The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-07-01

mer is so explicit and complete, whilst th
laws applying to the latter are loose
meagre AID inadequate. The impres
sion is general one, that ALL money
paid into the State Treasury become al
immediate charge against the Treasure
on the books of the Auditors office, an,
that the daily receipts at the one, ar
a matter of daily record in the other
The extent to which this impression j
erroneous, may be judged by the fact
that the late 1Frceeurcr1 1of-State- A
A. Bliss, ESQ., at the date of his retire
ment, was credited on the books of thi
Office with disbursements to larger
amount than the liabilities with which
he was charged. This fact unexplained
would seem to prove that the State wa
in his debt: yet it will be seen by refer
ence to the special report of the pre-
sent Treasurer, (dated Dec. %, 1852,
that Mr.. Bliss transferred to him the
sum of 81 ,l15,242 81, being balance
which appeared by his (the late Treas.
urer's) own books to be due to the State.
This single example will serve to illus.
trate the utter absence of accountability
which exists between the Treasury anG
the. coordinate department charged with
the duty of adjusting accounts, pertain
ing to the receipts and disbursement oi
the public revenue. AS necessary con.
sequence of a system that is so inherent.
ly defective, the accounts of the Treas.
urer of State are mainly adjusted by
himself alone, and on retiring from Office,
he settles, not with the proper auditing
officer, but with his successor.
"The abuses which laxness in the
laws regulating the Treasury ofthe State
permits to be practiced, have been cause
of serious and frequent complaint by the
people. Pending the selection of pub
lie officers in the fall of 1851, the exist
ence and practice of these abuses, and
the necessity of a change to secure their
were prominent themes
of public discussion What particular
legislation may be necessary to accom-
plish SO desirable an object, the wisdom
Of the General Assembly will properly
determine.
s'In Pennsylvania, and other States,
the accounts ofthe Treasurer are brought
TO settlement at the close of every
month in the year, and the condition of
The public funds, and the exact amount
Of receipts and disbursements in each of
said months, is fully exhibited in the
Auditors Annual Report to the Legis:
lature."
- Still NO law passed at the first session
Of '55. Democrats were in the majority
and could have arranged a system that
would have given US greater accounta-
oility. They neglected this matter, in
The multitude of duties devolved on
hem by the new Constitution Again
n 1853 the Auditor, Mr. Morgan, re-
teratcd his requests and urged them so
oertinaciously that in the winter of 1853
Ind sd a law was prepared and almost
passed, "a stringent law like that OF '56,
,ut was lost by certain management,
which is better understood now than it
vas then.> This was the language of The
Auditors Report of 1853. It shows
lis prescieBce and sagacity:
"a sense of duty requires repetition
# the effort made in the Auditors last
nnual report, to impress upon the Leg
stature the necessity of placing the
evenues of the State under additional
hecks and safeguards The
Impression is a natural as we'll as gen.
raj one, that all moneys paid into the
State Treasury become an immediate
harge against the Treasurer, on the
,ooks of the State Auditors office, and
hat the daily receipts at the one, are
natter of daily record in the other
rhe extent to which this impression is
erroneous, may be judged by the single
act that during the months of Novem
,er and December 1852, payments of mo-
ley were made to the Treasury amount
ng to sum exceeding three quarters of
|, million of dollars, of which the Au-
litor had no official information until
he following month of February. This
occurrence, although extraordinary, is
leither new nor the only one of its kind.
It will serve, however, to illustrate the
liter absence of accountability which
,xists between the Treasury and the CO.
'rdinate department charged with the
lu;y of adjusting accounts pertaining to
he receipt and disbursement Of the
public revenue"
Not satisfied, Mr.. Morgan again in
December, 1855, availed himself of his
ast official opportunity to invoke for it
hat consideration (which it's pre-emi-
lent Importance demanded"
Then it was that the republican legisla-
ure, on the sth of April, 1916, on Mr..
Morgan's urgency and Mr.. Kelly's re-
passed the law s'precrib-
ng the duties of the Auditor and Treas
lrer of State relative to the receipt,
'afe keeping and disbursement of the
public money and accounting therefor"
[Gen. laws of 1876, page 222.]
Under this law, the Auditor, Cover
lor and Treasurer had duties to do, which
f done dutyxlly, would have, as 1
believe, saved the State from the crush
ng disgrace that has fallen on her name
md credit Remember this law of 1856
md its history, and will show you soon,
What are its acquisitions and how they
rave been disrogarded by the State Of
icers from the date of its passage until
IOWA period of fourteen months. To
his remisspess, I will call your atten-
ion directly.
1t will be seen, therefore that we had
10 very stringent law for pecuniary ac-
until the Legislature of
1856 enacted one. Before then our
rreasurers had loaned moneyad li6itunt.
It was notorious that certain favorite
Bankers and Brokers could get money
Then they pleased. 1t was known that
Bliss had loaned. 1t was suspected as
early as January, 1854, that Breslin
was loaniug. The Democratic legisla
sure put to him certain inquiries as to
ais operations. But his answers, found