The Tiffin tribune. [volume] (Tiffin, Ohio) 1848-1859, 1857-07-24
TIFFIN, ONO, FRIDAY, JULY "A, 1857.

A suspicion still existed in the minds Of
many that the public funds were not whore
they should b0 and a resolution offered in
the Senate by Mr., Kelley and passed, di-
rected the Committee on Finance, Of
which he was chairman. to examine into
the condition Of the Treasury.
The examination was resisted by Mr.
Gibson, and the old war between the
Treasurer and tho Auditor was partially
received Ia the form Of one between ihe
Treasurer and the Senate. The States
man. aud leading members Of she Demo.
cratic party, who belonged to the Treasu.
~ division, took open and active ground
sgaiust the Senate and in favor Of the
Treasury. Al the time, this was regard
I'D simply as a party movement, TO en-
barass the Republicans. and by which
their opponents might gain some advan
age. The recent developments may give
Il a more significant Interpretation. The
Examination was finally yielded to, but by
pposition IL had been delayed several
lays. In the meantime Mr.. Gibson Wis
ted Tifin. The other duties Of the com.
nittee did not admit Of any extended
personal investigation Of the Treasury, by
hem. A clerk was engaged in that for
,early two months. The Treasurer re-
ported in his hands, in cash, certificates
Of deposit. bank balances, checks. &C., to
the entire amount with which the Office
stood chargeable. exclusive ofabout s204.-
900 not accounted for with him by his
predecessor, and which was reported un-
available and about I 1000 OF items in
dispute between the two offices. The
books in the Office and memoranda Of GER
tlficates issued to Treasurers of coun-
ties and others. showed that Mr.. Breslin
was liable for the following sums, not in
cluding the disputed items, viz:
Balance on books.... ............ S2Oi .as7 81 3
Amount Of certificates outstanding
Jan H. 1851. ....s........s 76OTI5 10 o
Redemption Fuad Of Canal Bsnk. $3.50 90 o
Amt due from Broslin Jsn14. '57Si ,Oi8 $50 81 ,
From this should bo deducted or.
ror In Canal bank ace ouut as
ascsr1ained by the lnvo,tguhng
COmmiHee.... Sss 50 0
This sum (without deducting the
errOr). was reported to the Fi-
nance Committee by Mr Gibson
March a., 1856. March 30,
1856. Mr.. Glib son reported to tho
Committee that from the 18th OF
January to the 9th Of March .iu-
elusive, he had received from
Breslin various sums, amounting
In the aggregate to........ .e836,1OI 81 0
Showing Mr.. BrsslinI deficit at
- 'hs. dme, ......,...... Sail ,O3s AZ 3
The Auditors book showed In ad-
ditiOn... .....,................ I9,795 Il 0
Deficit per Auditors books".. S25O, 1891 IS 2
including the disputed items. At that
time, viz: March 80, 1856. one certif-
cate of $4,000 was outstanding, which,
being redeemed by Mr.. Gibson, would
leave the deficit, as above stated. OF
that deficit the deposits with banks and
bankers that had failed amounted TO the
sum of S2O4, CSC 65.
On the l4tn of March, 1855, Mr.. Glib
sons official statement to the Finance com.
mittee OF the Senate gave items of funds
IN the Treasury at that time, amounting
in the aggregate to SI.004,225 22. OF
this sum 3 $50 was in counterfeit and
deprecated bank notes, S97, ,838 Is ad-
vanced to claimants on the Treasury,
$3.50, 88560 cash in the Treasury. and
the residue being S553, ,96l Al in drafts,
checks, bank accounts and certificates,
in reference to which Mr.. Gibson in that
communication stated as follows: ain re-
gard to the drafts, accounts &C., report
ed there is not an item upon which can
not realize the money in tno days, and
most of them are held to meet claims held
the State by the institutions ssu.
ing them" Whether the statements then
made BY Mr.. Gibson were true or false,
will probably be asoertained by the in
vestigation now being made. But think
the evidence must be got elsewhere than
10 the Treasury. may here state that
some of the members of the Finance com
mittee doubted their accuracy; but the
committee had no sufficient evidence on
which to qaestion them in the report.
During the session of 1856 Mr.. Kelley
p repaired and presented in the Senate a
bill regulating the AUDITORS and Treas
urer's Offices and providing for the safe
keeping and disbursement of the public
funds. That bill was opposed by the
NANts0NaNA oAA pNiAoAo nlk phohtu ALt Dtu-
ate by large vote. In the House it met
with moro resistance, aided by the States
man, which charged repeatedly that the
Senate was trying to centrol the House
aud force Measures upon it. This had
some influence, but not sufficient 70 de-
feat or endanger the bill. which passed
the House, also, by decided majority.
Each one can form his own opinion as to
the motives inducing the opposition. and
originating the endeavor TO create di-
vision between the Senate and House.
The attempt had no other effect than TO
embarass legislation and delay the adop-
ton of needed reforms.
Towards the close Of the session of
1896, il became apparent that more
thorough examination Of the treasury and
other departments Of the public service
was necessary to the development OF
measures adequate to the protection of the
public interests, as well against the in
cumbents of Office, as others. To that