Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1840-01-03

requires that such prosecutions shall be ef
hcient, and justice 10 the citizen whose time
is requirrdio be given 10 the public, demand,
not only that his expenses shall be paid, bu
that he shall receive Reasonable compensa
ton.
The Reports from the War, Navy and
Post Office Departments will accompany
this communication, and one from the Treas
ury Department will be presented to Con
gress in few days.
For various details in respect to the mat
tiers in charge ofthese Departments, | would
refer you 10 those important documents. sat
ishcd that you will find in them many valu.
able suggestions which will be found de-
serving the attention ofthe Legislature
From report made in December Of last
year, by the Secretary of State, 20 the Sen.
ate, showing the trial docket Of each Of the
Circuit Courts. and the number OF miles
each Judge has 10 travel IN the performance
Of his duties, great inequality appears in
the amount OF labor assigned to each Judge.
The number ofterms to be held in each oil
the comls composing the ninth circuit, the
distances between the places at which they
sit, and from thence 10 The seat OF Govern.
ment, are represented to be such as 10 rem
der i impossible for the judge Of that circuit,
10 perform. in manner corresponding with
public exigencies, his term and circuit duties.
A revision. therefore, oflhe present arrange
ment oil The circuits, seems TO be called for,
and is recommended 10 your notice.
think il proper 10 call your attention 10
the power assumed by territorial legislatures
to authorize the issue ofbonds by corporate
companies, on the guarantee oithe Territory.
Congress passed law in 1886, providing
that no act OF Territorial Legislature in
cooperating banks should have the force OF
law until approved by Congress, but acts OF
a very exeeplionable character previously
passed by the Legislature Of Florida, were
suieredlo remain in force, BY virtue Of which
bonds may bessued toa very large amount by
those institutions, upon the faith ofthe Terri
tory. A resolution intended 10 be joint
one. passed the Senate at the same session,
expressing the sense of Congress that the
laws in question ought not to be permitted
TO remain in force unless amended in many
material respects, but il failed 10 the House
OF representatives for want of time, and the
desired amendments have mol been made
The interests involved are OF grea, impor.
lance, and the subject deserves your early
and serious attention.
The continued agitation Of The question
relative to the best mode Of keeping aud dis
bursting The public money, still injuriously
affects the business Of the country The
suspension Of specie payments in 1887. rem.
drred the use ofdcposite banks. as prescribed
by the act of 1886, n source rather OF embar.
then aid, and Of necessity placed
the custody Of most OF the public money az
forwards collected, in charge OF the public
officers. The new securities for its safety,
which this required. were principal cause
OF my convenIng an extra session OF Con-
gress, but in consequence OF disagreement
between the two Houses. neither then, nor
AT any subsequent period, has there been any
Legislation on the subject. The effort made
nj the last session TO obtain the authority OF
Congress 10 punish the use OF public Money
for private purposes as crime, a measure
attended under other Governments with sig
nal advantage. was also unsuccessful, from
dlversities OF opinion in that body, noiwiih.
standing the anxiety doubtless Eel, by il TO af.
ford every practicable security. The result
OF this is still TO leave the custody Of the pub.
lie money without those safeguards which
have been for several years en- rnestly desired
by the Executive, aud as the remedy is only
10 be found in The action Of the Legislature,
II imposes on me the duty OF again submit
ling 10 you the propriely Of passing law.
for the safe keeping'of the public
moneys. and especially TO ask that its use for
private purposes BY any officers entrusted
with j, may be declared TO be a felony. pun
ishable with penalties proportional to the
ofthe offence.
These circumstances. udded 10 known de-
iecis in the existing laws. and unusual de.
in the general operations oflrade.
have, during the last three years. much in
creased the difficulties attended on the col.
lection. keeping. and disbursement Of the
revenue. and called forth corresponding cx-
rrlions from those having them in charge
Happily these have been successful beyond
expectation. Vast sums have been collected
and disbursed by the several Departments
with unexpected cheapness and ease; trans
fers have been readily made TO every part Of
The Union. however distant; the declarations
have been far less shan might have been an.
licipated, from the absence Of adequate legal
restraints. Since the officers OF the Treasu-
~ and Post Office Departments were charg-
I'd with The custody Of the public moneys
BY them, there have been collected
sixty millions OF dollars, and, excluding the
Ease ofthe late collector of New York, the
aggregate amount of losses sustained in The