The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-11-24
The Treasury Of the Peo-
d.ide iaa9i' si'a PIE. lqra.s % ,s.a.
INvlH0SE HANDS how GUARDED
SECRETARY GUTHRIE THE MAN
- .oa girFOR THE TIMES.

! SEChETAhf GUTHRIE THE MAN
q saa FOR THE TIMES.
OF the lessons Of history none is more
clearly deducibie than that which teaches
the surprising Importance of integrity and
ability in the management of the finances ol
a nation, and that whenever corruption and
fraud, howsoever superinduced, creeps into
the treasury, the foundations of the state are
| saPPed. and decay, and national rotteness
! are the inevitable results. sft6l ists
With nations and with individuals, wealth
strength, and therefore the treasury Of
nation is the repository Of its available
power. It is for this reason, that the people
have the highest practical interests in its
management. @la7sl .7r7 atf p tora
s1 sseg*a y - ssai = ee'
The statutes having reference to the man
agement Of the public purse have the gen.
eral approval of the peUple. and embody the
highest wisdom Of long experience in legis-
Iation. u. o.. = s-gaa.'s'rl iarTea
The point which challenges the attention
Of the people is to secure the execution OF
these laws by those who can comprehend
their scope and spirit. 1t was this desider-
atum which more, than any other cause,
moved the masses to such unanimity in the
canvass of 1862, and ca lied back the trust
reposed in the last administration, stained,
blackened, as it was, with Galphin and
Gardiner frauds, with the perversion of a
public funds to party and personal purposes.
Delay and neglect of the public business,
and corruption in the treasury, were the
prime evils which the people were called
upon to remedy in that canvass. 1t was
but just expectation that the present ad.
ministration would apply the much needed
corrective. ~ '.
The President felt it, and acknowledged
it in bis inaugural, and gave his pledge
Right nobly did he redeem his pledge in the
selection ofthat man of iron, of Roman firm.
ness. and indomitable will, James Guthrie.
of Kentucky. The selection of Col. P, G.
Washington as assistant secretary served to
complete the peoples assurance, while po-
litical stockholders and treasury swindIers
foresaw the end Of their game, and trembled
with holy horror to see the door OF the
treasury closed against them. With a sec
retnry schooled in finance, and an assistan
entirely familiar with our treasury system
even 10 the minutes ,particular-and both Of
them made of stern stef, such as rogue
dare not face--the largest expectations wers
fully warranted. AS this is subject in
which the masses have the highest practi
cial concern, let US loPk briefly at some 0
the facts and figures to ascertain why it il
th1t the solid business men aud practica
thinking men Of the whole country have s,
generally manifested their entire confidence
in, and admiration of, the present manage
ment of the Treasury Department raa's
When the officers Of the present admin.
istration assumed the reigns ofgovernmen
they found the treasury very much in the con
dition that an assignee finds theiestate Of al
insolvent debtor, who, through careless man
agement and corrupt dealing, has compli
Gates, his affairs and encumbered his poss
essions beyond his capability to control. ~
It seems quite Incredible that through tn,
neglect and incompetency ofMr. Guthrie'
predecessors the amount of the balances a
gainst individuals. on the books of the trea
sury had reached the enormous sum of $l32
5sl,7O4! Under the vigorous administra
ton of the present Secretary the amount o
these balances has been reduced to $27,
583, 4s-thus closing balances to the a
mount Of over one Hundred milien dollars
\ lReport of 1854 page -. This fact alon'
shows the vigor with which the business o
the department is conducted. and contrast
strongly with the management heretofore
\ when accounts involving millions Of dis
bursements were yfvs gears in arrears. 4
The provisions of the independent trea
sury act had been practically npllified, an,
the peoples money had been, in violation .
laws placed in the hands Of bankers, brokers
and spectators The amount thus illegal
4 " deposited was estimated at upwards o
$5,OO0,OOO, which was made the basis 0
OF bank discounts and, commercial opera
tions. and subject to all the risks attending
such busineas.s Waf5 e3 hajg sW
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