Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-06-24
TClasisrn Ssserbe CBraitle.
CA. ADAMS.
WARREN, WEDNESDAY,. JUNE q.
Inc Oafalaatinn-

defalcation of S550,000, in the Stat
Treasury, is proceeding, and is bringing
cut some curious revelations, of family
matters. Ii appears says the Cincinnati
Gazette, that when J. G.. Breslin, III,
Democratic Treasurer, succeeded hi
relative Mr.. Bliss, in 1852, the account
of the Treasury Department, were no
correct, there being at that time a defci
against Mr.. Bliss. but the Office being il
the family, it was not exposed. During
Breslin's term this deficit was largely in.
creased, then amounting to S55O,O00.
He was succeeded, by another rela
tive, W. Il. Gibson, a Republican who
undertook 10 shoulder BreSlin's burden.
The deficit at the time the latter went
out Of Office, was, it is said. equal TO the
amount now reported. 1t was Gibson's
duty to have exposed this. but the fami,
" connection prevented him from doing
lis duty. Breslin, it is said, promised
TO make good the account, and Gibson,
we are teld, lived in hopes that his rela-
tive would prove equal 70 his promise,
But Breslin failed TO furnish the missing
money, and Gibson has been finally com
PEELED TO show his hand. This money
was stolen By Democrats, and much oil
it was used by Democratic Insurance
Cfces;" yet the organs of the Lpcofo-
CO party have the assurance to howl
over the occurrence as az evidence of Re-
publican corruption.
How so large a deficiency could have
been so covered, as 10 screen it from the
observation Of the lynx-eyed Chairman
Of the Committee on Finance, Mr.. Tay-
Ter, the Senator from this district, is a
mystery to US. That he supecied some.
thing G. the kind is evident from his Re-
porl. lie says:
Noregular and well devised system of
accounts seems TO have ever been adopted
and carried ont in either office; nor does
it appear TO have been attempted TO keep
corresponding accounts in the two Offices.
The INADEQUATE system Of keeping ac-
counts has existed since the first organi-
cation of these Offices, and although some
improvements and some changes have
occasionally been made. no thorough
system, such as is demanded By the pub
lie interests. appears ever to have been
devised. 1t will be apparent TO any one,
u on a slight knowledge of the way in
which tie business of the treasury has
been conducted. that very large sums of
money are constantly passing through
the hands of the treasurer, of which no
entry is made in the books of the office.
and Of which the treasurer himself cou d
give no account, unless from memory.
No proper checks on the auditors Of
fee have been devised /: the treasurer
having no knowledge from any records,
or accounts kept in his Office, whether an
appropriation was oyerdrawn or not; nor
whether a warrant on The treasury was
drawn in pursuance Of or wighou: an ap-
preparation made By law. Under the hes,
system Of accounts that con!d be devised,
an examination, delayed as it had been,
for nine years, it is not to be expected
could ascertain all the illegal acts that
might have been done. if sny were, in
these Offices, during that long period i
much less could such an examination,
with the system Of accounts that has pre-
vailed, prove adequate.
Mr.. Morgan. the lale Auditor OF State.
in his report, made in December, 1852.
called the attention Of the legislature 10
the subject, and characterized the system
as inherently defective; and again. in his
report of December, 1853, the Auditor
referred to the subject, but no action on
the part Of the legislature followed these
repeated recommendations, until the ses
sion of 1855. In addition to the laws
then passed, some provision for a thor
ough system Of accounts, seems to the
committee to be demanded; aud not only
as regards the treasury and the auditors
Office, but in other departments.
In speaking Of Mr.. Bliss, Mr.. Tayler
says:
Ii is manifest, however, to the com
mittee, from evidence otherwise derived.
shat the public funds were illegally used
by hat officer, but how or 10 what ex-
cent the committee have not been able to
ascertain. When Mr.. Bliss went out of.
Office and was succeeded by Nj. Breslin
as treasurer, in January 1859, the latter
gave his receipt to the former for all the
public moneys 10 Mr.. Bliss hands, with
out stating the amount. and thus became
chaTgeable Herewith, whereas, in Truth,
the money was not all paid over until
December. 1855. or January, 1866
Notwithstanding this default, amounting
to at least $4,000, was necessarily
known to Mr.. Breslin, a knowledge of the
fact was and has been hitherto withheld
by him from the public and from the
legislature. Some suspicion Of this fail
ure en- the part of Mr.. Bliss appears to
have existed in the legislature in Deccm-
Der, 1852. but was quoted BIZ the re-
spouse of Mr. Breslin to a resolution of
the S nate, which, with the response, is
hereto appended, as a part Of this re
port.
So far as has come to the knowledge
of the committee, no further information
upon the subject was at any lime after
ward acquired by any branch of the gov.
eminent.
OfMr. Breslin. the same Report, says:
As during the administration of the
treasury department by his predecessor,
so during that of Mr.. Breslin, the books
in the treasury do not show how or where
the public funds, not actually kept in the
treasury were deposited. Some sccounts
were kept with banks and brokers. but it
is evident to TIE committee, from the
course OF business in the Office, that these
accounts show only a small portion Of
such deposits. This arose from the in
sufficient system OF accounts, and improp-
er mode of conducting the business OF the
trea=ury. aud does not imply an illegal