The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-04-30

1874 25,396,6;
lS45' 24,O23, Is
Sll2.397.47
exhibiting an average for four
= years of $685. 99. SO
The expenses for l84l were 1928, 6O2, As
1910 26,020, Is
1889 2O,4O9,94
$70.O3l,5G
exhibiting an average for three
years of $25,OlO,59
These tables show a general average fol-
seven years Of 1876, 554,94. 1t thus ap.
pears that The Court expenses for the veal
l845 were S2,53I,75 less than the eener
al average for the seven years next pres
cedlng. These tables also exhibit the nm.
accountable fact OF an increase of court ex.
penses, only a fraction short of 80 l.3 per
cent from 1889 to 1912. We say mac,
countable. for it is not possible 10 account
for the fact from a sudden rush Of BUSH
ness 10 that extent, nor 10 solve The prob
lem by the clemens OF accounting-or the
checks furnished by the law anterior TO
1912. We cannot discover, whether the
Increment Of Court orders for the years
1898 were no, the result, or that a por>
ton Of those orders were no: false and for
ged, for all the checks, which the :reasur.
er had. were the abstracts OF orders fur
nisbed by Clerks, and these were too i'm
perfect to be relied upon. Nor if the alb
structs had accounted for each order, could
it be known Tor a certainty, that the alb
%stracls, and orders too had been drawn,
by some other, than a clerk, and that fraud
was in no way the occasion ofthis extra
ordinary fact. 1t is not too much 10 say,
that the public safety depended more upon
the integrity of the Clerks, than upon any
and all the checks of the law. When a
question shall arise, whether a certain
amount ofmoney, disbursed at the treasury
has gone to pay for services honestly and
fairly rendered our system OF accounting
ought 10 be such, as TO admit of The solu-
ton ofthe question, without a peradvent,
ure. That this could mol be done before
the act of 1912 will appear from the fol-
lowing.
In 1912, on the exhibition of the treas
urer's audited account, it was believed
that the public interest required an inves>
tigation Of the cause of the extraordinary
increase OF Cour! expenses, and an inves>
legation was instituted by direction Of the
Legislature. The examination extended,
10 the vouchers audited at the Treasury
for six years, commencing with 1887 and
ending with 1912. The result showed,
that among the vouchers examined, there
were drawn, during those years Court Or
ders, to the amount of $l20.358,34, Civ
ing a yearly average of $2O.O59.72 The
amount audited in those years was $l43,
499 90 giving a yearly average of $33,
9l6,65. This will give a yearly excess
OF orders paid. over orders drawn of So,
1858. and an amour. Of excess o orders
paid, in the term Of six years, over orders
drawn in that time of $23,l4l,58.
The report to the Legislature on the
subject oflhat investigation, stated that the
''abstracis were too imperfect to be relied
upon. In many cases, there were found
several orders drawn 10 the same numbers,
and at the same term OF the Court. In
other cases, the amount only of several
orders was returned 10 the abstract. In
other cases, and they were Of frequent oc"
currence, the orders bore date, anterior 10
the date Of any abstract 10 be found, in the
office o! the Treasurer or Secretary. 1t
is not known, that ar occasion has ever
before presented for the examination OF the
abstracts of Court orders, deposited ia the
Office Of The Secretary Of S ale; and il cam
not very highly commend a system, which