Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1850-02-07
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 7.

| Judges ofihe Conr, allow certain kind Of
bills, the Grneral Treasurer allows certain
bills, aud The balance go before the Legis-
lslure, and are allowed or rejected by the
Committee on Accounts. This Commit
tee, ofcourse, Is constantly changing, AMI
hence no one me,nber can say wha, the
custom has beeu, and therefore, exact JUS
tice to all parties canrot be Zone.
If We had an Auditor of Accounts. who
continued in Office from year to year, h!
would have a system about his business
he would examine mlnutely into all claims
a, his leizurc, AMI exact justice would then
be done both to claimants and to the State.
\ The following were the remarks Of Mr..
CraRsion, Of Newport, in the Legislature,
when this l}! was under consideration -
h Mr.. Crarston of Newport, sad that the
objections and arguments of the gentleman
from South King stown, Mr.. Updike, we're
fresh in his recollection. and in the recol-
lection Of most members. What Tat gen
,leman said generally did leave an impress
\ sion, and Cor that reason he was desirous
of dsabus ng the minds OF members on the
argumen Of that gentleman. The bill
| under discussion was one Of great i.npor-
taace. Il embraced scheme lha. had
been adopled by ai:oost every State, and
Il pracllced by The General Government. -,
| IL had been IN operation since the days OF
! Alexander Hamilton, and from lis univrr-
| salty ought to commend itself to The good
Il people of this Stat Wha we're the Oh
!, jecilons to this bill (! /, had been said that
II The hill was 4 hobby of his. lie had not
been in he habit of having hobbies. The
/ bill came bef,se me House tom Il Com
| milee appointed by this iIause upon ,he
sn jet. Auother objection was, that
/ the schemc was impraclcahe This oh
Il lection he would leave TO The good sense
Il OF he members Of The IIou.e. Anolhe
/ objection was, that party 10 remote part
II OF The State, would he obliged TO come 10
II Providence ie get aim Tor witnesses fees
audited before he could get his pay. These
we're !he objections OF the gentleman
Il And To SUN them al up, they amounted 10
Il ih:s-,hat he STATE Treasury ought not TO
H be eu; rded because by SO doing The aim
ants alaiast IN. Stlta wouid be put 10
some Inconvenience. II, as the gentleman
commended, the present system was S, pei
I =
how did il happen that 4 system like thai
proposed ny this bill had been adopted by
\ every State but his ~ the c1u try, aud al
so by lho General Government, where mi
lioas were y"ar'y passing through tie
II hands Of officers like that which this bill
propps s. if, in fact, the present system
was the best, why dla not Con ress adopt
such system Some zen years ago a
claim was presented against this State by
Nh Simeon Bor'en, an experienced ensi
neer, who Reluctantly consenle! 10 render
his services upon the boundary line between
this Stale and Massachusetts. The claim
was for sorc $500, and i, was agreed oy
\ the Commissioners that the claim WIS r-Is-
enable, aud ought TO lie paid. But under
the prcscn, system, this claim occupied The
time of the House Tor two days, al an eI.
penss of $3.50, aud then was finally allow-
1 ID. The very day after this, two other
claims were preferred for Witnesses fees in
license cases, amounting 10 about 5000,
and members were found upon this floor
who were for allowing the whole claim,
when The Supreme Court, exercising a
large dscrel ion in these matters, only al
lowed the claimants but se,snty or eighty
Il dollars. Stiil members Insisted upon the
l Justice Of the whole amount ard then
some two days more time was spent, NJ a
cost 10 the Stale OF another $3.50. In view
of such facts could j, be pretended that the
present system was preferable 10 the one
proI osed by tho bill. The feelings of
members induced tn IN at lines 10 be preju-
diced for or again., a claim against the
State.
4 1t had been said, that the power was too
Il great 10 b. entrusted 10 any oie person.
In his opinion, sufficient answer 10 this
was, that similar power had been dcIcgat-
\ cd by the other States and by the General
Government, and the system had operated
well else ewhere, and he would have the
gentleman give some reason wiy il would
not work equally we'll in this State The
Committee had prepared report upon tbs
subject, winch contained facts relative 10
this matter aud If gentlemen would take
II the ir, ube Ia ,xainin" into he his Oly Oi
The State, they would End that, al houeh
our Treasurcrs were honest meE, there
had been instances IN ~h ch frauds had
been erpetraied upon the Treasury, which
never could have happened IN this bil
been in force. This bill propos, tn make
the Auditor guaid over the Treasurer,
and ,h Treasurer over the A udlur; and
II il frauds were committed, then there W al
be iogle individual who could be held
responslb f'r them.
n Mr.. Crsnsluu sail that il was admii:c |