The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-04-01
For The Spirit ofthe Age.
REFORM5 NO. 5..-.STATE DEBT,

REFORM, NO. 5.---STATE DEBT.
Having exposed some Of the secrets of the
State Prison, and partially unveiled the manage
ment by which the people have been cnjoled and
their Treasury drained,-it is now proper to en-
qure into the extent Of the deficiency of the State
funds and the cause Of such deficiency.
correspondent a few months since showed
very conclusively that the amour, Of the State
debt was something over $500, 900, and tina,
considerable portion oft arose from the disposition
of the ruling party to reward their parlizans, md
nothing has yet appeared; to show tina, the deb,
has been diminished, or the policy changed.
1t Is true the auditor under special call of the
last session. submitted Report TO the House Of
representatives, in winch he guesses that the debt is
only Sl56,6ls,sl and even his guessing shows ev.
iden tokens of having originated in the manufac.
tory of Z, p. Walton and Sons. But let US exam-
inc fret the annual Report Of the auditor in tho
Treasury Department, by which it appears tina,
the whole amount paid out of the Treasury dur.
ing the pas, year was $s4 1922 81, which includes
$3.50 ,33 due the Treasurer the previous year,
and S3,704,sl in the Treasury. The auditor also
states the amour, of receipts for the past year at
SS4,922,s7, precisely the amount Of The expendi-
lures The account is as nicely balanced, as was
that of the Essex Bank when the old Iron safe was
sometimes worth $50 and sometimes $500, accor.
ding TO the circumstances OF the case. Now let Us
examine the wing ingenuity of the auditor and we
shall find the figures to tell very different story.
Mr. Berry has entered in his account of REGENTS in.
to the Treasury, the sum of S4,3s5,65 as priuci.
pal and interest paid Oh school fund notes, ST.
$3.50, 26 for peddIars licences, $4,6s3.73 from the
Banks for the school fund. and S2,l37, 80, for the
safety fund, which together amount 10 The sum Of
Sl2,566,53, the value Of the old safe this year.
Deduct from this las, sum the S3,79l,sl said 10
be in the Treasury, and the deficiency of the in
come for the last year is SS,77l,72, yet the wing
papers would have the people believe that the in
come of the State exceeds the expenses. In order
to arrive at this conclusion they contend tina, tho
50, 1898 due the Treasury the proceeding year
was not an expenditure Of 1871, and therefore,
that after deduc,lny this, balance of S767,6l is
found ia favor of the State Let US try i. and a..
low this wing balance of S767, 6l and then enquire
what there is TO Offset On examination we shall
find, that the amount of appropriations under sps-
cal acts of the Legislature Of 1870, was S6,l65,-
So, Of which sum according to the auditors repor,
only S2,57l,lS were paid, leaving balance due
Of S3,59I,S5. 1t will be recolecled that the bal
ance due the school fund is $l22 900 the in.
teres, on which is $500, which added TO the IN.
paid appropriations isSlO,9l4. deduc, from this
the amount of surplus income claimed by the
wings, and still we have deficiency in the Trea.
sury for last year of more than TEN THOUSAND
DOLLARS which is an addition Of The same amour.
TO the state debt.
Now why's it that the Reports of the auditors
are so inricaicly and cunnnglly framed that tho
people are led to suppose that the annual income
ofthe State in equal 10 the expenditures and why
is it too, that the wing presses assert and reasse,
that The State is not in debt and why is il that
the democratic presses are so slow to expose tho
deception THE truth is the hungry pariizans
must be fed, and the same policy that retained
Million Brown as Superintendent the State Pris-
on has concealed the facts fom the people, and !,
is necessary that the reports of the auditors as
well as the superintendent. should be obscurely
made, in order 10 perpeuate the deception, other
wise, the scep,er would at once depart from the
ruling dynasty.
In proof Of the above, we have the report ofhs
auditor Of accounts. by which it appears that on
the eth Oct, 1910, Z. p. Walton the high Priest
of Whggery, was allowed "lor stationery &c.
sl65, and on the 2s,h of Oct. "for stationery
printing, binding &c ss72, Oo' also on the same
day "for stationery $685." and on the 4,h of
March ls4l ,"for printing, stationery &C., $780,
s4," and the whole amount fed on, Of the Treas
ury to this same Walton during the past year is
s2.oo2,96 But the rcin, for examination is the