It forbids the making of any discrimination in respect to the
receipt of bank notes between the different branches of the public
revenue; whereas the Secretary of the Treasury, under the resolution of
1816, was subject to no such restraint, and had the power to make the
discrimination forbidden by the bill, except as to the notes of the Bank
of the United States and Treasury notes.
This bill, if approved, will change the resolution of 1816, so far
as it now remains in force, in the second and third particulars just
mentioned, but in my opinion, as already suggested, will change it in
no other respect.
II. What is the extent of the supervision and control allowed by this
bill to the Secretary of the Treasury over the notes to be received by
the deposit banks?
And does it allow him to direct what particular notes shall or shall not
be received for lands or for duties?
_Answer_. After maturely considering, so far as time has been
allowed me, the several provisions of the bill, I think the following
conclusions may fairly be drawn from them when taken in connection with
the laws now in force, and above referred to, and that should it become
a law they will probably express its legal effect.
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