New-York tribune., 1876-07-03
WASHINGTON.
THE TREASURY WITHOUT A HEAD.


,yRu-MR NEW UNABLE TO ACT AS TREAsohEh
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSE'l
ueurNCToN June 2.-In place OF the expecteu
s.od locx on appropriations which was prevented
Cor 10 days by the passage of the Limited Expense
b;u a very unexpected paralysis OF business IooA
nlace in the Treasury Department on Saturday pS
reason OF the following complications: lhere are
two ways under the law of temporarily hiiine tue
position of head of department. when Vaca'eo oy
death. resignation absence, or sickness Inc ,i''
ia that the Assistant, unless otherwise uIec'e" ~
the President shall perform the duties. Inc seconu'
that the President may direct the head OF any o'ne
department o" any officer III eltner uepdi'n
whose appointment is vested in the PRESIDENT 10
nerform the duties of the vacant once uhul sue
cessor is appointed by law. However such S va,
cancy caused by death or resignation cannot DC neu
for longer period than 10 days.
When Mr. Bristow resigned on the 2Oth OF june
Mr.. Conant became Acting Secretary for ten days.
which peTiod expired at midnight on Friday Con-
soouentlv Mr. Cameron or the head of any other Tx
ecntive Department could not be designated to pre-
side tnporarily over the Treasury, and, as conse-
.orarco the business of the department came TO
stand so far as it pertained to issuing warrants and
signing important papers and letters. An effort was
made 10 tide over the difficulty by the submission OF
the ouestion TO the Department OF Justice whether
tbe ten davs prescribed by the statute should be
brs;ness dovs excluding Sabbatbs Had the decl-
sion been favorable Mr.. Conant or Mr.. Cameron
couId have acted as Secretary on Saturday, but the
decigion was adverse.
Another diff i,ulty also arose from this state OF
things. The resi- igation of Treasurer New had been
accented by the President, to take effect on Friday
the 3Oth of June. Mr.. Wyman, already nominated
od confirmed "a his successor on Saturday morning
x or, al lon1 md III o.
sened it for the approval OF the Secretary and the
Controller as the law directs. But there being no
Secretary the bond could not be approved and the
new Treasurer could not enter upon the duties
Of the Office. Conse quently, al through the
dav neither Mr. Cameron nor Mr.. CoDaht
coud act as Secretary of Che Treasury because the
period for which the President could make tenn
porary appointment had expired. Mr. New could
not act as Treasurer because his resignation h@u
been accepted to take effect on Friday. lar. Nymah
could not enter upon his duties because there was
no one TO approve his bond. Mr.. Cilfllan, the new
Assistant Treasurer, could not act, because the
statute prescrbes that the Assistant Treasurer Sha
perform such duties the Treasurer shall author
ize, with the approval of the Secretary ana theie
Iai,c y vacancy in both offices he had no functions
No drafts or checks we're therefore drawn, there
being no one to sign them. No payments were made
from tine casl-room, and no deposits were received
Later in the day, however, Mr.. New, who is stu
liable under his bond, authorized the payment OF
checks and drafts at the counter to avoid the neon
yenience Of protesting TO which the banks would
otherwise be subjected. Any further difficulty III
the Troasurers Office is avoided, as The President on
Saturday evening modified his acceptance OF Treas
urer News resignation so that 1T shall take
effect upon the qualification of his successor ana he
will therefore rcassume the duties of the Office 50 far
90 to hermit the transaction of business. Mean
while the count of cash on hand in the Treasury
vaults preliminary to the change of treasurers pro
crosses very rapidly and is in fact nearly completed
except S21 100000 in the reserve vault aud about
al 900, 900 ia gold and some 100000 IN silver
which last two items will be proved by weighing