Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1840-01-09

Houses, ucIlher then, nor at dty eu"Se-
ouent period, has there been any leslsla-
ton on the subject. The effort made at
the last session to Obtain the authority ot
Congress to punish the use of the public
money for private purposes rs crIme'
measure attended under otherGovernmenls
with signal advantage. was also unsuccess-
full, from diversi,ies ofopinion in that body,
Notwithstanding the anxiety doubtless felt
by TO afford every practicable security.
Tie result Of this is still to leave the Gus
tody of the public money without those
safeguards which have heen for several
years earnestly desired Ivy the Executive;
and as the remedy is only to be found III
the action Of the Legislature, itimPoses on
me the duty of again submitting to you
The propriety Of passing law, providing
for the safe keeping of the public moneys,
and especially to ask that its u,e for pri-
ya,e purposes by any officers entrusted
with it, NAV be declared to be felony,
punishable with penalties proportloned 10
the magnitude Of the offence,
These circumstances, added to known
defects in The existing laws, and unusual
arrangements in the general operations ot
trade, have, during the last three years,
much increased the difficulties attendant
on the collection, keeping, and dlsburse-
ment Of the revenue, and called forth cor
responding cxertions from those having
them in charge. Happily these have
been successful beyond expectation. Vast
sums have been collected and dishursed by
the several Departments with unexpected
eheapuess and ease: transfers have been
readily made TO every part of the Union,
however distant: and defacations have
been far less than might have been anici-
pa,ed, from the absence of adequate legal
restraints. Since the officers oilhe Treas
ury and Post Office Departments were
charged with the custody of Iaost o. the
public moneys received by them, there
have been collected sixry-millions of dol
lars, and, excluding the case of the la!e
collector at New York, the aggregate
mount of losses sustained in the collection
connot. it is believed exceed sixty thou
sand dollars. The defalcation of The late
collector at that city, of the extent and
circumstances ofwhch Congress has been
fully informed. rain through all The modes
of keeping the public money that have
been hitherto in use, aud was distinguish
by an aggravated disregard Of duty, tha,
broke through the restraints of every sys.
TEN, and cannOr, therefore, be useIully re-
ferrcd to as Il test of the comparative safe.
ty of either. Additional Information will
also he furnished by the report of the Sec
retary Of The Treasury, in reply TO a call
made upon that officer by the House of
Representatives at tie last srSsinn. rcquir-
ing detailed information on the suhec, of
defaults by public officers or agents under
each administration. from 1859 TO 1887.
This document will be submitted TO yon in
u few days. The general result, (ude-
pendent Of the Post Office which is kept
separately, aud will be stated by ilselC)
50 far as they hear upon this subject, are,
that the losses which have been, and are
likely to he. sustained, by any class of
:sents, nave been-the greatest by banks,
ia;:iudinS, ii, required in the resolution.
;I,er deprecated paper received fo" public
dues; ,i.at the next largest have been by
l;sbursns officers. an'l the least L,v cnllec-
,ars and rceeivcrsss lfthe losses on duty
,...aS are included, they alone will be
,rrec!o! those by both collectors and re-
ecwcr>. Our whole experience, thereby,
furnishes t,- strongest evidence that the
Desired Legislation of Congress is alone
wan1ins TO ;asrre in those operations the
highcs! degree Of security ana facility
Such also appears To have been she ex-
perieuce of other nations. From the re-
suits of inquiries made by the Secretary Of
Treasury in regard 10 the practice among
them, am euahled 10 state that in twenty |
seven foreign Governments, from which
unloubted information has been oh
tanned. the public moneys ar kept in
charge of public officers. The concur
renee of opinion in favor Of thai Sy>sen is
perhaps rs great as exists on any question
of Internal administration.
In the modes of business aud official re-
staints on dishursing Offices, no legal
change was produced by the suspension of
specie payments. The ereporl last referred
10 will be found to contain also much use
ful information in relation to this subject.
have heretofore assigned 10 Congress
nv reasons for believing that the establish
1nent Of all independent National rreasu
ry. as contemplated ny the Constitution,
is necessary to the safe action of the Fed
eral Government. The suspension ofspe
Gle payments in 1887. by the banks having
the custody of the public money, showed
in so alarming degree ndrdepeDdence on
those institutions for the performance Of
duties required by law, that then recon-
mend the eplire dissolution Of that Con-
ueciion. This recommendation has been
subjected, as | desired ii should be. to Sc
we're scrutiny and animated discussion;
and / allow myself TO believe that, not
wi,hstauding the natural dversities of
opinion which may he anticipated on all
subjects involving such important consid-
orai;ons II has secured in its favor as gen.