Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1846-04-30

and iorelgn hatlOns, ine President shah be, anu
he is hereby authorized TO cause the same
be duly settled annually with the accounting Of
icers of The Treasury, in the manner foIEowing
that is to say, by causing the same 10 he
counted for specially in all instance. WHEREIN
the expenditure thereof may, in his jndg oen'
be made public, and by making ceFiidra'e of
the amoun, of such expenditures as he may
think it advisable not TO specify; and every such
certificate shall be deemed a sufficient voucher
for the sum or sums therein expressed TO have
been expended"
Two distinct classes Of expenditure are
horized by this law the one Of public. aud
the other of a private and confidential charac-
ter. The President in Office al The lime OF tho
expenditure is made by the law the sole Judge
whether it shall be public private. Such
sums are 10 be " accounted for specially in all
instances wherein the expenditure thereof may,
in his judgment, be made public All expeu-
ditures g accounted for specially" are settled at
the Treasury upon vouchers, and no on Pres
dents certificates" and like all olher public
7
gress, and are open TO public examination. Had
information as respects this class Of expendI-
lures been called for by the Resolution OF the
House, il would have been promptly commu-
nicated
Congress fureseeng that i, might become
necessary and proper TO apply portions OF this
fund for objects. the original accounts and
vouchers for which could not be Z" made public"
without injury TO the public interest, authorized
The President, instead of such accounts and
vouchers, to make certificate of the amount
, =" Of such expenditures as he may think it advi-
sable not to specify" and have provided that
every such certificate shall be deemed suf-
ficient voucher for The sum or sums therein ex-
pressed to have been expended
The law making these provisions il in full
, force. II is binding upon all the Departments
of the Government, and especially upon The
Executive, whose duty it is 40 take ,hs,
The laws be faithfully executed" In the exer
else Of the discretion lodged by il in the Exec
uive, several of my predecessors have made
/
lures as they have thought il advisable not 10
specify, and upon these certificates, as the on
ly vouchers, settlements have been made al the
! Treasury
Ii appears ,ha, within the period specified in
the resolution of the House, certificates were
given by my immediate predecessor, upon which
settlements have been made at the Treasury
amounting 10 five thousand four hundred aud
sixty dollars. He has solemnly determined
that the objects and items Of these expenditures
should not be made public, and has given his
IS certificates 10 tha, effect, which are placed up
on the records of the country. Under the d-
rect authority of an existing law, be has exer-
e cised the power OF placing these expenditures
| under the seal of confidence, and the whole
II matter was terminated before came into Office.
n An important question arises whether a subse-
i quent President, either voluntarily at the re-
Q quest of one branch Of Congress, can, without
r a violation of the spir. Of the law, revise the
|, acts Of his predecessor, and expose to public
e view that which he had determined should not
S, be "made public" II not matter OF strict du-
Or ", it would certainly be safe general rule
m ,ha, this should not be done. Indeed II may
lg we'll happen. and probably would happen. that
III the President for The time being would not be
in possession Of the information upon which his
lie predecessor acted, and could no, therefore have
ly the means of judging whether he had exercised
his discretion wisely or not The law requre'
n no other voucher but the Presidents certificate
n and there is nothing in its provisions which re
quires any entries, receipts, letters, souchers
memorandums, or other evidence of such pay
n men,s" to be preserved in The Executive de
ne partment. :,
en- The Presiden, who makes the 'cer'ihca'e
ST. may if he chooses, keep all the inio'ma'i"
and evidence upon which he acts in his ow
ed possession. IT, for the information OF his sue
all cessors, he shall leave the evidence on whic
NV he acts, and the items Of the expenditures who