Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-12-23

which NAV occur-incudlng the late outrageous case
of the Creole.
Died, in Williamsburg, Mrs. F. RAsooLrlI, the la
men,ed wife of Richard Randolph, Esq, of that town
She the daughter OF the chyal1ous ana hosPanie
Major James Gibbon, formerly of Richmond Her re-
mains were inferred on Tuesday last in this City.
no TIE EDITOR OF THE ENQUIRER
THE FISCAL AGENT.
The temper of your article of December 9th, on the
subject of the Presidents Message claims the respect
of the friends of the present Administration 1t is at
once liberal and courteous and oilers deserved re-
buke to those who have INDUCED harsh abuse of the
President without waiting to understand the cha
racter and tendency of the measures which they
demned hope and believe that the further nvesti
CATION which you propose TO give 10 the subject OF the
Fiscal gency, will to remove many of the OBJ
jectons at which you have hinted Will you permit.
me to offer through your paper my own views OF that
subject?
As mere financial measure, il appears to me that
the scheme of the President, offers every advantage
which be desired All that is necessary is TO COL
ect promptly keep safely, and to dlsburse conve
nenly the public monies. AS to the firs there is no
change in the agents employed; the public revenue will
be collected in all respects, is collected and
by the same agents Other agents. however, are EN-.
uoyed 10 keep and disburse it. In this arrangement
there certainly nothing Objectionable in point of prin-
r;Drr: il involves question of expedency, and
uo,hinu more No one doubt, that it is better to
proyide safe places of depose for the public monies,
in convenient localities, than to leave them in the hands
of Postmasers, Collectors OF the Customs, and other
AGENTS scattered throughout the country, by whom
,hey are now received In this respect the Presidents
nan adorts substantially, the provision OF the Sub
Treasury Law, upon the same point But The great
advantage of the present plan is, that 1t provides Tor
three Commissioners ut each agency, instead OF one.
admit the business of your remark, that this increases
the EXPENSE OF the System, and adds to the patronage
of the President The expense, however, will be borne
by the agency itself, and viii impose no charge upon
the Treasury The little that will be added TO the pa
tronape of the President, the appointment OF the
Commissioners, not worthy OF very serious conside-
ration, since plan can be devised, consistent with
the provision Of the Constitution relating to appoint
men,s which will not involve the consequence
The present plan is probably as unexceponable in this
respect, any other that could be devised, oil equal
efficiency and security. Besides, the evil, even II II
were much greater than it is Will be more than coun-
,erbalanced BY the admirable guards which the sys.
TEN throws around the public treasure. Onc Of
the commissioners is 10 receive, another TO dis
burse ard another TO keep the accounts, and make
out and return, periodical reports oil lhe cono'-
ton of the agency. Each commissioner therefore,
acts as n check upon both the others, SO 'ha' - Is
that the re can be any cmbczzement or frau
duIent misap picaton of the public funds without the
| concurrence of NIL three of them better security
for the faithful discharge of their duties, scarcely
he imaoined II calculated TO correct abuses hor
sand times more hurtiul and dangerous, than any which
the worst use Of the Presidents patronage in appoint
ing the commissioners, can be supposed to involve.
| think Sir, that when you reflect maturely on the
great objects which this system designed TO attain,
YOU will be disposed 10 withdraw the suggestion, that
..the present officers Of Government would seem TO be
sufficient for every purpose. The present duties OF
those officers quite as numerous and weghty as
they can we'll discharge. To manage the entire rere
nue. of the country receive il; to transmit 1t from
place to place; to dsburse it through thousands OF
channels and to keep minute and detailed account OF
all that done regard to It, requires many agents de-
voted to those duties alone. Added 10 this peculiar
order of qualification is required not always found in
officers of Government, whose primary duties are OF
different kind. 1t is peculiarly important that the n
nances Of the country, should be entrusted to agents
who have other employment than TO take care OF,
and manage them, and whose responsibility is direct
| and UNREASONABLE.
! The Board OF Control established at the Of Co.
yernment is an important feature Of this system Such
general superintendent would seem 10 be absolutely
necessary IN order TO establish uniform course OF
proceedings in the several agencies, and 10 prevent an
excess of by regulating the amount to be issued
by each of them The fact that the Secretary OF the
Treasury and Treasurer are members of the board OF
control gives the Government the power 10 Prerent
abuses, but not the power TO commit them The asen.
cies will report TO the board OF CONTROL and thus the
operations ofthe whole system, viii be at glance
Whatever fiscal agency you may establish, some super
vision will be absolutely necessary and is difficult to
perceive how any be contrved, less obectiona
BILE than that which is here presented.
In this view of the machinery of the system see
nothing superAuous, and nothing deficient. More agents
might render it cumbrous and fewer would be unequal
10 the duties be performed The happy medium is,
| think, nearly attained could be reasonably ex
pected. Let look to the character and opera
ton OF the system, considered merely as financial
agent.
You express the fear, that thsis but the beginning
of great Government Bank. As financial agent, it
does not appear 10 to partake Of that character in
any respect whatever As the receiver and custoder
of the public monies, it approaches to the
character of Bank, than does the Custom House or
the Post Office AS the dsburser Of the public monies,
it performs function which is not daily perform
ed, and which must not necessarily be Performed, I'M
der any financial system whatever 1t resembles a
Bank in nothing bu, The power 10 purchase and sell
bills Of exchange and this is power which the CO.
vernment has always exercised without any question
Of its prop.ety Indeed, il could not manage its fiscal
concerns at all, if it did not possess that power
The danger to be apprehended from Bank, is not
found in any one OF the functions which it ordinarily
possesses 1t may receive depostcs, discount accom-
mediation notes, deal in bills o exchange, without
the least injury 10 the public, or the least danger to tree
institutions These powers become formidable, only
when they are possessed by a corp0ydt0n-they are
dangerous the abuse and not in Tie legitimate use Of
them Corporations endowed with vitality Tor GER
tain periods and their responsibility to the law little
more than nominal. Hence, they almost sure TO
abuse their powers because it is their interest 10 do So
and because they may do so with mpunity. But no
such result be anticipated from the present system
No corporation is established, and no immunity is
given Every part Of the system subject to the le-
gslatve power of the country, and may, at any tlme
be altered modified or annued, at the will of the Co
vernment. Even a corrupt Government could not
abuse such system, without corrupt people to permit
IT, Indeed all danger from this is eHectually
pre- vented, by the limitation which is imposed upon the
amount of issues. In country, whose circulation 10
so vast as that of the United Satc0 danger is 10 be
apprehended from the issue Of small sum as fifteen
millions Of dollars Even eorPordtoR thus RESTRICTED,
would be harmless.
There is in this country very general and very Just
alarm, at what is famarly called " the union OF the
purse and sword" Certainly, nothing can be more ta-
1 al. MIN ia
application Of the maxim, flor amaxm it has become,
We are always sufficiently careful to distinguish
what does, from what does not, Institute that union
the control of the military power Wthe country, should
not at the same tme have the control of lis revenues
The power over the sword is the power TO raise armies