The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1849-04-07
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Vol, VI sas lsos,l@ NJ lsl, Ios s..is ,til
small jDhso,,'ihs Candf Fund comnanniis-
Ths Sir section authorizes The Board
/ Of Public Works, 10 make requisiilon on
The same iunto, for sums % pay for sta
,ionary, clerk hire, printing, salary Of
the secretary, and other contingent ex-
penses Of said board, and for the con.
iiagsal eaipsasesof thsi sctins msinbers
ofsaid Board-a pretty ample provision
seem for contingepcies!!!! And
tho Canal, Fund Commissioners. .shall
appropriate accordingly. The seventh
section provides that such worthless
speculations as will, not yield revenue
enough 70, pay the costs Of their o,on re-.
paiss, shall be considered parts Of the
work!!! Here is ample provision Tor
making appropriations. But when this
irresponsible junto, this close, conclaye
makes .nn appropriation, i. il made by
lawf Not unless their edicis are laws.
We are willing 10 rest the controversy
on this point: are the edicts Of this d.
van laws in the constitutional. sense Of
The term? sgi IA aoiia:hnijuoo 1e4a /
No man who reflects that the Iegisla.
tive authority Of this State is, BY the
constitution, vested in the General As
semHy, and that the same instrument
forbds all appropriations except by law,
can hesitate rs 10 the answer TO be Civ.
en- to this question:. The law commit
lee Of this Senate cam OF hesitate about
the matter; but must pronounce that
the edict OF these men are not laws,
and thai the acts Of the assembly which
attempt to cIothe them with discretion
ary and Legislative, power over the pso-
ple's money, are unconstitutional, null
and void. This conclusion seems so
natural, so irresisiable, that the only a.
m,zement is that men should be found
hardy enough 10 centrovert it, "a,
But Senators contend that the act OF
the 4,hl of February, 1925, and other
kindred acts, de!ega.ing this power to
the Auditor and Fund Commissioners,
made the appropriations. But how
shall such reasoning, bear the lest Of
Investigations How do those acts make
appropriationsi ID Do they not simply
provide the instrumentality by which
sessupc tons may be .performed2-
And is not that its sole Office? does il
do my thing more! The argument
NAV be. exhibited in other words. II
the General Assembly has made all the
by simply authorizing
the autocrat and the conclave TO make
them, then the convention of 1902 has
made all the Assembly acts passed since
that date, by simply authorizing the As
sembly 10 make them! Oh the argu-
ment of our ingenious and eloquent op-
ponent IS false, demonstrahly false in
La ", ,as would be the postum in, ply sizes,
lhat two different and distinct masses
of matter may fill the same Identical
,pace nj the same moment OF time. No
nan can by any remote possibility be
subjected to any legal animadversion
for disobedience. We say this in the
lace of the enlightened and civilized
world, and with a full view TO the re-
,ponsibili,ies of our position. aa1
Q what's an appropriation but a gran,
,f a specific sum of money for q spe-
:i6c purpose, as'to pay debt, perform
| contract, or fix the compensation Of
,ome public agent or agents? And is
tot the amount Of the grant a matter
u The most delicate Legislative discre-
ion? m What did the General Assembly
II 825 know about the wants and ne.
,essilies of l849? What did il know
lbout the expenditure Of nearly half
million of dollars reported by the Coy
,rnor as having been made during the
past year for The repair of our system
IF public works9 Did that body then
ioresee that too much or too little would
De granted, during The year | a48, TO
he agents employ cd in repairing the
Musklngum improvements or tho Wal.
aonding, Hooking or Miami Extension
Canal Yetour able and sagacious an
lagonists are compelled in their distress
10 resort to- the assemblies hof rbygone
Y ears as the author Of these enormous
appropriations. Ough. not our afore-
said worthy aptagonistsyin candor, to
,oniess shat il appropriations can be
made q quarter ola century before
rand, they may be made one two or
'hree centuries before hand, that they
nay be made by one single act aor the
whole lifetime ef the sc0mm6nwsalthi Z
)ugh, they not ia cando + 10 confess
hat appropriations may be made IL