The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-12-15


at the present session. give full notice OF lis charac
ter before going into operation order that the dif
ferent interests effected by shall have time TO
become gradually adjusted TO its provisions
In that event II might be supposed thai the under
signed had avoided due responsibility, and timely
discharge Of duty il he were not prepared 10 one,
some views concerning the details, well as general
principles which he deems applicable TO such charge.
He has therefore examined the subject ana y feauy
TO present the results at any moment either House OF
Congress shall express wish TO that effect But ne
refrans from submitting them without special re-
quest because doubt exists, under circumstances
which be properly appreciated as TO the deicacy
of his discussing measure at this time, which the
Legislature may not consider II necessary 10 act on iii
a new Congress assemblies.
VIII. The mode Of keeping the public money re,
Gently established by Congress- has thus far answered
the expectations of this Department. :
The numerous lahors, perplextes, and delays o.
putting new system into operation, have peeh mus
ly overcome, and losses whatever are known 70
have occurred under il.
Some of the provisions in the law are deemed OBJ
jectionable in their details and are respectfully
mended 10 Congress for revision. But they are mo-
supposed to affect in the slightest degree any Pheipe
involved in the measure.
Thus the ordinary clerks authorized are numerous
enouch vel principal one is needed at New York
CITY with such compensation is usual at place OF
so large and important business
On full inquiry il has been found also that no site
could probably be purchased for the erecton OF an o
LOT now owned by the United States; and II may DC,
under a further examination which is in progress, that
no new building could be erected on that site, when
would prove more economical and consenient ''iai
one which can be purchased already erected a sun.
able change in the appropriation on that subject is
therefore respectfully recommended.
provision is needed likewise in case OF vacancies,
from any whatever in the ofhces OF receivers
general and treasuers One has formerly been asked
in relation to collectors of the customs, in cases OF re-
movals and expations Of ths terms OF ONCE 10 pre-
vent an nterregnum in the discharge OF the duties
This might properly be adopted as to them, and e1
tended to receivers general and the Treasurer OF the
United States well of the Mint and its branches
in all instances whatever of vacancy temporary In
ability of the principal. Perhaps the least obJectona
BILE mode to effect this object would be, TO direct that
the chief clerk Of all these officers should IN such cases
and where other legal provision now exists be au-
horzed and required discharge those duties at the
risk and under the responsibility of the principle and
his securities till the vacancy filled, or the disability
removed.
In consequence OF some defects in the phraseoogy
of the penal parts Of the act clause extending
them all dishursing officers Of every character I'M
der the General Government would be judicious. A
further provision also respecting the places OF depo
site, by disbursng officers of money not in the Trea
sury but drawn out and put into their hands for ma
king payments, appears necessary
The keeping of such money is now regulated by
the act of 81 of March, 1909 and il il is intended to
bring within the operation of the late law as 10 mo-
ney in the Treasury, it seems proper to do so by an
explicit enactment
The section requiring discussing officers to sell
their drafts for specie alone, though certain proportions
of paper are allowed to be received for all public dues
appears not to be in symmetry with those other prov
sions. The general influence of the present system
is believed to have been thus far sauary. The true
standard Of value has been rendered more familiar,
confidence has been increased in its stability, prices
have gradually risen, businessi improved, and ex
changes altered greatly for the better.
If something has been or may be lost in convent
ehce (Which is not unlikely by the increasing dsuse
of paper currency for public payments much more
will probably be gained by the circumstances before
enumerated well as by the greater security in the
of specie, the stable value impaired by the
present system to property and labor and the strong
check established by it, only against dcfacatons
but against bank expansions, excessive speculatons,
and commercial fluctuations.
Even any Inconvenience attending this change in
the currency used, if found particularly embarrassing,
be hereafter and the system still main
tanned, should Congress feel disposed to adopt the
measure Wich was suggested for that purpose by the
undersigned in September, 1887
Such measure would often furnish every advan-
tage OF circulating medium, easy of transportation,
OF the highest possible credit and at the time
curing an equal amount of specie to be employed
Though in deposited and without subjecting any of
the fiscal affairs of the Government to that legal de-
pendence corporations for their management which
is so Objectionable in many respects never to have
been attempted in the management of any Of its other
affairs civil or military.
The topics of the condition Of the banks of the
Union the state Of the currency the proper places of
deposte Tor the public funds, and other matters mme
diately connected with Them have engrossed aconsi-
derabe portion of the annual reports from this Depart
ment for several years
But the keeping of the money in the Treasury being
now separated from the banks and the kind of money
to be received and paid out fixed by new legal provi-
sons, is not considered material at this time further
to discuss these matters than to submit the general
remarks which will be found the close Of this COM
munlcation.
TX. Some miscellaneous topics connected with the
finances deserve brief notice.
The various measures heretofore recommended to
Congress by the undersigned and which have yet
been hnay acted on are again respectfully recalled 10
its attention.
Without recaptulating them, it will he found on
reference to former reports that many of the subjects
possess much Importance in fiscal view and every
years experience has strengthened the conviction of
the usefulness Of early action upon them.
1t affords me peasuse to state that since the last
session, the Ncapoan Government, under its treaty
Of indemnity, has paid promptly another instalmcnt,
which tins Department has been enabled TO have
mitted home early and distributed among the claim
ants.
The situation of the General Land Office and its
operations within the year, will be submittt separate
ly in few days.
Six old land districts have been recently discon-
tnued under the act of June r. 1870 1t is believed
that some others might economically and uscfuy be
abolished by Congress, though coming within the
provisions of that law Such is the office at Green's
burg, Louisiana. One district in Indiana, including
the capital of the State, is thought from its peculiar
position, TO require special legislation exempt from
the operation of the late act
This occasion is taken, also, to renew the recon-
mendatons, before presented by this Department to
Congress and the appropriate committees for the dis
continuance of certain officers employed in the
collection of duties whose further services has been
believed could be safely dispensed with, in conse-
quence of the reduction in business of late years the
different places where they stationed. They in
clude some collectors and naval officers and several
collectors, amounting in all 10 eighteen but whose
offices cannot be abolished without new legislation