount ofduty due, estimated to be due, thereon,
which certificates, in duplicate, shall be counter
| signed by the naval officer who shall record the
same in his Office: and the said certificate being
completed, shall be delivered to the person making
such entry, who shall forthwith take The same to the
bank designated in said certificate; and the said per-
son shall then and there leaving of the said GER
tifcates with the said bank, deposile in the said
bank the amount stated TO be due in said certih-
cate 10 the credit of the Treasurer of the United
States; and the bank officer receiving such depo-
site shall endorse on the back of said certificate
receipt for the amount OF such depose, which GER
tifcate endorsed shall be returned to the collector
issuing the same, who shall hereupon deliver to the
person making such entity permit for the goods de-
scribed in such entry or such other receipt or ac-
quittance therefor is by law required; and in the
case ofthe payment of an estimated demand Of duty,
whenever the exact amount due shall have been
| certained and fixed according to law, it shall be
4 collector IN iSSua IN he perSo xvho
made such entry and who may be entitled TO receive
the excess fany Of duty paid on such entry certf-
Gates in duplicate Of the amount Of such excess,
which certificate shall correspond in number with
the certificate of depose, shall be countersigned by
the naval officer recorded in his Office and then de-
livered to the person entitled TO The same who shall
present the same to the bank aforesaid, which bank
shall forthwith pay the amount thereof, and retain
ing one OF the said certificates, shall the other
stamped as. paid to the collector aforesaid, by the
hands OF the person who shall have presented the
same. ..~ II .*. "
SEC. g. And be IL further enacted, That it shall be
the duty ofth said banks of the said collector and
OF the said naval officer, respectively TO make weekly
returns of the said certificates of deposite and of
payments, together with an abstract thereof to the
First Auditor of the Treasury whose duty it shall
be, on receiving, to examine and compare the same,
and lhereupon to state account with the said bank
and also with the said collector in relation to said
! depoStes and payments.
Sec. Andbe IL further enacted That, in all cases
| IN which by law the duties are secured 10 be paid
by bond it shall be the duty of the collector to de-
poslte for collection the duty bonds heretofore and
hereafter to be taken, in bank designated for the
purpose as aforesaid, and that whenever any such
bond shall be paid it shall be the duty of the bank
holding such bonds to carry the amount paid there
on TO the credit of the Treasurer of the United States
and IT shall be the duty of the collector on deposit
ing said bonds to prepare abstracts of said bonds so
to be deposited in trplicae, one of which shall be
delivered to the naval officer and after being
pared with said bonds, shall be recorded BY him;
IN arpH trtth has hrpL ~
said bank, and the other shall be retained by the
said collector and recorded in his Office and il Shall
be the duty of the said bank Of the said collector
and also OF the said naval officer, respectively to
make monthly returns Of such abstracts the First
Auditor of the Treasury, who shall examine and
compare the same, and therefrom state an account
with the said bank, and the said collectors and it
shall be the duty of the said bank to make weekly
returns of the bonds so deposited which may be paid
at maturity, and also of the said bonds as put in
suit in the manner hereinafter directed.
SEC B. And DC it further enacted, That all fees on
| making entry, and all other fees due and payable
according to law, at the several houses shall
be received by the cashier thereof whose duty 1t
shall be TO keep an exact account thereof and with
copy of said account, to depose, from day to day,
the amount OF fees received by him. to the credit
| ofthe Treasurer of the United States, in bank de-
| signated for that purpose, and to make weekly re-
to the collector and naval officer of the amount
of fees so received and deposited by him: and it
shall be the duty Of the collector to endorse each
entry the amount of fees due and payable thereon,
which endorsement shall be transferred by the naval
officer to book to be kept by him for that purpose
and it shall be the duty of the bank aforesaid to dis
nguish in its returns 10 the Treasury of its account
the sums so received, from time TO time, for fees;
and it shall be the duty of the collector 10 make
weekly returns to the First Auditor ofthe Treasury
of the Of fees endorsed the said entry.
SEC. g. And be IL further enacted, That il shall be
the duty of the bank, in which said bonds shall be
deposited for collection, whenever a bond shall not
be paid at maturity, forthwith, and without delay TO
deliver the to the district attorney of the United
States for the district in which the said bank is ST.
uated to be put in suit and upon so delivering said
bond to take fromthe said attorney trpcae receipts
of the same, one of which shall be sent by the said
bank TO the collector from whom he received the
| hand he 10 he First Anditnr of