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

contains; and when REFLECTED thatthe
100 per cent. paid TO The agent Of the
Governor amounted to the sum Of SIS.
l49 81, a sum sufficient to pay the per
diem of all the members Of this House
for more than siriy days, or to pay an
agent at the rate Of three dollars per
day for a period Of nearly TIN Teen
gears, ! thought some investigation was
necessary. Perhaps ! a mistaken.
But ! believed my constituents would
not hold me guililess If | quietly passed
it by. | therefore introduced that reso.
luton. This House waited patiently
for some two weeks for a reply, but
none came. Now, what was there in
all this.matter that required two weeks
to furnish the information to explain it?
Is there any fraud or rascality about it?
hope, for the honor and credit Of all
concerned, there is none. After, as ]
have said, waiting two weeks and no
reply being had, il was thought proper
TO offer a second resolution calling up.
on the Auditor for the cause of the de-
lay in furnishing the information dislred.
This resolution could certainly have
been answered in ten minutes time.--
But like the other, two weeks more
were suffered to elapse without an an.
swer. And it was only upon the pas.
sage Of a third resolution. requiring the
Auditor to report forthwith, that an an.
swer was had at all. Was not this a
rather singular course for upright men
10 pursue, if the transaction was fair
and honest, and needed nothing to hide
it from the public eye?
BY the items in the report of the Au.
ditor, it appears that this three per cent.
fund was "obtained by an agent of the
State, upon a contract made by the
Governor, under a resolution of the
General Assembly, by which the agent
was to receive twenty per cent. Of the
sum recovered" In my researches in.
to this matter. | have been able to find
but one resolution Of the General AS.
sembly touching it. This is the same
resolution to which the Auditor refers
in his special report, and is in these
words:
"Resolvcd by The General Assembly of
The State Of Ohio, Tba, the Governor
Of the State, be and is hereby authoriz-
ed and directed to procure, by special
agency or otherwise, a settlement of the
claims Of the State of Ohio upon the
United States, for the three per cent.
fund, due upon the proceeds OF sales OF
lands in the State, embracing the amount
due upon sales that have been withheld
since the year 1885, and also for that
which it is claimed has been withheld
under the construction of the General
Government in deduction for expenses
of surveys, from the dividends OF the
State, and that The expenses necessarily
incurred be betrayed from his contingent
fund, to be reimbursed from the first
moneys received from the three per
cent. fund in the treasury"
This resolution was passed the 93d
day of March, 1910. 1t was under that
resolution. the Auditor says, the special
agent was appointed, who, it appears,
was a Mr.. Samuel d. King, Of Wash.
ington city. The agreement which the
Governor made with King, is also ap.
pended to this report. 1t is as follows:
"ExEcurIvE OFFICE. OHlo.
"Columbus, January 90, lS46.}
IS. ID. KING, Esq.:-SIR--Having
been informed that you we're willing 10
examine the books and ccoun be.
tween the United States and the State
of Ohio, relative to the three per cent.
fund, prior to the year 1910, l herewith
transmit to you a power to act in the
premises as an agent for the State OF
Ohio. do hereby agree, on behalf
Of the State, to pay you twenly per cent.
on all moneys you may show to be due
Ohio, as soon as said sum can be real
lied by the State, on accoun of said
three per cent. fund, except the small
amount which may have fallen due
since 1910.
81 am, sir, with respect,
"Your obedient servant,
I'M. BARTLEY."
Here, then, is the precious contract
by which Mr.. King was to receive