The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1842-02-03

YET tne country demands tndt soHisthlur
should be done for lis relief u | cannot
get what shall appear 10 me 10 be the best
measure, will 90 for the next best and, il
cannol get that, AN wiling To try any
constitutional evpedieui, not exposed 10
gross defects, which shalt hold OUT the pro
ject Of smeiioFation in the present condition
Of things 10 regard to the scheme which
IS presented 10 US BY the Administration,
aia bound IN irankness to say that there are
parts OF II which, after the best consdera
ton | have been able TO bes,ow on the sub
Iect, appear to me to be liable TO Just aud
strong objection. BIZ. these are susceptl.
ble OF amendment; aud committee, acting
upon the whole subject IN that spirit OF
candor and Cancellation which is SO properly
appealed to, nav present 10 US a modified
measure, which may nnite and reconcile
opinions now divided ~ relation TO the pro.
posed scheme. The power proposed TO be
conferred on the Exchequer Board and It's
agencies, of buying bills Of exchange on
TINE, appears TO me 10 be one OF the most
dangerous character in the hands Of Gov.
eminent agents, committing the public
credit TO all the hazards OF private dealing
in one Of IT'S most abused forms, without the
safeguard OF private interest, and leading
almost necessarily TO abuse from the conye.
nleut cover il would afford for COLLISION and
iDtideIlty on The part OF public officers, under
the plausible pretext of errors OF judgment.
In the present condition Of the country,
when the credit OF this Government has be.
come almost the last resource Of tie nation.
al safely and honor, | canpo, think that an
employment Of the public funds so full Of
hazards aud temptations 70 abuse could be
justified IN a sound view Of the interests
commuted to our charge, even If it were
obnoxious TO 40 other objection. An al.
'bori'y 10 furnish bills of exchange on the
public repositories at distance, to indiyd.
uals applying aud paying for them IN cash,
would be exposed to none Of these hazards
and abuses-would afford important accom-.
modaiIons to the business community 10
facilitating the operations Of exchange, and
justly claims consideration whether it nav
not be safely aud properly incorporated
with the plan proposed.
10 regard TO the machinery by which
tie proposed system IS 10 be worked, i,
ought, IN my opinion, 70 be rendered efiec.
tually independent OF the Executive control.
This consideration, from lis intimate con.
nexion With the principles Of public liberty,
is OF vital Importance. | am glad to per.
ceive, from the Message OF the President,
that its delicacy and importance are not On.
appreciated by him, aud that, in the plan
submitted by the Secretary OF the Treasu
~, some provisions are introduced looking
10 the same object. II is proposed TO quail.
~ the Presidents power Of remeYa oyer
The members OF the Exchequer Board by
llmliOg II 10 specified causes pf removal,
and requiring, 10 every case Of removal,
that be should communicate 10 the Senate
his reasons for the exercise Of the power.
But these provisions do not 90 far enough
They do net effect that substantial indepen.
5ence Of Executive power which is iulpe
rionsly requisite ~ regard to so high and
delicate trGs! as IS proposed to be devoy.
ed on TIE Board Of Exchequer. | know. (
sir, it is said that this independence is not
al!aiuablc under The form Of our inslau.
iions, which refer beth tie appointment and
removal Of public officers to the Executive
head. But IS this true 10 the unqualified
sense here stated! The appointment to
public offices is, az least, as much the On.
disputed PrerogaIise Of the Crown in En-.
gland as It can be claimed 10 be an appurle.
nance 10 the chief Executive MagisIracy il
thls coun.ry. Bot this las never been held,
10 th4! country, 10 disable the Legislative
department from creating Parliamentary
commissions, the members Of which are
named IN the act creating the commission.
This is sometimes done By naming pafti.
c1ar la5lgid1ais and sometimes by fr,ig.
mating certain public functionaries 10 act or +
c8iclo as members of The commission. As
familiar examples of the latter, / may men.
lion the Board Of Control Of the East India
Company and the Commissioners of the
Sinking Fund. In like manner, when the
Commission Of the S!ukiug Fund was insti.
tuled in this co1airy, the members Of the .
Board were designated IN the &C, Of Con.
dent Of the Senate and the Chief Justice of
the United States FOR the time being two Of
them. These commissioners, thus virtual +
ly deriving their appointment from Con.
gress, were Entrusted with very important
powers 10 reg1rd 70 the redemption of the
pubic debt, being authorized, q, their dis
efetionr TO purchase il u from time 10 time.
% horro" money gr lhe purpose, aud to /,
Upon! subordinate ageals.
Now, sir, if the constitution Of this CON.
Mission which continued il rall activity
.or forty years Of cur history, was no. a
PLAIN nsurpatIon, what is there 70 prevent
Congress from making legislative organ
zaiion Of the Treasury Of the Uuicd States
u The same principles, end concentrating
nat complete separation Of the purse and
he sword, Of the Treasury from The Exec.
tive, "hich has baen so loudly demanded
y the public seufimea. Of the country =
rbe Treasury Department, as a, prescp,
Constituted, embraces a ,yrpat va,,g.,, 1r /