The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1849-02-17

~ SSoh
flary Of the Treasury d the United
States,a Treasury Draft for a sum just
sufficient TO cover the twenty per cent.
on the whole amount received from The
Treasurer ofrhe United States; and this
draft is endorsed ON the back "Pay to
the order If r. III. Williamson. Albert
"A. Bliss. sTreasHreraof the State of
Ohio." | have also copies Of three
other drafts making up the entire sum,
but to which u think it unnecessary
further to refer. This Mr.. Williamson,
as ! understand, did come TO this city
and DID receive this thirteen thousand
dollars and upwards, bu, that he was
compelled, before the honey would be
paid over To-. him, to enter into an in
Identifying bond with security, 10 pay
back any sum that would not be allow
ed by the General Assembly in the set.
element of the T%reasurer's accounts.
Now this is one item of information
which | desired BY the resolution. If
there is such a bond in existence as
this, why not let VI know il?
The principal items OF information
containej in the report of the Auditor,
on this subject, are the following:
"a letter was received from the
Treasury Department Of the United
States, dated OIL the 9th Of January,
1916, stating that "a revised account
Of the three per cent. fund, which has
accrued to Ohio from the sales OF pub
lie lands within her limits, from the 30lh
1902, to the 3lst December, l845.
has been adjusted, and "A balance Of
S65,749 % found to be due to her from
the United States"
"a draft was accordingly drawn in
favor of Joseph Whitehill, Treasurer
OF State, upon the Treasurer Of the
States, for the said sum of S69-,
749 %. Mr.. King claimed that the
amount Of his compensation, accord.
ing to the agreement, should be paid
him, and that a draft for that amount
be drawn in his favor. and the
balance paid to the State Treasury.
This was refused. The Treasurer of
The United States afterwards drew a
!raft for the amount of the twenty per
cent, and he also drew drafts for the
balance which was payable to the state
according TO the contract Of the Gov
,rnor with Nj. King; and the Treasur
n of State, believing the claim Of Mr..
King to be just and legal, transferred
o him the draft for said sum of $l3,-
40 81, in the absence of the under
igned from Columbus, and retained the
Of S52,599 90, as the proceeds
VI said draft as stated in the annual re.
BORT of the Auditor for the year l847."
The only reason assigned by Mr..
Woods why Mr.. King was selected by
he Governor, and why the conditional
contract was made with him, is the
ioubt that Auditor Brough expressed
his repor! Of 1914, Of being able to
procure a final adjustment Of this mat.
.er. None Of the later letters or ro.
ports express any doubt or difficulty in
relation to the settlement; and so far as
we know, Mr.. King never turned his
,and in this transaction. The letter
rom the Treasury Department Of the
United States, referred to by the Audi.
tor, SAYS that ''a revised account"
a balance due Ohio of S65.747
d." In the revision Of that account, |
suppose Mr.. King had about as much
to do as ] had. And it was perhaps,
for that reason that the Auditor relns.
I'D, in the first instance, 10 pay him as
per agreement with the Governor. The
however, because persuaded
Mr.. Kings claim was ''just and
and therefore paidit sin the alb
sence of the" Auditor from the city of
Columbus. Now, sir, | would like to
know by what authority the Treasurer
paid this S13,l49 81 to Mr.. King, or
10 Mr.. Williamson, as the cas- may be.
| had been led to believe that money
usually drawn out of the Treasury
pursuance of an order issued thereon
by the Auditor Of State. But in this
case, it appears that no such order was
aver issued. The constitution also de.
that "no money shall be drawn
rom the Treasury but in consequence
IF appropriations made by law" Yet,
defiance Of that provision Of the
constitution, this money was "drawn
rom the Treasury for no one, | sup.
Jose, will contend that because the Gov
amor was authorized 10 pay ar agent
ut Of his contingent fund Of $4,000,
he Treasurer was thereby authorized
o pay thirteen thousand dollars out of
he Treasury. If the contract was en-
cred into in good faith, and was such
N one as should have been carried out
~ the Legislature, | think there would