Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-07-17
Ernm the National Intelligencer.

r.r.oranb is going the rounds of the public press
-,oti1g fhat the Hon. R. j. Walker, after handling
hundreds of millions of dollars as Secretary of the
Treasurv retired from that office as poor as plimi
40 Christian. We are induced TO notice this para.
raDh solely with view to correct the very general
bef that prevails that Secretary of the Treasury
has the handling of the public money, wher he never
touches dollar of it, and cannot even draw his own
salary without the previous consent and signature OF
four other officers of the Treasury, viz: the comp
troer, Auditor, Treasurer, and Register
Every demand or account against the Unled states
is first presented 10 the proper auditor, (ot whom
there sx,) with all the papers and vouchers, who
fully examines it in all its bearings ana dlsalio"S
any item that is irregular or not supported by proper
vouchers He then fills up printed blank certify
ing the amount due, &c, and passes it, with all the
papers, to the proper comptroller, (of whom there
are twoO and, if found correct passed by the au
ditor the comptroller ceries the same, and it then
goes the register for record. From him 10 pass
ed 10 the warrant clerk, who examines his ledger TO
see that there is money to the credit of the proper
appropriation to meet the demand and if SO, he fills
up blank mandate or warrant, 10 be signed by the
Secretary, and addressed to the Treasurer of the
United States, directing him to pay A. B. such an
amount, Tor such an object, and out Of such an ap
preparation. This warrant has then to 90 to the
Comptroller 10 be examined and signed by him, and
then again TO the Register for examnati' and
record and it is then ready for the Treasurer, who
gives his draft or check upon one of the Subressurers
most convenient to the party receiving the money
But the forms do not end here This check must go
10 the Register 10 be examined and compared with his
previous record, and, if correct he countersigns it
and it is returned to the Treasurer who hands it to
the proper owner, taking his receipt for the same.
Confidential clerks are selected in each Department
as dlsbursng agents. to pay salaries and other ex-
penses OF the Departments or of their separate
bureaus Towards the close of each month these
dsburslng agents make requisition for the amount
TFoH to and i
signaling generally the different items To obtain
this requsltlon it must 90 through all the above
forms, requiring the signatures of the Secretary
Comptroller Auditor, Register, and Treasurer; and
when the check OF the latter is given the money is
not actually drawn, bat The check is simply deposi-
ted 10 the credit of the disbursng agent the cashier
Of the Treasury thus merely removing that sum from
the general mass of money in the Treasury to the in
dVldua credit of the agent. The latter then gives
bis checks On the Treasurer in fGvOr of those en-.
titled to salaries other demands and those checks
are charged to him. and his account is kept by the
Treasurer on precisely the same basis individuals
keep their accounts with incorporated banking inst
tutiOns the depOsites and checks being regular ~ en-
tered in bank book. 1t is from this disbursing
agent that the Secretary in common with the clerks
of his Office, receives monthly check for his salary
giving his receipt for the same AT the end of each
quarter the d'sbursing agent states his account
charging himself with all his disbursements, with a
separate and regular voucher for each pay ment.
showing the balance he may have on hand, which
balance must correspo I'd with the sum TO his credit
with the Treasurers cashier. These accounts and
vouchers are all passed upon the same other &C
counts by the Auditor. &C., and settled in conformity
with the books of the Treasury
1t is not at all unusual that, in the settlement Of
accounts at the Treasury, balance is found to be
due parties for less than dollar the warrant for the
payment of which small sum must go through all the
preceding forms before the money can be obtained
from the vaults; and we recoect hearing a former
Secretary say that on one occasion, when signing a
batch of warrants, he had just put his signature to
for nearly million of dollars, and the next sue.
Ceeding was for twenty. seven cents This might
be called from the sublime to the ridiculous"
1t is another proof added to many others of the
superior genius of Hamilton, that all the present
SYSTEM forms, checks and balances of the Treasury
Department originated with him, without his having
precedent or model to work from, and that, after
an experiment of seventy years. no improvement has
been made, though no doubt many have been sug.
gesed or attempted, upon his original Ian.
English Anecdotes.
CampbePs Lives of the Chief Justices of England,
Just published, contains some amusing stories One is
of young counsel, who had the reputation of being
very impudent fellow, but whose memory was apt to
fail him. He began speech with " the unfortunate
client who appears by me-the unfortunate client
who appears by me-my Lord-my unfortunate eli
ent-." The chief justice interposed in a soft en-.
couraging tone, You may 60 on, sir; SO far the
court is quite with you" On another occasion, a
Quaker coming into the witness box at Gudha
without broad brm or dittoes, and rather smartlY
dressed, the crer put the book into his hand, and
was about to administer the oath, when he required
TO be examined on his Affirmative Another witness
having given rambling and discredable answer was
asked what he was, and said " employ myself as
surgeon" " But does any one else employ YOU as
surgeon = asked Chief Justice Lord Ellenborough.-
Henry Hunt, the famous demagogue, having been
Drought up TO receive sentence conviction for
holalng a sedluous meeting, began his address in
mlugauon OF punishment, by complaining of certain
persons who had accused him of stirring nm
the people by dangerous eloQuence" His Lord
ship answered, impartlality judge calls on me
to say, sir, that in accusing you of that they do YOU
great injustice" A very tedious bishop having
yawned during his own speech, Lord Elenborougf
exclaimed: Come, come, the fellw shows symptoms
of taste but this is encroachirg rovince. -
Soon after he made Chief Justice he removed II
splendid mansion in St. James's Square. To Civ
an idea of its size TO an old lawyer of Chancey Lane
he said, Sir, if you lei off piece of ordanee in TIT
hall, the report is not heard in the bedrooms"
LAWS AND JoURNALs.-Tbe Laws of the last Leg
stature have been in operation for MONTHS and the
time allowed for their distribution has long passed
BY, and vet we know nothing of them. The Courts
have appointed Inspectors for the August election
without knowing the provisions of the Act amend
ing the Constitution, called the Free Suffrage Act
and consequently could not comply with them
The time has arrived for taking the Tax Lists anc
yet not single magistrate is notified if there is any
new regulation Or alteration In the Revenue Act
Such delay has never occurred before, and deman d
al least investigation.
Many complaints have been made about the dis
EOullon OF The Journals also, and the Public Prin
'eFs nave come out with a statement that they have
performed their dutv that both the Laws and Jour