St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1857-10-15

out by the Governor during that time
and ovcrdrawn, and that 81, I6O was
paid back into the Treasury some five
months after his death.
The committee find vouchers on file
for the following sums of money.
drawn from the Treasury by the Gov
crnor during Mr.. Pcrcival's term of
office, on account of the survey, as fol
lows
Statement Of monies drawn from the
State Treasury by VIM. A. Barstow on
account of the salary and survey;
1854, Aug. 1G, salary of gcologist in part, 5000
4" Sept 9, for A. C. Barry. 100
- " %, salary of seologist in part, ITO
- Nov. i3. - .' 80
1856, March q. lst or for SO, 625
- April 8, salary in part, 200
/" :. Aug. :: !: j. :SS sse
. Dec. %, for A. c, Barry, l0c
1856, Jan. l5, one Or. 90:
- Feb. IL, in full for 1856, III:
Total S3. SIS
Total paid Barry's assistant 2OC
S3,3ss
Ey-Gov. Barstow, in q communica-
tion to the Committe, published in its
last report, claims t, have paid over
certain sums to Prof. Percival, but no
vouchers were furnished, and we find
no evidence of such payments in the
Diary of DR.. Pcrcival; although the
evidence of Dr. jerks renders it prob
able that about $500 were SO paid.
The records, however, show that while
DR.. Percival, pinehed tcih suffering, and
arraigning the honor ofMe State for with
holding his just dues, and upon his
dcath-bed giving up all hope, and con-
tirmed in the belief that he was the
victim of fraud--that William A. Bars
to'r, acting Gorernor, Ind then IN his pos
session iarge anwum Of money belonging
10 him. which, in common justice, ought
to have been paid over; and that more
than eight months after drawing from
the Treasury the last item (Sl .lT5)
and more than six months after he had
ceased to be Governor of the State by
the decision of it's highest judicial tri-
bunal, he repaid into the State Trea-
sury (on the 30th day Of September
1850 the sum of Sl,760, drawn out
by him on account of DR.. Percivafs
salary ...
The Committee, in their report upon
the case last winter, were compelled
to effect settlement from such evil
dence as they could obtain, in the ab-
scncc of ali proper vouchers on the
files of the executive department, and
to assume as correct the report then
made by Mr.. Barstow. 1t is the opin-
ION of DR.. jerks, from critical know!-
edge Of the financial difficulties of
Prof. Percival, that he received even
a less sum from the State by about
$3.50 than the vouchers on file show,
aud that he could not have received
any considerable sum without his
knowledge.
In the absence Of the proper rouch-
crs, cur Investigations necessarily
close with an examination OF the books
Of the Treasury, and, without passing
any opinion upon the statement frrnish-
cd by Mr.. Barstow, beyond what we
have already done in our former action,
have deemed it best to leave the ques-
ton all open one for further testimony,
on the part of the administrators and
the action of another Legislature.
1t is entirely evident from the Re-
cords of the State, that at no time was
there any lack of funds in the hands
of the Governor to have paid the sala-
ry of Prof. Percival promptly and with
out delay, and that his failure to re-
eeive his dues was ne fault of the State
or people. 1t would seem that his
sensitive spirit shrunk from any ex-
animation into the real condition of
atfairs-and that hc suffered in silence,
generally, with conliding confidence
in the honor and honesty Of those en-
trusted with the management OF Pub
lie affairs. A stranger in Wisconsin
of child-like simplicity in money mat
ters-with tircless devotion to study
and scientific pursuits, s,-dcvoid Of all
usual pride of dress and show, and
seeking only the means Of support
from an appointment requiring too
great effort for his age and physical
ability, in new and vast field OF re-
search, advantage seems to have been
taken of his very qualities of goodness
and greatness, to withhold money,
honestly earned Of the State, for pur-
poses merely private and unscrup-
ulously selfish Had his wants been
more generally known, his wrongs
would have been promptly remedied
at the hands of the Legislature. as the
committee have every reason to be-
licve; while the purses of half our
people would have been freely opened
to him on the least intimation of pc
cuniary suffering, beyond a doubt, had
not his too great modesty shrank from
the application.
In view of the worldwide rcputa-
ton Of DR.. Percival, and the fact that
every incident of his career and death
may become the property Of biogra'
piers, to be cmbalmcd in the memory
Of the future, the committee have felt
that they could not under the circum-
stances do less than give to the cast
full and searching investigation, ant
report all the facts as due to the jus
ticc and honor OF the State.