The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1845-03-28

| shall not allow myselfto shrink from my
duty to them and the public at large, by per-
hitting this ebullition of anger 10 pass by
without complete refutation, and full
substantiation on my part OF the charges
mado in the petition referred TO. claim
this to be not only my duty in this matter,
but claim it as right, which every citizen
ought to enjoy among the privileges of the
"Liberty of the Press" TO answer III the
same public journal any personal attack
which may be made against him; and claim
further that am entitled to as free use OF
language as him who attacks me, without IN
curing censure from community Tor tnfow-
ing back the weapons with which am attack
ed. have been advised by some of my
friends, that the public and private character
OF S. s. Sprague was so well known IN this
community, that neither myself, nor the
others who signed the petition, nor even any
other person, could suffer from his abusive
tongue. But ask pardon from such of my
friends as may think so, and beg of them
the privilege of allowing me for a few mo-
ments, TO consider "the" nsignicance Of
the accuser as lost in the magnitude of the
accusation.
There are several, and some of the most
important charges in that petition, which the
Col. does not attempt TO deny The hrst
among the reasons stated in the petition TO
remove Col. Sprague, is; his total disregard
of the 10th Sec of tic act 10 establish said
road, which requires the CONS 10 make out
and publish statement of the receipts and
expenditures on the road, in the month OF
January, annually; and also TO deposit
copy thereof with the Auditor of each coun-
ty through which the road passes. The en-
tire truth of this charge is not denied or
even pal!iated by the Col, in his communica-
ton. But it is exceedingly amusing to sec
what shallow attempt at an excuse is made
in the remarks of the Col. appended 10 the
| exhibit of the gsceipis and expenditures Of
the Ottawa, Defiance and West Buffalo free
road, for the year A. d., lS43, pub
lished by the Col. and Lloyd, Jan. l4th, lS45.
"To comply with the strict letter Of the law
in that PARTICULAR you say, 1" is impossible;' :
for the reason that settlements cannot be had
with the county Treasurer, until after the an
nual settlement of tho Co. Treasurer with
the Co. Auditor; and there being four Go.
Treasurers 10 settle with, YOU cannot settle
in general until they return from Columbus.
tINow ask the public, Chat same "generous
pnbhe,'0 to examine this excuse. and first
4 liet me- ask them, what the settlement be-
rItween the Auditor and Treasurer has TO dc
! with the settlement between the Road Com'rs
: and Treasurer admit that the Com'rs can
: not without some trouble ascertain how
V much cash will be paid them by the Co
b Treasurer; but nothing more; after paying
n themselves and their agents upwards Of fit,
/ dollars for managing fund of about 100
:, came. they tell how many orders they have
S given, and how many receipts they have
d signed, and the amounts, and where and 70
c what they have been expended? Had yo'
o received expended nothng-up 10
s. and during the month of January, 1914
1t and if you had, did you keep your matter
at such loose ends that you could not max
= and publish an exhibit of them until yo
d seen and settled with the Treasurer of tn
1t county, and saw how the matter stood be
IS tween you and him? and did you not &C
v the receipts and expenditures of 1S43 s
e straghtened up that you could publish then
J. until Jan. 18th, lS459 1t will take "ge
IS nerous public" very generous public to be
ID leve you, that in this particular of your off
cial conduct you have done nothing b.
phich censwe may be implied" especially
when you neglected 10 publish the accoun
until after the petition setting forth thes
n facts had been circulated for weeks in you
J; ), .einhhnrhood; and YOU having a copy Of
of and the petition finally sent off 10 the Legl:
sy lature for their action, until after the las
i'd had been sufficiently applied to cause yo
,h to wri;he under the pain Of the inhictior
a. then, and not till then, did you publish an
lie account of your receipts and expenditure
n. Then Just as you were about 10 start off
Of Columbus with the affidavits Of a few wca
a. minded men who feared the displeasure
;ol man without principle TO patch up yo'
- official misconduct, you published your ext
~ bit. If you had done as we'll as you we
~ able with the exhibit of 1s43 how does
,at happen that you promise to do so much be
,' ,'s ter with the exhibit of 1874? You said yc
49,. w would have it ready by the Goth Of Februar
~ - eleven months sooner than the expenditure
~ ~ of 1913. Have you increased so much
te ,1 cerkly skill and business capacity TO be alb
ila to manage much larger fund in 1914, al
'u- bring it to a settlement eleven months 500
I'VE er? you promised 10 publish it as soon
at; possible and you did not doubt but what
de- could be effected by The Goth Of Februar
ar and you took your exhibit and promise
to with you to Columbus, yet you have faile
lch the month of January is past and no repo
rat the Goth of February is past and yet no !
45. port. These delays are dangerous-you f