Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-09-16

Treasury in January, 1852, opened a
new set of books, transferring to them
the various balances which appear to be
due from his predecessor, Mr.. Bliss, and
subsequently executed to him a receipt
therefor of which the following is
copy:
TREASURY OFFICE, ONO,
Columbus, Oct, 90, Sc.
Received of Albert A. Bliss, Esq, late
Treasurer of State, payment in full of
all balances charged against him as said
Treasu urer on the books of this office,
January 12, 1859, and all indebtedness
which has appeared against him up to
this date.
j. G.. BRESLIN, Tr. Of State.
Any one reading this receipt would
have supposed that Mr.. Bliss had paid
over all the money due the State. Such
was not the fact. The receip! was false.
There YVES a balance of S65,0O0 due
from Mr.. Bliss, which was not paid un-
til more than three years after its date
In response to resolution of the SEN
ate of Dec. 1852, Mr.. Breslin addressed
official communication TO that body,
which is equivalent to positive asser-
tion that Mr.. Bliss had paid over to him
all the public funds belonging to the
Treasury.
The motives which induced Mr.. Bres-
lin to execute this receipt and make this
official statement, the undersigned will
not attempt to divine. His acts were
clearly calculated, and it is fair TO pre-
sumo, intended to mislead and deceive.
1t was an unfortunate commencement of
an official career. Truth is a quality
which the people have a right to expect
in official statements of their sworn SER
wants.
The report of Mr.. Breslin for the Gs-
cal year ending November Is. 1855,
shows balance of S683. STA go at that
date in the Treasury. In the same re-
port he states that the Commercial Bank
of Toledo, the City Bank of Cincinnati,
and W. W. Cones & Company had fail
ed with an aggregate of 5153.85I 18
of the public money in their hands
The substraction of this sum from the
amount in the Treasury, leaves a clear
balance of S559,723 70. Upon this
balance there was no extraordinary de-
mand, except for the payment of inte-
rest on the foreign debt due January /,
1856, which amounted, with the expen
ses as charged by him. to S421 ,32O rs.
Deducting this from the clear balance in
the Treasury, as shown by this report,
there is still balance of S138, 402 81;
a sum sufficient, with the regular daily
income of the State, to meet all its la
bilities until the settlement with the
County Treasurers in the February fol-
lowing. Besides the last mentioned
amount, Mr.. Breslin had in his hands
S84, ,788 98-the funds of the Canal
Bank of Cleveland, which he does not
notice in his report.
With funds in his possession amply
adequate to meet all the demands which
could be made upon the Treasury, he
issued cilcular to the County Treasu-
rers, referring them to the act of 184l,
and calling upon them to make the ad-
vances required by that law TO enable
him TO pay the January interest. In
with the demand, the County
Treasures paid into the State Treasury
S75O,715 10, between the 9th day of
Nov, and the time at which he was sue
ceeded by Mr.. Gibson.
1t is true that in making this demand
upon the County Treasurers he acted in
conformity with the provisions of law,
and the long established practice of the
Department, yet it could not have been
intended that the law, or the practice
should continue after the reason of them
had ceased. 1t has been shown that he
had sufficient means TO pay all the claims
against the treasury, without making
this demand. Why then did he make
it? The testimony of Mr.. Hines, late
Treasurer of Franklin County, discloses
the fact that there was an extraordinary
anxiety on the part of Mr.. Breslin, to
receive the $4,000 due from that
County. He called twice at the Office
of the County Treasurer, before that
officer, for reasons assigned in his depo-
sition, very reluctantly paid it. III
there was, as the books showed there
should have been, more than half mil
lion in the treasury, there was no valid
reason for the anxiety which he exhibitd
in this instance.
The facts disclosed in the deposition
Of Mr.. w. G.. Deshler, furnish unequiv.
ocal evidence of an empty treasury to-
wards the close of Mr.. Breslin's admin
istration. The books of the Office, as
before stated, showed more than one half
a million in his hands, yet he not only
the holder to postpone the
presentation of draft of $4,000, but
when it was ultimately presented, paid
only portion of the amount. Though
frequently importuned for the balance
it was not paid for more than two weeks