The Executive is charged officially in the Departments under it with the disbursement of the public money, and is responsible for the faithful application of it to the purposes for which it is raised. The Legislature is the watchful guardian over the public purse. It is its duty to see that the disbursement has been honestly made.

James Monroe, 1758-1831: chronology, documents, bibliographical aids (ed. Oceana Pubns, 1969)