James Monroe Bankhead James Monroe Bankhead James Monroe Bankhead (1783 - 1856) a U. S. Army officer in the War of 1812, Second Seminole War, and Mexican–American War, who rose to the rank of brevet brigadier general. James Monroe Bankhead was born on May 24, 1783 in Port Royal, in Caroline County, Virginia. Bankhead joined the U. S. Army in 1808, as a captain in the 5th Infantry Regiment. Bankhead and Winfield Scott entered the army on the same day and they remained lifelong friends. Before the War of 1812, Bankhead served in various commands and staff assignments. During the war he was
Bonus Bill of 1817 that while the Constitution did not empower Congress to establish any system of internal improvements, he stated, "To the appropriation of the public money to improvements... I do not see any well-founded constitutional objection..." With that statement, Monroe now held that congress had the power to appropriate the public moneys at its discretion; and that though it was in duty bound to select objects of general importance, it was not the province of the president to sit in judgment upon its selections. Additional internal improvements legislation would soon follow. Bonus Bill of 1817 The Bonus Bill of 1817 was legislation