The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1840-01-09

can be 10 reasonable objection 10 running boats,
temporarily, whenever il may be necessary 10 put
down attempts at eXlofton, TO be discontinued as
soon reasonable contracts can be obtained.
The suggestions Of the Postmaster General re
laiiyc TO the inadeq1acy Of the legal allowance to
witnesses ~ cases ot prosecutions for mail depre.
datlons. merit your serious consideration. The
safety VI the mails requires that such prosecutions
shall be efficient, and justice 10 the citizen whose
tine is required 10 be gwen to the public demands
not only that bis expenses shall be paid, but that
lac shall receive a reasonable Compensation.
The Reports from The War, Navy, aud Post or
fee Departments Will accompany this cOmmunl.
cation, aud Que from the Treasury Department
will be presented TO Congress in few days.
For various details IN respect to the matters in
charge Of these departments, would refer you 10
those important documents satisfied that you will
find in them many ynluable suggestions which
will be pund well deserving the attention of the
Legislature.
From a report made 10 December OF last year
by the Secretary Of State, to the Senate, showing
the ttal docket Of each Of the circuit courts, and
the number OF miles each Judge has TO travel in
the performance OF bis duties great inequality
appears 10 the amount Of labor assigned 10 each
Judge. The number Of terms to be held la each Of
the courts composing the ninth circuit, the dis
tancts between lbe places OF which they III, and
tom thence 10 tht seat Of Government, are reprc.
sonifd 10 be such as 10 render impossible for the
Judge Of that circuit to perform, in manner cor.
responding wit the public exigencies his term
and circuit duties. A revision, therefore OF the
presen, arrangement Of the circuits seems to be
called tor and is recommended 10 your notice.
I thiBk II proper 10 call your attention To the
poNcr assumed BY Territorial Legislatures TO au.
thofizo the issue o. bonds by corporate companies
on the guarantee OF the Territory. Congress
passed law N 1896, providing that 90 net oi u
Territorial Legislature Incorporating banks should
have the force Of law until approved by Congress,
bat acts Of very cSccptionablc character pre-.
vIoH.ly passed by The Legislature OF Flotidz, were
-uf fod to remain 10 lorcc By virtue OF watch
bohd4 mas bo issued 10 a very large amount by
those institutions. upon The faith of The Territory
resolution intending to be Jont one passed
ihe Srnatt al The same session expressing the
sense OF Congress that the lass 10 question ought
not TO BE- permitted TO remain 10 force unless
amended ~ many material respects, but Il fai,d
"a the Hugsc Of Representatives fot want Of linr.
aud The desired amundmeats have not been made
fbe Interests Involved arc Of great importance,
and the subject descUcs your early aud careful
attention.
Tue continued agitation Of The question relative
70 Tie best mode 81 keeping and dsbursiGg The
public money ai'l irinfi8usy affects the husluess
u The coanity. The suspension OF specie pay
pcnt in is31 rendered lhe use Of deposite banks.
~ prescribed By tx -; Il 1896. source rather
u enbafra ssuem than AID aud Vi necessity placed
he custody or most II the pukiio ,nc.ey .1cr
aafas collected Ia charge f:!a 9dblic officers The
ncw HccnFitir- tot It's s4fety which this required
we're principal cause Of my eonvcninE "a extra
session OF Congress bal, 10 consequence Of
d.sagfttment be,ween the two Houses, neither
ihen. nor NJ eng subsequent period, has thci been
any lcgislatlon on the guhjegL The tti3d made
at the last scssioa 10 obtain thc authority Of Con.
gtess TO punish the Of public money tor private
purposes as a cttmC--a measure attended under
Other Governments Wilh signal advantage
also ngsueeesslgl, tfom dissfsitifs Of opinion IL
nat body Gotta outstanding tie anxiety doubtless
~ b} ~ s'lard cyrt) practicable security
The fctuli o. this j. sn!l 10 leave the custody 81
The public money aibou, those safeguards which
base been for several years cafuesu, deaifcd by
he Executive; nod The TENED, IS only q he
iouad IA TIE action 81 the Legislature, ii imposes
1n me the duty Df agaln submitting 70 you the
praptciy Of passing las providing Cot ,hc safe.
kerFiDF OF TIC public moneys, and especially to
ask that ils use tor priyate purposes bg any o.
Aocts cntf3acd with II may b.. declared 10 be
ebony, punishable vIlh penalties prDp1ftiouod 10
The 'nagaiu5s OF The offence
T8esc circumstance a5Il 70 known defects I
10 che existing Laws and uHu.ual drrauge sent -
the general operations Of t.aGc, have, during the I
lat lkrgC yrlrs, much increased the difficulties
lusaaant OF the collection, keeping. and a,bursc (
meut Of the rcvcuuc, and called forth c1frrsp pond
iug eSrriions from those having them 10 charge. I
Happily these have becn successful beyond cNptc.
htl5n. Vast sums have been collected sod Us.
bnrscJ by The several Departments with unekpect |
ed ehenpness sud ease transfers have been read. 1
iIy made 70 every part OF Inc Union, however dis
iant, and drlalcatipns have been iar less than 4
might have been anticipated from the absence OF
adequate legal restraints, Since the officers oflhe
Treasury aud Post Olice Departments were
charged With the custody Of most Of the public |
moneys received by them, there have been collect /
ed sixty SIX millions OF dollars, aud excluding the 1
case OF the late collector at Now York, the aggte
gate amount of losses sustained IN the collection
cannot II il believed, exceed sixty thousand dol I
lars. The dciact,ign Of the late collector at that
city, Of the extent and circumstances uf which +
Congress ha. been fully informed, ran thro Ugh all
the modes Of keeping the public money that have /
been hitherto ~ use, and was distinguished rs an
aggravated disregard OF duty, that broke through
the restraints Of every nystcn, aud cannot there
fore be uscf1.ly referred 10 a test Of the com
paratiyc safety Of either, Additional information
VIII atNo bt iNfNHEff1 Nv tar ffpffA OF Tue Nlttt
tarv of The Treasury, reply to u call made up
On that officer BY the House of Representatives at
the last session, requiring detailcd information on
the subject Of defaults by public officers or agents
under each Administration, from l7s9 10 1887 I
This document will be Submitted TO YOU in few
days The general results, independent Of the I
Post Office, which is kept separately, and will be
stated by sclf) sc far they bear upon this sub.
ect, are, that the losses which have been and are
kelly 10 be sustained. by any class Of agents, have
been the greatest By banks, including, as requir.
I'd in The resolution, their deprecated paprt re-
cclved or public dues that the next largest have
been BY disbarsng officers, aud the least BY col. !
Cctors and receivers. II the LOSSES on duty bonds !
are included they alone will be lhreeiold those by
both collectors and receivers. Our whole expe !
Renee, therefore, furnishes the strongest evidence
that the desired Legislation of Congress Is alone |
wanting to insure, in those operations, the highest
degree Of securii; and hcl!ity such, also, ap /
pears TO have been the experience Of other nations.
From the results of inquiries made by the Secre-
tary of the Treasury in regard 10 the practice /
among them, am enabled to state, that in twenty
two out of twcpty-scven foreign Governments, |
from which undoubted information has been oh
al. ,,tI, 4 =. - &