The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-06-06

THE HON. JOHN p. HALE-rHE TREAsU-
REk AND REGISTER

La the Globe Of Monday night, The Hon. MIR Hale
is reported to have stated ia the House, while dis
ou-siug the civil and diplomats appropriation bill
that tie Treasurer aud Register Of the UOItsd States
had each received last year the SUN Of s7oo more
than they were entitled ~ receive and lbat To That
extent, he proposed reduction from tho salary Of
those officers.
There Is nothiGs ia the Globe which explains or
specifics the transaction out Of which MIR. Hale has
forn.ed an opinion unfayorable 10 the officers OF
the treasury. but la the nelligener OF te-diy, there
is something more explicit There, Mr. Hale is re-
ported having proposed "tO reduce The respective
OF the Treasurer and Register for the
current year s7S6 10, on the ground that each OF
these officers had taken from the treasury during the
last year this SUM- under pretence Of law, but IA d-
rect express, and palpable violation OF law. he re-
lerred 10 House document No. l59 Of the present
session. and read items Of charges against the Gov
eminent 10 favor Of each Of these oihcers-yiz; i.
l.. Smith and Willism selden-of s7eo 70, for sign
ing respectively 63 O9v treasury notes, at the rate OF
g. - per hundred notes. Mr.. ii. contended that
this being one Of the duties Of their Office they had
mo right to exua charge on that ground. lie hoped
that the money thus iched from the treasury with
cut law and against law, would be followed by such
a Tebuke a, the hands of Congress as il deserved
Now, little attention to the matter will satisfy
Mr. Hale tina, he has been hasiy and msiniormed /;
aud that the money which tbs Treasurer aud Regit-
received for signing Treasury notes, allowed
By the proper authorities, aud after the fullest nves
tigation aud sdyisement From the passage Of the
sation for the execution OF Treasury notes, claim
for any such compensation ever preferred. But
up to the passage OF that act, the claim for such
compensation rested on explicit statutes, which ere
aled the service ard promised the compensation
I he same authority which prescribed the general
duties of the Treasurer and Register, aud allowed
a compensation for the performance OF those duties
prescribed the special duties and CON pensation rea-
tive TO Treasury notes aud the special duties hav-
Ing been performed the special remuneration ,nevita-
nd har dad IN It
and absolutely any other portion Of his Official
compensation. 1t was therefore, never believed that
the act Of the 18th May, l5i2, was designed 10 be
Retrospective, could contItulig nally become So
But from abundant delicacy and caution the Treas
urer and Register submitted the matter, first to the
former accounting officers of the Treasury, who hap
pened to be present, and who were fully competent
10 decide and had no motive 10 mslead and on the
2Sth May, 1912, Me srs. Jesse Miller and J. N. Bar
ker gave their written opinion that the civ and di-
plomalic appropriation act of the 18th May 1912 in
relation to the expense OF Treasury notes, could not
have retrospective effect and that the officers were
legally entitled to compensation for all the notes
which they signed prior to the passage Of the act"
In the fall Of FAB, Mr.. McCulioh the presen,
Comptroller, examined the subject With the slrictest
care; aud the 10Th November, l543, he addressed
tier to Mr. Wise, the First AUDITOR, and stated
thai " the act Of the 18Th October, 1887, required
the Treasurer and Register 10 sign Treasury notes,
and appropriated money TO compensate them for
that service that they have been with the approba.
ton of the Secretary of the Treasury, allowed and
paid for all the Treasury notes signed prior Sep
TENDER H. ls4l, al the rate of 81 25 per one hun
dred notes; that between September IL, lS4l and
May H. 1872 Il appeared that those officers had
each signed 3,099 Treasury notes and, on the
said day OF May, were each entitled, for that ser
vice. at the same rate OF compensa alton, S7SS 10 ;
but that payment could not be made out of the APP
preparation under the act of October r. 1897 be.
that appropriation became exhausted in April
lSl2. and IA cpuld moi he ad., o,,tp Of
the appropriation under the act of May IS, 1912
because that act provided that part OF the appto
priaon thereby made should be expended for sign
ing Treasury notes but that, nevertheless il was
his opinion that neither the provso in the clause OF
the act of 18th May, 1912, nor the third section OF
the act Of Sd March, 1889, the 18th section OF
the act Of August 20 lS42, did could impair their
right TO claim and DC allowed the sum Of s7SS 70,
for having slgned 63,O99 Treasury note, between
September III, lo4l, and May Is, 1912 nor the u
thority and obligation of the proper accounting OFF,
of the Treasury to allow the compensation,
the right of the Secretary Of the Treasury TO
the same 10 be paid out of the appropriations made
to satisfy miscellaneous claims hot otherN Use proy-
dod, of which there an unexpended balance in
the Treasury on the 18th May, 1912, exceeding
$1,000.
The Comptroller, anxious TO do justice 10 the Gov
ernment reviewed his reasons and conclusions and,
on December e, 1913, "admiiled and certified the
count for signing G3 099 treasury notes between SIP
ember H. lS4l, ADD May Is, 1912, at the OF one
dollar and oneiourth per hundred treasury notes
and payable out of appropriations made for misceano
Gus claims not Otherwise p UylJed for"
Bat he highest officers Of the treasury cxered ther
vigilance over the case. And after the Comptroller
had owed all the claim, the Secretary of The Troasu-
~, Mr.. Spencer, requested the Attorney General, Mr.
Nelson to examine the subject and 10 give his writ
ten opinion upon II. That opinion given at
length and Is recorded IN the lett.r book Of the At
torney General, (el,er f. page 1917 and here ia an
extract from 1t
"The demand (the claim for signing treasury notes.
being raiid aud far one he Inquiry arises how It
ought to b. paidp which he proceeded 10 explain and
concluded hts opinion by saying nat the claim rory
sid ought 10 Be paid"
II was not until this Reasoned opin on was laid be-
fore hun, and carefully examined that the Secretary
OF the treasury issued his warrant to satisfy the
claim for signing treasury notes
Now, it Mr. Hale will cool'y ersmine the official
action upon this claim for urging treasury notes he
VIII itaOkly acknowledge that more thoughtful vir
lnce was never bcst,w,d upon any claim; for. IN
deed, there seemed To be general dsl oston among
he treasury Officers to examine II with severe and
sctupulous justice.
II respectfully submitted 10 the House and 10 the
publ c. TO decide, theo, whether The Treasurer and
Register merit the heavy reproaches Of Mr. Hale
II those officers have taken what the law denies At
least they have not flched Il from the treasury -
The pro- er buthortics Of the government allowed il
and the Officers received that allowance with dean
hands, and in open day.
p. S. VIII the National lnicIeencer do the iniur
ed justice, by publishing the abovel
A FooT RIcg-A foot race for purse Of $500
came OF at the Beacon Course, New York on M n
day afternoon. The distance run was ten and a
quarter miles, and the terms Of the Race were that
he k, -. IL