The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-03-12
]. HOLCOMB, Editor & Publisher.

because presented at different boards, au
thorised 10 settle them, and the law ha
made no provision TO prevent such prac
t tice Errors and frauds, in accounting
: might occur to an indefinite amount, with
r out the possibility of correction, for an or
: der on the State Treasury covered all de-
fects, and there could be no revision
The public property, existing in securl
ties, as in bonds, judgments, fines, costs
&c., was wasted 10 an enormous amount
because it was made the proper duty OF nc
man to guard all these interests against
loss; and exorbiant and unreasonab bic re-
Enumeration was awarded for trifing SER
vices, because no document exhibited, 10
the Poop e or to the Legislature, the dis
proportion between compensation and SER
vice.
These imperfeclions, in our laws of ac-
counting, had been partially realized by
some, before the session of the Legislature
in ls41, when by Joint resolution of that
body, the Auditor of accounts, among 9TH
er duties therein assigned him, was direct
ed to report TO the then next session, "what
! notifications of the laws was necessary 10
secure more thorough accounting, by
every officer or citizen, being in the re-
ceipt of money belonging, In any wise, TO
the State of Vermont" The duty thus
imposed led to the disclosure Of the follow
ing facts, illustrative of the truth of the
preceding remarks A claim was present
ed 10 the proper board fol allowance, and
on full consideration of the facts, was
disalIowed it was Withdrawn, and SUBJ
sequeotly presented TO another board, and
aIIo wed. Another claim was presented as
above, and allowed, at just sum, as was
supposed, and the amount was paid at the
Treasury. This claim was again present.
ed at another board and allowed at great
er sum. Claims have been allowed by
The General Assembly, with an express
condition, that the allowance shall be la
ken as final settlement Of the claim, and
in short time the claim has again been
presented and allowed, and sometimes 10 a
still greater amount.
Another defect in the law before 1912,
was, that in some cases it secured no ac>
counting from persons ntrusted with the
public funds. The directors of the old
Vi. State bank, were under bonds " for
the faithful discharge Of the duties of their
Office" but the law had provided no board
TO inspect the conduct of those directors,
and OF course the Legislature knew nolh>
ing, less or more, about the concerns of
that bank, than the integrity of those di>
rectors induced them to disclose. The
Legislature had not the means of charging
those directors with all the State funds
coming into their hands for it was ais
ways in their power 10 use those funds to
subserve their own interests, for long
time at least, before know ledge of the
fact could avail TO secure the public rights.
Such case occurred at the Mlddlebury
branch, and udgment of about $1,000,
was recovered against the directors, which
was finally RENTED to them by the Legis,
|aturc, and lost 10 the State. Here was
a wide space left open, which might be &C.
cupied by corrupt and dishonest practices;
and when we take into the account, that
the act establishing that bank authorised
the directors to borrow money 10 fill their
vaults, so that the deposites might extend
to three hundred thousand dollars in each
OF four branches, and that discounts might
be made to three times the amount of all
those authorized deposites, sum equal tc
SO, 10000 and that the faith Of the Gov
ernment was pledged for the redemption
of all the paper put in circulation, ii i:
amazing, that the Legislature should have
relied upon such feeble means to protec
the funds OF treasury, all Of which are
supplied by direct taxation. This bank
was established in 1906, and in 1922 ar
agent was appointed 20 settle its concerns
: His powers were ample "to collect al
debts and demands" he wasiunder bonds
faithfully to "execute and discharge thu
trust reposed in him. by the act appoint
: ing him. But the law made no provision
to inventory the property intrusted to hi