The Democratic Whig., 1843-08-03

Is at hand, and in reply thereto 1 nave
the honor to say, that RICHARD >.
Graves, Esq, Treasurer OF the state
Of Mississippi, is duly authorised 70
rece;ve all money due TO the State OF
Mississippi, as well from the three per
cent. f;,nd. as FROM ALL OTHER
SOURCES.
81, was formerly the duty Of the
Governor 10 receive this, but by sub
sequent legislation, this duty devo'ves
on the Treasurer.
With very high respect
am sir, your obt. servant, i,
T. nj. TUCKER"
Hon. w. FORWARD.
The terms in v hich this letter is wfitten'
have no qualification, and admit of no Perver'
sion. The meaning is as plain and as obvious
as the sun at noon, and, like an axiom In malh-
ematics, nothing can render it clearer, ana a"
the special pleading and:PettifOgging subteity'
that ever were resorted to, would be utterly un-
able to fritter away The force, or circumscriDe
the extent of the comprehensive expression.
ORCHARD s GRAVES, Esq, TREASURER
OF TIE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI. is DU-
LY AUTHORISED TO RECEIVE ALL
MONEY DUE THE STATE OF MISSIS-
SIPPI, AS WELL FROM THE THREEPER
CENT. FUND, AS FROM ALL OTHER
SOURCES" The Governor lays much stress
upon the fact that the Secretary ofthe Trea-ury
sought information solely in relation to the
three per cent fund. That may be so, but why
then did not the Governor confne the informa~
iion, which he gave, to the powers ofthe Treas
urer to receive that fund.- Why did he SO un-
necessarily travel out of the direct line before
him and give so comprehensive statement of
the powers and duties of the State Treasurer as
must necessarily have led to the conclusion that
his authority extended over all the funds belong
ing to the State of Mississippi Why did he
not inform the Secretary of the Treasury, that
by the laws of Mississippi there were exceptions
to these general powers of the Treasurer, and
that it required q special act of the legislature
to bring any portion of the two per cent fund
under his contron He says his "repiy of itself
gave NO power or authority TO the State Treas
urer, nor was it 30 intended. II simply stated
the law" &c The Governor is mistaken; that
reply was the means, by which Graves was en-
abled to perPetrate his robbery of the public
treasury. Although there is frequently as much
criminality in the suppression Of important facts
as In direct falsehood. we do not even suspect
Governor Tucker of any criminal designs in the
part which he, poor fellow, was made to'pIay IN
this transaction. But we do charge him with
the grossest incompetency for his Office, or the
most objectionable negligence IN failing 10 state
the exceptions, which exist TO the authority of
the Treasurer over the funds of Mississippi,
when he undertook to give the Secretary ofthe
U. s. Treasury other than direct reply to
categorical enquiry as to, "who is the proper
person authorised by the Legislature of Missis-
sippi TO receive the amount that may be due on
account OF the three per cent fund.-" Though
Governor Tucker could confer no authority
upon Graves over the two per cent fund, he was
induced to act the tool, through which Graves
succeeded in imposing himself upon the Secre>
tary of the Treasury as the person "duly au>
thOrised to receive all money due the State of |
Mississippi as well from the three per cent fund,
as from ALI OTHER sOUEcEs," (including the two |
per cent fund.-
The Governor hangs quibble upon the fact |
that when this letter was written, (Igth April /
l642) no part ofthis two per cent fund was then
due, and he had stated ''that the State Treasurer
is duly authorised to receive all money Dux to
The State" Poor "Old TaIabola,'' must have
Belt himself wofully at a loss for any tenable
ground 70 rest his defence upon, when he was
.
breed to avail himself of SO feeble support to
sustain himself against the consequences ofthis
piece of ignorance ofhis duties or negligence in
ne performance of them. The Secretary of
ne Y. b Treasury had not written to him 10 |
Iuthorise any individual to receive the funda
hat were in his hands, but To obtain the ;nfor.
nation as to "who was the proper person Az :
rHoRIsED BY the Legislature of the State of
Mississippi to receive the amount that NAV be
'ald on account of the three per cent fund.-
The Governor in reply. instead of giving direct
the information, which he sought, goes into
statement ofthe general pow ers ofthe treasurer
. defined in the Constitution and laws of M;s.
lssiPPi, and informs him that Richard 9. Crav.s
'as the person who was authorized to discharge
nose functions. This letter Of the Governor did
ot Purport to confer any authority upon Graves
ut operated a. certificate of his official cana,
ny ana the extent of his powers, which ware
eriVed from an election BY the people ander the
and laws Of the Statc Of Mississinn;
nd vested in him during tie term of his apno;r,s
'enI' OF until ne should be removed by impeacb-
'ent. This being the character of the Cover,
0a's information in regard to Graves authoritv
I'm
" most ridicuiouslY absurd in him 70 contend
9. tne idea is Precluded Of: its extending bs. {
80 80 me money due to the stats'' a: the time
's'h 2. April 1922 when The letter was writ.
:. !. anof = the iirss instalmens ofths two Der
'n' iund vas made payable on the tirst dav ofI
-, 80 'na' lhersiose ne could not be presu-
y = nass nadtIeieTsnce tolthat. The letter Il
49, '0 'ne Secretary Of TIE U. 8. Treas. y
ss.'a,n 'n'ornaiiOn as 70 the general pow !.
= 'as aieaansersof mississippi, and assured 4 +
n fRN4 Rfnhnn1 "a