The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-03-06

utive and financial officers of the county are to-
gether, and about to present their annual repor
to the people; thus, we say, in two labored eff
forts, of the character of the above communica
ton, is the legitimate enquiry met by the prin
cipal financial officer of the county.
We are sorry that Mr.. Van Hagan so under
rates the intelligence and so insults the judg.
ment of the citizens eff Dubuque county, as tc
come before them with an article bearing his
official signature, and of such character as the
above! What matters it to the tax paying com.
munity, whether the head that dictated the few
honest enquiries we have put forth, be "cab-
bage" head or not? Surprising he establishes,
beyond all controversy, that our head IS the veg
etable production he speaks of, has that thing
to do with his duty as public officer, or with
the account he has to render to those who made
him their servant? What though he labors to
prove that we were born in Shenandoah Coun-
ty, notwithstanding we landed upon the shores
Of time in the good old Bay State, twenty-four
years before we ever saw Virginia; will that sat
isfy the people, who are anxiously enquiring of
him, what has become of their money entrusted
to his care, and by him to be accounted for to the
proper State and County oficers'
But MIR. Van Hagan thinks that any one who
wishes to know any thing of the financial affairs
of the county, should sscall at his Office where
they "can have full and free access to figures
and facts" and accuses us Of "disposition to
locality because we do not do so. This phrase
is somewhat obscure, but fit means disposition
to stay at home and attend to our business, we
plead guilty to it, and so we presume will most
of the hard working citizens of the county, who
are laborng to earn the money to pay their taxes,
and who wish to see strict account rendered
of it, when it is paid. Who ever thought of re-
qniring all who interested, to call at the trca-
surer's office, and wade through his books, in
order to know any thing of the financial condi-
ton of the county? Why are the County Com
missioners required to make an annual report,
fit be not for the information of those whose
business they are transacting; and how can
these Commissioners present satisfactory re-
port, unless they present the items, not only of
expenditure, but of ncomc,-how much from
taxes on property assessed by the assessor and
how much on property assessed by the treasur-
er,-how much on lands entered, and how much
on town lots, how much on personal property
how much paid without process oflaw, and how
much secured by sale ofproperty under the law
how much the school fund is benefited, not on
ly by the regular tax but by the perquisites arts
ing from the sale of lost goods and estrays p
How, we ask, is their report to be satisfactory,
unless these items are presented, and how are
from the Collector, Treasurer and ex-officio AS.
SCISSOR. Has he furnished themo Why do they
not appear? Can the Commissioners inform us?
Have they had complete settlement with the
Treasurer, and if SO, how does it stand The
people want to know. But says Mr.. Van Ha-
gan, you must come to my office, and you can
have free access to s'fgures and facts Is not
this an insult to the people, Must we visit the
Treasurer of State, and examine his books to
know the condition of the State Treasury p
Must we visit the Treasury Department at
Washington to find out the financial condition
of the country? Out upon such subtcrfuges -
We want plain statement of .tacts, and the peo-
pie are looking to the public prints, to bring it
to their own firesdes for examination; and so
long as we occupy the position we do, we shall
not cease to complain, if it is not furnished.
MIR. Van Hagan says we ssare the aggrcssor,
and should make out our case by some fair show
and asks ''what have you furnished to show that
have not, from time to time, faithfully account
ed for all monies received by me to the proper
officer Aggressor upon WHAT Upon whose
rights have we trampled or whom have we sought
to njure' vindication ofthe peoples rights
or just appreciation of our own, as citizen
of the State and county constitute us an agrees
sor, then are we guilty; otherwise we hurl back
the charge, and despise the malignity that could
make it. Is it our business to hunt up, and pub
lish to the people full statement of the affairs
of the county, while they have officers chosen,
and paid for the performance of this very duty
We pity the lttleness that could predicate an
upon such an assumption. We have
charged Mr.. Van Hagan with no defalcation, or
malversion of monies belonging to the county,
or State. We have not believed that such is the
case; on the contrary, we believe him fully ca
pable of rendering satisfactory account of his Of
fetal acts. All that we have said is, that such
an account has failed to appear, and in this fail
ure, we shall not cease to believe, and to say,
there is culpability somewhere.
The following circular from the office of the
Auditor of State, will speak for itself with re-
gard to the promptness of MIR. Van Hagan in his
official connection with the State Treasury.
CIRCULAR.
AuD1roR's OFFICE, Iowa.,
Iowa City, April 10, 1649.
To the Treasurers and Collectors of the scveral
counties:
The books of this office show that large a.
mount of the revenue due the State for the years
1847 and le45 remains unpaid, and stands char
ged against the several county treasurers.
Below will be found list of the countless the
names of Treasures, and the balance due the
State from each, for the years named.
Here follows the list of counties in arrears,
from which we select dubuque, l. P Van Ha-
gan, Treasurer, due on 1s47, 1922, 5s-on 1848
81 1927 go, Total $2,25O,4S.]
From the orepoinp II will he seen that there h,s