True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-06-03


ted State debt. Of s6l7,S7S,65. They
made no provisions for It's payments
Without increasing the taxes, as you
know, the Legislature has by economy
paid this enormous debt. (See appro-
priation bills for the two last sessions,)
Sd. By fraud, overcharges, and use
LESS expenditures of the Locofoco party,
the people had been swindled out Of $l49,-
229, A in the erection Of the new State
House. By carefully drawn laws, many
thousands Of dollars Of this sum will be
saved.
r 4th. By the same course, of the same
party, s57,l42, 80 had been taken from
!, tho people, in the erection and furnishing
of the Newburgh Lunatic Asylum.
9th. In the same manner $6O,76O,O6
!. had been appropriated by set of Politi-
cal cormorants in the erection and fur
nishing Of the Dayton Lunatic Asylum,
9th. The officers of the Penitentiary
were defaulters and in debt to the institu-
/ tion in the sum of $l2 25l, ,38. BY the
measures, actions and laws of the Legis-
lature, more than one half Of the three
last sums will be retained or recovered
back. These frauds are as various as
the transactions out Of which they have
grown, and as numerous as the members
of the slave democratic party whose in
satiate maws had not been filled in other
fields Of public plumber. The Repubh.
, can party ferreted out this amount OF
frand and chicanery. and have by legisla-
ton applied the only corrective in their
tpower.
II 9Th. BY numerous laws the public
treasury has been guarded at every point.
1t is now, thought that the safe guards
thrown around the peoples money will in
the future defy any and all attempts Of
the greatest adopts in the Locofoco party
to obtain possession illegally Of it. These
laws cost the legislature much consider
alton, time and labor.
9Th. By the joint action of Locofoco
Board Of Public works and a set of mer-
cenary contractors, the State, during the
last hourso of the existance Of that Board,
was cheated out of over third of mil
lion OF dollars. In a speech of mine
made upon the floor Of the Senate, | gave
my views as 10 this transaction. | have,
as matter of course, but little in addi-
tion to say. However, as the subject
seems even now to be clearly understood,
have few words of remark in this
connection. The fraud in the lettings
Of the contracts have never yet heard
denied; nor that the same were made in
violation of law. The operation was re.
garded on all hands as the crowning infa-
my of an infamous administration of pub
lie affairs. A Republican Legislature
elected 10 reform abuses, were asked to
give their sanction to the same by appro-
pliating money TO consumate the iniquily.
This, TO man, 10 their honorsbe it said,
they refused to do. Even so called de.
mocrats dared not vote dollar upon
those contracts. The Legislature felt
that it was not a mere machine to unite
the purse-strings Of the Treasury. They
in their simplicity, deemed it part Of
their official duty to know that eveiy dol
lar of the peoples money they voted
away was necessarily and righGully ap-
propriated, and that there was legal ne
cessily for the act. They knew that a
wrong Of seven hundred thousand dol
lars had been perpeiraied, and they fell
that thev had the same power TO correct
it as though it had been many Millions
The Legislature aoithom dissenting
voice, refused to ratify the contracts By
paying them. With equal unarimity
they gave the parties the benefi. Of our
Courts, in which if wronged TO obtain
full redress. Thus far the Legislature
was unit. If there is the semblace of
Reputation in these facts, then every man
in the legislature is alike guilty. If the
contractors, by dint of hard swearing,
sustained any of the contracts, large
majority, full hlree.fourlhs Of the Repub-
lican members, were for paying them the
damages recovered and getting rid Of
them. About one fourth of the Repub-
licans and all the Democrats in that event
were for retaining them. Here we part
ed company with the Democracy and a
few of our friends. It is easy enough to
say that the foregoing action is "repudia-
tion," but to show wherein is more diff.
T cult, indeed so difficult that tho the OBJ.
noxious term Of "repudia,ion" has been
applied to the majority, no man or paper
so far as | have heard or read, has under
taken to point out in what respect it is
. reputation. Before they fix that fou
] stigma upon my name, Ibave right tt
8 demand the nature of the ACT that thu
S disgraces my public course in the estima
tion Of all honorable men. Hereafter il
e another form shall have an opportunity
n to vindicate myself from this charge
J, | leave the question for future action.
e 9th. The Legislature found the Dea
II and Dumb Asylum in wrelchedly diIap
'e idated condition, and unsafe for the in
% mates. II erectcda large and commodiou
l. structure which for the present answer
all the requirements Of the institution.
in 10th. Idiots have long been neglected
10 end given over to hopeless imbecility.-
re The Legislature, actuated by an enlarge
le and comprehensive humanity, a humanit
s. that embraced all Of Gods suffering chi
ID dren, provided for their wants, and lu
c. nished achool for their education.
to llth. A Bereau Of Statistics was el
l. tablished that will annually combine, an
to place before the people vast amount
= statistics as to the mineral wealth, con
IN merce. manufacturing, agricultural an
= mechanical arts Of our great and grow