The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-02-27
DuBuQuc County Finances.


We have received the following communica
ton from l. P. Van Hagan, Esq, treasurer o
Dubuque county, in reply to an article whic
appeared in this paper OH the Odd inst. We shal
not follow this communication in its artful dodg
ing behind personal character or official stand
ing. A few naked facts set forth in as man.
figures would have answered the purpose quit
as we'll as the luxuriant verbiage with which thl
communication is graccd. We have asked fo
information as we had a right to do, upon the
financial affairs of this county, both as it regards
this county per Sc and it's financial relations will
the State Treasury. We asked it in advance
the appearance of the Commissioners annual
report and while the Commissioners were actu.
ally in session. What more proper time to ask
an investigation into the affairs of this county
than at the very moment when an opportunity
was afforded by the sitting of the Commission
erso At any other time it would be out of place;
now it would be too late, before it would have
been too soon. But does the treasurer meet the
objections charged in our article against whoev-
er may be guilty? We leave the public who
are interested in this matter to Judge. Let him
not suppose that we have based our objections
upon mere rumor, or that we shall be confined
to his records in defence Of our position. We
have not appealed to what aces on the record
but TO what acaS not. We might have gone fur
Their and appealed to the record itself to show a
delinquency which was standing against the
treasurer on the books of the Auditor of State
as late as the 9th Deccmber, 1918, and fol
which delinquency the proper officer received
instructions to commence suit against said trea-
surer.
We have foreborne to call attention or alude
in anywise to The manner conducting the coun-
ty business until the time had arrived for pre-
senting that report to the public We hold and
the public hold that full, thorough and detail
ed statement of the financial condition OF the
county was expected at this time, and regardless
of the 'slat job insinuation of the treasurer, we
say so again. We would just remark that an
insinuation Of this kind comes with ugly grace
from man who holds the Offices of TREASURER,
COLLECTOR, RECORDER, and CLERK of the
Dls7nIcr Cougr for Dubuque county, besides
being kind of eu-ofci0 assessor. But let that
pass If the treasurer felt the full force Of the
objections charged against his official conduct,
why does he wrthc and squirm through six pa
ges of manuscript to dodge the point at issue =
If his accounts were balanced with the State
Treasurer in 1913, where was the necessity Of
issuing instructions to prosecuting officer? If
4 separate account were kept by him with lots
and other real estate sold for taxes, why did he
not show it: or if he did why does it not appear
upon the County Commissioners report? We
said there was culpability somewhere. Do not
the appearance of facts warrant this conclusion: :
If the Commissioners had kept record book
for lost goods and estrays, their Clerk could have
had some knowledge of the proceeds arisin g
from the sale of such goods, and could have
charged tho treasurer with this amount. Has
this been done and if so, what is the amount so
charged, and has it been paid over? But we
had no right to anticipate the Commissioners
report, that is, we had no right to know how the
affairs Of the county were managed until told
by the Commissioners. Mr.. Van Hagan might
ll!lh SO, DuL noDCuJ clSc aces. we HHFC tldL
right and VIC have exercised the privilege ofen-
curry, and if the records will not bear US out in
our objections we shall stand corrected. Let q
full expose Of the receipts into the treasury for
State, County, School and other taxes and mon
les be presented for the last five years, also
the vouchers which show that these several items
have been accounted for and we shall have done
with this subject It's but right that this should
be done, it is wrong that ii should be left undonc
In the absence of such view of the subject we
shall believe that there is ulpability somewhere
To Dcct. Holt Ed;tor Of the .Hners' Express:
Our respective positions in the community III
which we live, seems to impose on ne the re-
luctant necessity Of noticing some editorial re-
marks in your paper of February 20, 1880. In
the discharge of your duties editor Of pub
lie Journal you certainly could never forget that
there can be no higher aim or wish on the part
Of person entrusted by the public choice with
the duties of responsible office, for the faithful
performance Of which he is required to give sat
istactory security, than that those duties should
be found on proper ;nvesti gation to have been
faithfully performed, the confidence of a gcncr-
public met and private character left unin-
iurcd. | am aware of the advantage Of your
position, mere insinuatlon from whatever mo-
tive originating, a mere con ccturc upon what
ever basis founded, q mere insinuating inquiry
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