The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-10-23

4xN }Mqt WS4 tnRn* YAK munlfl N48#R tnN8 &&8
" : e MI fna pose sslty OF
\ W'ffh ifls expression of our belief,
however, that if men, reputed honest, were dill
gently sought for office, aud could be induced to
accept il, ''no confinement in the State pri on"
need be threatened in punishment of Enacted
rascality.
We have said that this same seventeenth sec
lion constitutes the most important provision Of
the act We repeat, with more emphasis, the
assertion. II is the spirit of the act, and It's
main dependence Destroy or abrogate it, and
you have the mere skeleton of bill. Read
well the other sections. What are they but le-
gal ex2ositions Of laws already established or
provisatory merely of adjuncts, or expletive {?
Certain sections provide certain ''rooms, vaults,
and safesn-an useful provision. perhaps, in an
inchoate government, unprepared with proper
buildings for the deposites of the public moneys;
but, in ours, wholly unrequired. Ohtr sections
their duties: in other words, give new names to
old persons, and enumerate old official regula-
tons in new language. All sections we have
examined but this are demonstralive, declarato-
nv, or surpusage. This is the only vital princi-
pie in the bill-so avowed by its advocates, and
50 presented TO the People. And by the act we
are about 10 transcribe, il will be found IL has
so been considered since For the very act
that, al the Extra Session OF al, repealed the
{" b-Treasury," re enacted Mis-and, as will
be seen, with 40 additional feature, extending
the reach Of the law:
Sec 2. BE il further enacted That if any Off
Ger charged with the safe-keepng, transfer or dis
bursement Of the public moneys, connected with
the Post Office Department, shall convert to his own
use in any way whatever, shall use by way Of in
veslment in any kind Of property or merchandise,
shall loan, with or without interest, any portion Of
the public moneys entrusted him for safe keeping
transfer DISBURSEMENT or for any purpose whatever
every such act shall be deemed and adjIdged TO be
an embezzemeni Of so much OF the said moneys as
shall be thus taken, converted, invested, used,
loaned which is hereby declared TO be felony
and he neglect refI al 70 pay on demand any
public moneys in his hands, upon the presentation Of
Lra order, warrant drGicn upon him, and stg1ed by
The Stcrelnu 4 the Treasury, 10 transfer dtsbUse
anu such moneys promptly according 10 lav The legal
requirement Of superior officer shall be prHG Jacie trt
dence Of sch CONVERSION TO his OF much Of the
public moneys may be in his hands Any oihcer or
agent of the United States, and all persons advising,
or knowingly and willingly participating 10 such EN-
bezzlement upon being convicted thereof before any
court of the United States Of competent jurisdiction,
shall for every such offence forfeit and pay to The
IT, S. a fine equal 10 the amount Of the money en-
bezzed and shall suffer Imprisonment for term not
less than six months nor more than five year'
II ,arf
will fnd, among the " Wigs" as with his own
peculiar" friends, when in power, an equal
distrust in the honesty of the people; for Of the
people, all public agents are selected.
The same Safeguards around the public
treasure" exist now, as before the repeal of the
act nay, as we have shown ab I'VE, with great
er slringency. This fact was known to both
these editor-yoke-felows Tas knoDn, and in
tentionaily fdlsifed!
What an opinion they both must entertain Of
the good sense and intelligence Of the people !
The one blazons forth to the public view an I'M
qualified perversion Of the truth and the other,
with equal brazen-facedness builds, upon such
knolrn peryerson, alike unwauanted commen-
taries Can such men be termed Denocrats2
A true Democrat, to be friend Of the people,
must be a lover Of the truth. Alas for our
common country since party madness raises.
/ for guides Of the people, men who seek self
aggraudzemenI at the expense of their bene-
factors; and, not satisfied to rob them OF the
hard-earned gains Of labor, add insult more in
toIerable than injury, and seek to deprive them
of their understandings
Not one cent Of the public moneys has been
lost to the public Treasury, since the repeal of
the " Sub Treasury" act, by the defaIcaton of
any public officer: from fear, these honest edi-
tors may think, Of "confnement in.the State
prison !" from The judicious selection, as we be-
lieve, by the present Executive, Of subordinate
officers. His judgment is confirmed by their
honesty.
The statement of the "Times," copied into
the Globe" that the public money is con-
trolled in accordance with the within and will OF
an individual" exctes more pity for its absurdi-
ty, than indignation at its falsehood. That the
President Of the United States has no more
control over the public moneys tban the hum
blest individual in the county, is fact so no
torious, hat we ale surprised even these editors
should dare TO promulgate the contrary. They
4