Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1841-08-31

Can friends Of the Sentinel give the public
any light, relative 10 the new Issue OF Treasury
Notes. by State officers = Paoh .l1,cricaA.
We can only answer The above inquiry by re-
marking, that so far cur knowledge extends, there
Is no law on the statute books authorizing the issue
OF Treasury Notes OF the denomination OF fre dol
lars payable ftco years after date and ali such
sues are consequently illegal. This legal issue is
made by the Auditor and Treasurer without the
sanction of law, anticipating, probably that the
next Legislature Will sanction their proceeding.
These isco year Treasury Notes sold here at
discount of 3per cent. and of course this per
cent. loss forced upon the laborers and others
who receive them from the rag mandatory ostab-
lished here 10y the Auditor and rrcasurer-whe,h-
cr established through ignorance or design, we do
not pretend to say.
The law which authorized the issue Of Treasury
Notes for the payment OF contractors passed the
session OF ls390 prov ded for the issues of Fires
payable gear cder date, and FJfies payable
trc9 years after date and unapprsed of any
change having been made IN said law up to this
time.
Ii this Illegal issue is to continue. the sum Of
Treasury Notes issued, or to be issued may become
enormous that many years must elapse before
nue.; and the result viii be, III fact, now II, certain,
that the people Will have be taxed to pay the mo-
ney necessary for the ordinary expenses of the
State Government. in other currency than Treasu-
ry Notes. as early all the tins year col
lcctcd Viii be in Treasury Notes, and there Is no
law or authorty to pay them those who
entitled To payments from the State, even should
tnev be willing to receive them We suppose the
IL \ofa
and maxi me- new ones to carry on the system Of IN
ternal improvement.
When Will the people get out of debt. and pay
reasonable taxes under such cement
Since writing the above, have inrthcr prose-
cu.cd our examination. which gives the following
result. The case viii DC better understood by sup
pos NJ an xample \. has a demand against the
state .: 1000. \. applies TO the Treasurer, who
offers hun Treasury Notes to the amount claimed
one half in IS and the other in sos. \. says It
would be accommodation to him L. have the nay
payable in SOS, paid SIS. on the same time, and
bearing the isferost the Jo's. The Trea-
surcr and Auditor comply. No doubt but this Is an
accommodation to \. yet II the Auditor and frca-
surer followed their duty strictly and according 20
Law. il could be done. Notw ith>tanding II Il.
in one sense, accommodation, to the public, the
example of officers constituting themselves Judses
of the laws which / IS their duty only 10 execute,
should be condemned. Ii opens the door TO the
greatest danger. H. after the Legislature has made
law. officers whose only duty is TO execute that
law should be sustained in their assumptions as to
what was proper or improper, wha, was for the pub
lie convenience or Inconvenience, where would II
end Not only might the effect Of wholesome laws
be changed. but they might be entirely set aside
Hence the transaction will be condemned by eve
~ one who wishes to see the iaTs prcdominate IN
stead OF sadiridual opinions.