The Tiffin tribune. [volume] (Tiffin, Ohio) 1848-1859, 1857-09-04

iOlunn oalhnCeu Lno uoDlti-Of n he took
the trouble 10 add t. tha. the difference
between them was money" and that
"money" safely lodged in tho Treasury
Mr., Gibson published no statement Of
the condition Of tho Treasury for the
months Of May and June,
Mr. Gibson has appeared before us, and
submitted TO an examination. In his
deposition which is hereto appended, he
declares that al his official communication
relative to ,he payments alleged to have
been msde by Mr. Bresliu to him were
talse--and that he received but S303, 8G5
80 from him.
Il IS not unjust to say that his presen,
declarations, however solemnly made, are
no. entitled to any credit, unless sustain
ed and oorroboraled by the records Of the
office, the testimony Of others. or the dec.
laration aud conduct Of Mr.. Breslin.
His Mr. Gibson's) motives in making
such official communications he statos
we're two.Cold:
LIST. He was one Of the surities on
Bresliu's official bond-and the exposure
# the defaloation would involve the peou
nary ruin Of himself and co.surities, who
we're his friends aud neighbors.
Cd. He Thought that by concealing the
fact Of the defaloation he could secure the
amount due the State.
Whether his motives constitute iusli-
foaton for a breach Of official duty we
leave for another tribunal to decide.
In considering the evidence against
Mr.. Breslin, ia order to illustrate the
mode in which business has been trausao-
ted between successive Treasurers il
seems proper to 60 back TO the time he
assumed the duties Of that office.
Mr.. Breslin in taking charge Of the
Treasury IN January. 1859, opened new
set Of books transferring TO them the va
rious balances which appeared to be due
from his predecessor. Mr. Bliss, and sub
sequently executed to him a receipt there.
for Of which the following is a copy:
TREASURERs OFBIuE, Ono,
Columbus, Oct. 20. 80,
Received Of Albert A. Bliss, Esq, late
Treasurer Of State, payment in full Of all
balances charged against him as said
Treasurer on the books Of this office, jan
uary 2, 1859, and all indebtedness which
has appeared against me up TO this date.
j. G.. BRE~LIN, Tr. Of State.
Any one on reading this receipt would
have supposed that Mr., Bliss had paid
over all the money due the State. Such
was not the fact, The Receipt was false.
There was balance Of $4,000 due from
Mr.. Bliss, which was not paid until more
than three years after this date.
In response to a resolution Of the SEN
ate Of December, 1853, Mr.. Bresln ad
dressed an official communication 20 that
body which is equivalent TO positive as
sertion 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 aud make his
official statement, the undersigned will
not attempt to divine. His acts We're
clearly calculated. and IL is fair to pre-
sumo, intended to mslead and deceive.
1t was an unfortunate commencement OF
an official career. Truth is quality
which the people have a right to expect
in official statements Of IFS sworn servants.
The report Of Mr. Breslin for the fiscal
year ending Nov. 10 1885, shows bal
ance Of 68S STA, 30 at that date In the
Treasury. In the same report he states
that the Commercial Bank of Toledo, the
City Bank Of Cincinnati, and W w.
Cones IL Co., had failed with an aggre-
gate Of Sl53,S5i 10 of the public money
in their hands. The substraction of this
sum from the amount in the Treasury,
leaves clear balance of 1868, 723, ,72 =
Upon this balance there was no extraor-
dinary demand, except fCr the payment
of interest on the foreign debt due Jan.
1. 1856, which amounted, with the ex-
penses as charged by him to $42l .32O 75.
Deducting this from the clear balance in
the Treasury. as shown by his report,
there is still balance Of S138, 4O2 97; a
sum sufficient with the regular daily in
come Of the State. 10 meet all It's liabilities
until the settlement with the County
Treasurers in the February following.--
Besides the last mentioned amount, Mr..
Breslin had in his hands S94. .788. 89-
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 demands which could
be made upon the Treasury. he issued a
circular TO the County Treasurers, refer
ing them TO the act Of l84l. and calling
upon them to make the advances required
by that law 10 enable him 10 pay the Jan
uary interest In compliance with the
demand. the County Treasurors paid into
the State Treasury S760,7l5.7O between
the 9th day Of November and the time he
was succeeded by Mr., Gibson.
It 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 De-
partment, yet it could not have been in
tended that the law,or the practice should
continue after thereason ofthem had ceas-
ed. Ii has been shown that he had suf-
icient means to pay all claims against the
Treasury. without making this demand.
Why then, did he make Il? The testi-
mony Of Mr.. Hines late Treasurer Of
Franklin county, discloses the fact that
.here was an extraordinary anxiety on
"a r.