Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1857-09-08
TAe Treasury Dclilc;stiOn- fii-
ciaI Report OF the Investigating
COss0mIttee.

CONCLUDED.
TREASURY ALMOST A BANK-ALso ALMOST
BANKRUPT.
There is little in the correspondence of
the office, for several years past, to dlstln-
guish it from that of Bank, except that
the writer subscribed himself Treasurer
Of State" instead of Cashier
sIDE-BLow AT LEGISLATURE.
For the control which the Banks have
exercised over the public funds the Treas
urers are not wholly responsible. The
Legislature of the State has sanctioned
and encouraged it. The act providing for
the protection of the Canals and the col
lection of tolls, requires the collectors to
deposit all money received by them in
some Bank designated by the Treasurer Of
State.
The act making appropriations for the
year 1897, authorized the County Treas
urers to make their payments into the
State Treasury, by depositing the sums
due the State in some neighboring Bank.
The same provision was incorporated into
the appropriation bills for 184l and 1842
The law of 1916, that fruitful source OF
mischief in our financial administration,
has authorized the continuance of the prac-
tice up to the present time. State Treas
urels have collected the State taxes from
the Banks, and not from the County Treas
urers.
GIBsoN's STATEMENTS PRONOUNCED COR
RoBoRATED.
hat hn ,oenrtaI To hnf.
rowing in order to meet the demands or
the Treasury, and conceal the deficit. L
it is true that he received but $303,OO(
from Mr.. Bresln, the books Of the Office
corroborate his declaration.
The balance in the Treasury on the l5tt
of November last was $3.50, 548 SO. L
Mr.. Bresln owed at that time $3.50, 600
Mr.. Gibson must have borrowed nearl..
100000.
Notwithstanding the act of April 8th
1856, forbids it, the practice Of receivin!
deposits and issuing certificates, still con
tinued, and furnished portion of the fund
by which the Joint Committee and th
Auditor were deceived in regard to the con
ditior of the Treasury.
The holder of a draft on the Treasury
on presenting it for payment, instead {
; the money, received Certificate Of De
post, signed by the Treasurer for tn
amount. The draft would pass into tn
Treasury and be credited on the books
The balance in the Treasury would be the
t apparently diminished, though it actuall
remained the same. Certificates issue
= under these circumstances, amounting
+ $775 90, are now outstanding.
. WHY THE ooNCEALING WAS SUCCESSFUL.
= With all these resources at his command
y tits not at all surprising that the late Treas
: urer succeeded in concaaling the defalc'
;. ton There was no obstacle to the use
i. the money of the State by Mr.. Breslil
e nor was any effort, on his part, necessal
1t to conceal deficit. There was no thoroug
- examination of the Treasury during h
:, term of office, nor any inquiry into Il
!. .. condition of it's funds. The surplus
ID his hands was seldom less than half a mi
- lion. The average balance on the | 9th
ri November, of the four years of his a
ministration, exceeded $622,000. II
following table, exhibiting the balances
n the Treasury at that date, for the last Il
years, is not destitute of interest. ltsho'
'p that large surplus has been allowed
= accumulate:
- STATEMENT OF BALANCES IN TREASURY NC
"a If 1847-1857