The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-01-08
THE EXCHEQUER BILL.

The objection urged with the most earnest
against the Exchequer plan is that it is a
Goreynment Bank, exclusively under Execu
tive control thatil therefore avowedy contem-
plates the union of the purse and the sword, and
i paving the way to the establishment of a de-
spotic power in the hands Of single individual
The lmputation is an excellent means to arouse
the jeaousies Of the People against the plan
proposed, and if the apprehension be well
grounded, TO raise the cry OF conspiracy against
our liberties, is the duty of every patriot But
why is the Exchequer accused of the dread
full crime Of endeavoring TO unite the purse and
the sword? Because it proposes the appoint
ment of the agents according to the method d.
rected by the CONSTITUTION. The Constitution
says: .'He (the President) shall nominate and.
by and with the advice and consent Of the Sen
ate, shall appoint, ambassadors, other public
ministers and consuls judges Of the Supreme
Court, and all other otfcers Of The United
States whose appointments are not herein 9TH
erwise provided for, and rhich shall be estab-
Iishedby lau." The language is here explicit:
all public oficers-at least all those in any very
important trust with the exceptions mentioned
are to be appointed how BY Congress p
No. How then? BY the President, BY and
with the advice and consent Of the Senate If
the offices are established Jy iam the agents
must receive their appointments in the manner
prescribed BY the Constitution, or not be appoint
ed at all
But the Exchequer scheme is sand TO be dan
gerous for the very reason that it proposes the
stablishmentof such agencies--the ncumbents
of which must be appointed by the President.
What institution can be proposed, under
which the President will not have the APP oint-
mcnt Of the Treasury agents We have al
ready shown that the Sub Treasury and the
Bank are equally liable TO the objection of vest
ing the money patronage in the hands Of the
President
But let US examine, if this argument, while
it coverlly assails the wisdom of the Con stitu-
ton is not guilty of the fault of assuming too
much-we will not say Of proring too much.
The President can have no direct control un-
der this plan, or under any other that has been
proposed-over the Treasury his power over
it can be exertcd only through the instrument
taity of the agents. The duties Of these agents
will be prescribed by law, and no MONEY can
be abstractcd from their hands by the President
or any one else, unless by the authority Of law.
The Executive, therefore, can exert no contol
over the Treasury, unless under the SUPPOSE
ton, in the first place, that he is undeserving of
trn5t ha a ,l,,.
agents, or large majority of them, are so lost
70 all sense Of honesty and patriotism, as 10 be-
come the subservient tools to the greedy aspi-
ralions Of any man in this country after un-
bounded power.
Must it naturally follow, because they are
nominated by the resident, and their appoint
ment approved by the Senate, that they must
Pc necessarily unworthy of trust or are we to
suppose that none but worthless men will lie
appointed or that no worthy men are TO be
iound, who will accept the appointment The
whole assumption contained in the objection,
loses most Of its force, unless under one OIL
'lSse suppositons. The argument involves
another postulate-that not only the President
ana The agents may be dishonest, but that
majority Of the SENATE itself is equally unwor-
hy Of trust 1t, therefore, leads finally and in
y'l'aby to the result, that republican, form of
government is impossible
true, such power, vested in the Executive |
and the Senate is liable to abuse--and so i, any
lner power The military power i, more
'dHserous, perhaps, Than the moneyed pow
- O@sar-we quote name frequently
A'n'Ioned by our mandy pamby orators
ir>t obtained unlimited control over the
1a'y, before he could enter the Treasury.
ne military power may be abused. The Pres-
"W : COMMANDMENTS Chief We have a stand |
~ army and the officers appointed by the Pre-