Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-01-15

II
| some'hin: shall be done for its relief II cannot
yet wha. snail appear to me 10 the best measure
viii - Tor the next best; and II eanrot get that
| am wiling to Try any constitutional expedlent
no, exposed TO gross defects, which shall hold on,
the prospect OF aniectaton in the present condition
ol things. In regard tn the scheme which is Pee
| sened TO us by the Administration, | am bouud Ia
ttankness To say that there are parts oi 1t which,
alter the best consideration have been able to bc
| stow On the subject, appear TO inc 10 be liable to
Just and strong objection. But these are susceptible
| OF amend nen,; and a committee, acting upon the
whole subject IN tina, spirit of candor and coneia
ton which is SO properly appealed to- may present
to us modified measure, which my mite and =
eonci'e opinions now divided IN relation to the pro
posed scheme. The power proposed 10 be conferred
| on the Exchcqucr Board and its agencies OF buying
bills OF exchange on time appears to me to bc one
oi the most dangerous character in tho hands OF
Government neents, committing the public credit
to all the hazards OF private dealing in one OF its
mos, abused forms, without the saics guard Of private
interest," and idng almost necessarily TO abuse from
the convenient cover IL would afford for collision on
inhdcy the part oi public officers under the plau.
sibic precNt of errors OF Judgment In the pre-
sent condition Of the country, when the credit of this
Government has become almost tho last resource of
the national safety and honor. cannot think tina: an
employment oi the public funds 50 full of haznrls
and temptations 10 abuse could bc justified in
sound view OF the interests committed charge
even lift were obnoxious to no other objection. An
authority TO furnish bills of exchange on The public
uCpVsNutcs NJ u NstdNCc, 10 INDIVIDUALS applying
AMI paying for them IN cash, would bo exposed 10
none Of these hazards and abuscs-woud afford
important accommodations to the business comnu
NIFTY IN facilitating the operations of exchange and
justly claims consideration whether IT may not be
siiely and properly incorporated with the plan pro
posed
In regard - tho machinery by which the proposed
system Is TO bc worked, it ought, in my opinion,
To- be rendered cffrctually Independent, of the Ex-
ecu'ive control. This consideration, from its inti-
~Dup NJ .,,1, 4
IS of vital importance. am glad to perceive, from
the Message of the President that its delcacy aud
lmTornncc are not unippreci,ted by him. ard that,
IN The plan submitted by the Secretary of the Trei
snry, some provisions are introduced looking TO the
same object IL IL proposed 10 qualify the e.iient's
power otrcmovAl over the members of the Exche.
qner Board by limiting tito specified causes OF re.
m'vtl, and requiring, in every case OF removal th,t
he should communicate TO the Senate $ reasons Tor
thl exercise of the power. But these p,ov,iops a.,
not 20 far enough. They do no, eff 9, lin, s,,L,,,n
tal Independence Of Executive power whi,a Is In,
periously requisite III regard 10 hsh and fri
a trust as is proDosed to bc dcvolvcd on the B,,rl
OF ENehcQuer. | know, sir 1t is said that this indr
pendence is not attninahlc under tho form of n,r
institutions, which refer both the appointment and
removal Of public officers To the Executive hcnd
But Is tins true IN the unqualified sense here stated
The appointment To public offices -, at least, n>
much the undispu;ed prerogative of the Crown in
England rs Il can he claimed 20 be an npputtsnsnce
TO the chief Executive Magis,tacy in this conntrv
Bui this has never been held, IN that country 10
disable the Legislative department from crett,n,
Parliamentary COMMISSIONS the mcmb RS of which
are named IN the act creating the commission This
Is sometimes done 10y naming particular indjviiu,s
and sometimes by designating certain publ fan,
tonariei 10 'ci or otfeo members OF the comrnis
sion. As finIlilr examples of the latter | m,v
mention the Bo'rd of Coniro of the l. s, Ind, Com
plnv and the Commissioners of the SINKING PurJ
In Ike manner, when the Comm 'sion OF the Sink
ins Fund WAS Instituted in ;h:s cnIn;ry the mem.
ber; Of the Board We're ~ ,niicd in the act of Con
sreSs creating the commisinn-,he President of tir
Senate and the Chief Justice OF the United States
for the time being two OF them. These com misc on
ers thus virtually derivin. their appoint ment from
Congress, were entrusted with very important pow
ers IN regard 70 the redemption Of the public debt
being authorized, nt their discretion 10 purchase
IN from time 10 time TO borrow money Tor the pur.
