Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-08-22
TREASURY DRAFTS.

Our readers will remember what has been said
through our columns by our New York correspon-
dent, andalso whatwe copied from the New York Elk
press concerning the Drafts for small sums by the
Treasurer Of the United States in favor Of Pay
master in the Army upon Bank at New Orleans,
which many persons have considered to be illegal,
or at least contrary to usage. We have not edito-
rally made any remark upon this matter Had
we done so, we should probably have confined our
selves to saying that the fact Of these drafts upon
New Orleans Bank dated in June, being still float
ing in the Atlantic cities, proved them to have be-
come in reality circulating medium, however in
tended and that that fact stood in ludicrous contrast
and contradiction to the Subtreasury and hard
money doctrines of the Administration.
Our attention has been directed, however, by
friend, to publication on the subject Of these drafts
in the government paper evidently by authority Of
the Treasury Department. in which their Legality
and conformity TO usage are asserted. We should
be very sorry to believe that the terms in which this
assertion is heraded to the Public is attributable to
the same source the exposition OF the merits oil
the case, because they are unworthy of any high
official source being fit only for the least scrupulous
and the lowest class Of the party press. For our
selves, though we differ in many things from the
Secretary Of the Treasury, we hold him in personal
respect and, if we did not, should most carefully
abstain at all times from disappearing him. In
formed and that no injustice may even by accident
be done in our columns to the intentions Of the
Executive in regard to these Treasury drafts, we
! copy so much of the article of the 6 Union as
consists of either facts arguments on the subject
as follows:
FROM THE ssuNIoN " OF FRIDAY NIGHT.
BY the law stood when this draft 1.-THE 500 draft copied
into the National nteigeacer from the New York Express
issued the public moneys deposited by express direction
law with the Canal Bank New Orleans, to the credit Of
the Treasurer of the United States by whom payments
expressly authorized by law to be made by his drafts recoded
and countegned by the Registe upon any depository Of the
public money! upon from the War and other Do
parments drawn upon the Treasurer for payment Of the
appropriations made by law.
This draft, then, in precise constantly with the law and
also with the usage of the Treasury Department from its first
organization down the present PERIOD and other desc
ton Of drafts has been authorized permitted by Mr..
WALKER.
The War Department, to pay appropriation made by
law, issues warrant appears by the above FORM the
Treasurer in favor of Paymaser Of the United States and
the Treasurer in perfect conformity the law and uniform
usage issues his draft for the money public depository
But it is said these drafts although issued before the passage
the constitutional treasury law forbidden by that
law The very the fact They in perfect
formy that law and directly authorized by many
ons but especially in the Goth and 2st sections quoted
| below
Sec. co. find be farther enacted That no exchange Of
funds shall be made by dsbursing officers agents of
the Government, of any grade denomination whatsoever
connect ed with branch of the public service other
than exchange for gold and silver and every such dis
bursting officer, when the for his disbursements
furnished to him in gold and silver shall make his pay
ments in the money furnished when those
furnished to him drafts shall such drafts be pre-
sened at their place OF and properly paid according
to the laws and shall make his the money
dr2s furnished either
exchange the in his hands gold silver par
And shall be and hereby made the duty Of the head Of the
proper department Immediately suspend from duty dis
bursting officer who shall violate the provisions Of this section,
and forthwith the Of the officer agent tohe
President, with the fact Of the violation and all the circum
accompanying the and within the knowledge
Secretary the end that such officer agent may be
performance of his duties the President
and proper Proraded ho That those disbursing officers
having present credits in the banks SHALL until the first day
of January be allowed check the same allowing
public creditors to receive their from the banks either in
Sec 4nd be further enacted That it shall be the duty
OF the Secretary OF the Treasury to issue and publish regu
tons to enforce The speedy presentation Of all Government
drafts for payment the place where payable and
the time according the different distances of the deposares
from the seat Of Government within which all drafts upon
them respectively shall be presented for payment and 10
default of such presentation toect any other mode place
of pay which he may deem proper but these regu-
directions the duty OF the Secretary of
the Treasury guard, far may be- against those drafts
being used thrown into circulation paper currency
medium of exchange And officer Of the United States SHALL
either directly indirectly sell dispose any person
persons corporations whatsoever for premium any Tea
ury noe draft warrant other public security his pri
property sell dispose Of the avas proceeds of
such note, draft warrant security his hands for dburse-
men without making of such premium and accounting
therefor by charging the in his the credit Of
the United States and any officer violating this section shall
be forthwith dismissed from Office.
In obedience to these provisions and Immediately after the
publication of the law, the attention of the proper departments
called by the Secretary Of the Treasury these sections
in order that obedience to them might be enforced by proper
instructions their paymaers and other discussing agents
and compliance with the law will be strictly exaced The
Secretary Of the Treasury who putting in operation
the warehousing bill by proper instructions, will also
himself speedily issue the most stringent regulations
der the twentieth and twenty first sections quoted
to enforce the speedy presentation Of all Treasury drafts and
prevent their becoming paper circulation.
The New Orleans Commercial Times has re-
ceived the following letter:
UNITED STATES SHIr COLUMBUS
Near Macao, April 10, 1896
On the 18th ultimo just leaving Manila, your
letter, papers, &c TO hand We had Of ten DAYS
to Manila and passed three four days on shore very