New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-06-29

pecuDiary lOss-Or rather, l,ss which appears to
have been of long standing has recently been made
public Mr.. W. II. Gibson, the State Treasurer,
has resigned his Office, admitting heavy defalca-
ton in the moneys which should be in his hands,
but accounting for it by alleging like discrepancy
between the accounts actually paid him by his
predecessor, John G. Breslin, and those charged
to him (Gibson) as received from that source, so
that Bresln alone is the original and real defauter.
So far, we have only Gbson's story, and we have
waited some time to compare it with that of Bres-
lin, who was said to be absent in Minnesota when
the explosion occurred; but, as We have since
heard of him as returned to Ohio, and yet find no
statement on his part, we take the statement of
Gibson as confessed, and treat it as fact until it
shall be coptradoted.
1t seems that Breslin and Gibson are brothers.
in.law, both residing 1t Tifiu, Seneca Co. Mr..
BIeslin was elected as a Democrat, and was the
Democratic candidate for reelection when Gibson
wns chosen by the Republicans. Ohio was some
what straitenSd for means to pay the heavy inter-
est on her debt and had resOrted to the expedient
Of drawing on the treasurers of her several COun-
ties in advance of their regular returns, in order to
meet an accruDg payment of interest These
drafts were drawn by the State Treasurer for such
sums as he had ascertained that the County Treas
urers respectively could pay over, and the moneys
thus received did not pass through the hands of
the State Auditor, nor were they accounted for to
him. When the County Returns were regularly
mudc all was made right; but meantime the State
Treasurer had unchecked control Of these irregular
advance payments. The system was thus directly
calculated to facilitate and invite peculatiOn That
10 to say: the Treasurer could use two or three
hundred thousand dollars in some safe operation,
confident that he could replace it before it would
be .ed. Thus Bresln was led on, it is pre-
sumcd, until he had invested nearly One Million
Dollars of State money in Indiana Free Banks and
in the bond. of wildcat bankers aud SPECTATORS
When Gibson succeeded Breslin 10 the Office,
this deficit, being covered up b, unchecked sd
vspces from County Treasurers as aforesaid, was
not at once apparent but came dropping in by
thousands az the accounts Of the several County
Treasurers were settled. BIeslin implOred his
brother in law not to ruin him by needless eX-
posure but to forbear for few days and all would
be made right. With this, Gibson was weak enough
to comply, hoping that a few days would relieve
him from this incubus; until at last further con-
eealnent became impossible, and he was forced to
confess all and resign. The amount thus receipted
by Gibson az paid over to him by Breslin is
1856, lO1 which, added TO $2O4, 1888 which Breslin
alleged that he bad deposited with or loaned to GER
tain broken banks and bankers, makes total of
$I,O4l, OS8, which the heavily burdened taxpayers
of Ohio will have to pay second time, less the
amount whatever it may be, which few of them
may be compelled specially to pay as bondsmen Of
Gibson. Bresn, it would seem, has legal dis
charge, so that his bondsmen will not be required
to pay dollar
, Such s the case a. stated by Gibson, which 10
to be modified by any explanation which may be
made by Breslin, though We have waited until We
Judge that mono is forthcoming. We regard all
attempts to make party capital out of this great
public misfortune as unworthy. Bresln aud Glib
son are both culpable; but We do not consider the
Democratic party responsible for the sias of the
former nor the Republican for those Of the latter.
Pad either elected its culprt after his culpabilty
had been demonstrated, the case would have been
different. As the matter stands, We advise both
TO unite in getting all they can out OF their two
OK Tressurers, then in go amending their laws as to
re.der future defalcatOns impossible, aud then vie
with each other in eleetipg honest men to all re-
spoBsibe Offices.