Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-07-16
The Treasury DcfalcatiOn ut CO.
lusnbUS--I1OW il is Regarded
AbrOad VIM. HI. Gibson,

IAc Il ICIlSuNA AIS1[lHGdlIA O1H slt Co.
lucnbus--HOw il is Regarded
Abroad VIM. HI. Gibson.
70 these Black Republicans who i'm
aginc it to be party duty to screen
their defaulting Treasurer Gibson, we
commend the following sensible article
from the Washington Union, which, be-
ing published outside of the State, we
may suppose looks at the matter I'M
biased by personal or party feeling. 1t
says
THE ONO observation-disclosures
CATION shows that the defalcatian in the
Ohio Treasury is quite as large as has
been stated. That it is c~hargeable, at
least prima tacie, against Gibson, the
late Treasurer, is not questioned. This
is shown in three ways: Firstly, his re-
ceipts proved the moneys came into his
hands secondly, an examination by the
State Auditor, Mr.. Wright, without pre-
vious notice to the Treasurer, when he.
as he says, examined the books and
counted the money in the Treasury and
found them to be correct )" thirdly, an
investigation by persons appointed by
the Legislature. Here is proof of the
most ample kind to establish, first, that
Gibson received the money, &C.; sec
ond, that on two distinct subsequent
occasions he had the same in the Urea
sury. Now, it falls short about three
quarters-pf a million.
No tribunal would hold that there was
not the most reliable evidence that the
detalcation rested upon Gibson. In
order to shift the odium which naturally
results from such a state of facts from a
Republican to a Democrat, Gibson and
CURED under Breslin, the former Trea-
surer. TO defeat the strong evidence
above stated, Gibson says he gave Bres-
lin receipts for what he did not receive,
and that, to deceive and mislead the
Auditor and the Legislative Examiners,
he borrowed money for the time being,
from banks sufficient to cover the de-
ficicncy. This improbable story rests
wholly upon Gibson's own statement,
whose position is such as to cast a dam
ming suspicion over it. If he had re-
eeipted as largely as pretended to con-
ceal Breslin's default, it would have
been natural for him not only to have
taken counter evidence in writing from
him, but to have demanded security to
idcmnity himself. Having before him
Inns utter dishonesty, he would not,
upon his mere word, have trusted him,
so as not only to hazard his own for
tune. and honor, but to have put his bail
in jeopardy. AS he profcsscd to have
managed the affair, involving secrecy
and confidence, it would have been ut
terly impossible for him to have shielded
himself or to have protected his bail.
This, of itself, strongly initiates against
his assumptions. If it is true that he
procured temporarily, loans from banks
to meet the Investigations, why is not
evidence of that fact forthcoming? But
if adduccd, it would not tend~to prove
that he Was not the real dcfaulter, but
simply that he was covering up a defal
cation, and under circumstances tend
ing to show that the bank officers were
eognizant of the fraud, and accessories
after tho. fact, while it would %conclu-
sively convict them for breach of trust
toGSrd their stockholders of the highest
magnitGae. '.r
If the money had not been returned
by Gibson, but retained in the treasury,
it would have ruined the banks, ana
probably have subjected those who
trusted it to Gibson to the criminal laws
Of the State. In assuming this ground:
Gibson takes upon himself n load of
obloquy which would crush any other
living man He was, when elected,
rrocrronl T., 10 uI,Yl,- - L., 4,,,4 o,,1
was so held out to the people of the
State. BY his w admission, his first
act Oh entering Office was to give his
predecessor a false and fraudulent re
ceipt, to cover up Il defalcation, and
thereby to deceive the people who had
intrustcd him with Office; thus proving
that his personal friendship for an un-
worthy predecessor Vas stronger than
his obligations and sense Of duty to the
laws and the public.
He convicts- himself of the offcnse Of
screening the guilty. lie next, if his
story is true, deliberately deceived the
Auditor by placing iii the vault of the
Treasury money which did not belong
there, and pointing it out as funds be
longing to the State. lie docs the same
tHIlS WHICH INC Legislative cOinIhltlcc
appear. Both they and the Auditor
are grossly deceived by him. lie fur
nishcd evidence of honesty and fidelity,
intended to deceive, which covered up
a monstrous fraud committed upon the
people. IF he screened the guilty as he
pretends, he committed an offence little
short of that of the actual abstraction
of the funds: No jury will give credit
to the statement of a man who proves
upon himself SO many discrcditing acts.
By his W assumption he laborcd to
screen a personal friend until he was
caught in the act. lie now turns
around and attempts to damn that
friend with the hope OF saving him
self from the consequences of detection,
and to protect the political friends who
elevated him to Office from the obloquy
which the dedication naturally entails
1t is clear, from the facts which We have
alluded to, that his testimony can neither
convict his predecessor nor save his ro-
litical friends from the consequences of
having elected to Office a gross dcfaultcr,
who deceived the Auditor and lcgisla-
tive committee. as we'll as the public at
LARGE. Even if Brcslin had abstractcd