Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-09-11
From an editorial article in the Washington Globe Of
the Both Sept. 1884.
WHAT ~ HE ATT

the goth Sept. 1854.
WHAT IS HE ATT
Senator Leigh has written letter for publication,
which has been ushcrcd forth in the Richmond Whig
with view ofexplaning the lawful alternatives" Of
supporting an unconstitutional Bank or something
more unconstitutional presented to Virginia by one Of
his speeches in the senate. any one, on reading il,
tary intends ultimately to vote for the
Of the Bank the United States organized essentially
as now is as depository Of the public moneys, and
for no other place or substitute whatever his perccp
tons are different from ours Mr. Leigh does indeed
TN my opinion the trainers of the constitution had
no thought Of any Bank agency whatever, state or
federal, either for facilitating the operation Of the
Treasury or for regulating the currency and that to
administer the government in the true spirit Of the
constitution and according to the intentions of its
founders the Treasury ought to be divorced from oil
conncxion with banks, state or federal"
What then? Why the public moneys from the
time Of their receipt to the time of their disbursement
amounting, as they often do, to ten twelve millions
Of dollars, must remain in the hands of INDIVIDUALS
APPOINTED ey THE PRESIDENT AND REMOVABLE AT
MS WILL! And this comes from a man, who has
eagued with scores Of others to denouncc the Prcs
dent as usurper and contcmner of the constitution
and laws, because he claimed from the executive the
sense! He has now claimed that il should be retain
ed in the actual keeping of executive officers but only
that it must be at their credit and within their CONTROL
under such restrictions congress may impose, in
some bank or banks, or other place Of deposite But
Mr.. Leigh thinks that according to the true spirit of
the constitution ought to be kept in their pockets
chests or vaults, where they can approach il every
day, and use without the checks of warrants drawn
countersgned, registered and recorded, and passing
through many hands without which not dollar can
now be touched by any public officer not by the
President himself! We do not agree with Mr. Leigh
in the opinion that it the intention of the constit.
ton to leave with the executive the most dangerous
control over the public money. If we did, not having
the flexible political conscience Of the wise senator,
we should be obliged insist that on this subject ALSO
the constitution should be restored To its original
meaning, and the unauthorized constructions which
have been grated upon it, Topped off, But Mr.. Leigh
feels himself under such necessity. Thus does he
excuse himself for his abandoning his reading of the
constitution on this point, viz
"At the same time have no expectation that this
principle will be acted ita full extent The
friends of the state bank the friends ofa national bank
and the supporters OF the executive claims to power
will all combine against il, and the nation, most prob
ably will never agree, that the immense sums yearly
paid in for revenue shall between the time of collection
and the time of disbursement, be wholly unemployed
| and unproductvc."
If Mr.. Leigh has reference to the friends of Pres
dent Jackson, when he speaks of 'the supporters Of
the executive claims to power" he may be assured
| that they will to man, be united against any such
monsrous accumulation of power over the public
money-which such plan would throw into the
hands Of the executive And we venture 10 allegc
that had such suggestion come from Gen. Jacks
| it would have been rung through the Old Dominion
with the reiterated falsehoods about the proclamation
and the protest. conclusive proof of all the aspira
tons which have been charged to the Hero of Orleans
"See 0hey would say hop he nishes to put the pubti
tizans instead Of keeping it in opposite in Banks
,ohere cannot be drdon for other than public pur
poses, ,rithout certain detection" In such case
should feel that the people had yet of alarm
an effort to enlarge executive power, and put in it
hands the means Ofcorruption &c. &c. &c.