pose, and 10 appoint subordinate agents
Now, sir, Il the constitution Of this commission
when continued in full activity for forty vc,rs Of
orr history, was not plain uSurpaiion what i |
there To prevent Con ress from making legislative
of the Treasury Of the Unuod States on
the same principles and consuf1miiing that com |
n etc separation of the purse and the sword of the
Treasury from the Executive, which has been So
loudly dcm'nded by the nuhlic sentiment of the
country The Treasury Department, as II rrrscnt
constituted, embraces great variety OF functions
entirely dlsnc; IN their character. aod which oush
n be separated IN practice. 4 that relites 10 tho
general finances of the country p'ars for raising
revenue and Tor the support of pubic credit, est
mates of income and expenditures, sc m.ht be
ies with proprIeiy as at present, ia the hands Of
the Secretary OF 'he Treasury as cabinet mui,ter
But whatever relates 10 the receipt, SAFE kee oins
aud issuing Of The public money, in pursulrc, ci
made by law, functions which con !
s'iuie the Treasury proner IN the concentration OF
the Constitution OF the United States corrcspond,,
to the Exchequer IN England, should bc under a |
separate and Independent, Administrations Lei a |
new Department. then, be created, cnmprehcnding |
1t csc functions exclusively which, together with
the numerous and contemplated dc; ills incident 10
the movement and transfer Of the public fund
would Afford ample occupa ion inr distinct and re-
sponsihlc department. Let a board OF tx on;cio
comm ssoners, formed upon the model Of the Com. |
missoners oi the S hiking Fund, consisting for ex
ample, OF the Chief Justice Of the United States Of
the President of the Senate and Of the Soe,ker orI
the House OF Representatives for the time being be
placed at the head OF this Department, and he chnry
ed with general supervisory or
over the Treasury OF the United Sntes which womb
req lire nothing more at their hands than one or
perodct inspections Of the condition Of tie Tre,.
sury IN the course of the year, and an annual renort
OF It's operations to be made to Congress within inc
hrstmonth OF each session This board being thus
constituted The head ot the Department unt,,
INT clause OF the Constitution which authorizes
"COnsress by law To vest the appointment Of surb
inferior officers they think proper in the heads Of
Departments" &c. provision might be made for
ves'lng the appointment Of 1 rclsuror OF the mem
bers Of the proposed EXchequer and ofall other Off;
GERS concerned IN the active duties Of the Dsp1rt
ment, IN the Board of Commits -ioners. vino sbopIJ
alone, too, have the power oil rCmovin any of these
functlonares from office in OF mnlvefsltion or
incnmpcency | throw out these suggestions for
the consideration If the Senate not as HAVING very
thoroughly ponIsrcd them myself though thcy h ,ye
often passed through my mind IN the deep ANXIETY
itel inr the accomplishment of the obj.c, NJ which
they nim-an entire withdrawal of the Treasury
from any connexion with. or DEPEND nee on. the
Executive. fthere should he no constitutional i'm
pedment to their adoption, and confess am no,
inclined to be astute IN searching for one i'm such
cause, they would he the means Of cfTectnga gte,t
political reform and OF niTp'dIng n security for the
public liberty, the Importance of which. IN the GO
neral sentiment of the country, cannot, am sure
he oveffntcd.
IL, however, upon consideration, it should be
thought that the actual provisions Of the CONSTITUTIONS
notw outstanding tho practical construction it received
in The case Of the Commissioners OF the Sjnkiny
Fund, oppose an lnsumouE,ablc obstacle TO the
arrangement here suggested, there is yoi another
mode ri rendering the members Of tho proposed
EKchcIucf Board virtually indfpenpenl of the pow
er OF tic President m regard TO tho constitutIonuy
Of which, presume, there can be no doubt in tie
minds II a iiorty of this body. I mean by pro
vidng that they shall not be removed from Office in
any Gaze without the concurrence Of tho Senate; re-
serving, however TO the President the power of sue
pension IN case Of misconduct or inkiciy and OF nn
pointing temporary substitute during the rcce,s of
the Senate, winch, ms soon l. meets, shall deter
mine whether the officer shall be restored, or be Fl
nally removed from oifce. a provision OF this kind
over tho officer the shield OF Scn,torii
justice, would render him independent Of the mere