The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-08-19
L TIER FROM MR.. ATKINSON.
Who IS Responsible for the Late Loss
i'm The state TreasurSsInteresti
PSlitfcal History.
WASHINGTON Cry, July 1. leI

sury is we'll calculated, in view of a
tie circumstances, to arouse the indiS
nation of the tax-paying people VIII
have been pluudered, aud to induce
thorough investigation, into the cause
e which produced it, as we'll as an iLquir
f whether there is not some radical defec
in me law regulating the fiscal concern
of the State, and the reason why tha
defect has not long since been remedie
by legislstiou.
!. l observe that an eff ,rt is being mad
to throw the entire blame on the lat
Treasurer of State, (Mr. Breslip y elect
ed as a Democrat and to charge on tn
Democratic Legislatures, immediatel,,
succeeding the adoption of the new cou
stitutiou, 'dereliction of duty" i'll fail
ing to place on the statute books SOM
restrictions aud safeguards to protect th,
Treasury, in addition to such as wtr,
then in force | am not aware that tn,
dtfalcation Of Mr. Breslin, so far as i
goes, is attempted to be extenmated BY
his political friends. The policy which
produced that unfortunate result was
denounced, at the time, by Democrats
alone; while the oppositi were either
entirely silent on the subject, or, by their
voices and votes, gave evidence of their
approval of his course.
But, with regard to the majority oi
the Democratic members of the Leeis-
lature, elected in 1851 and 1858, am
bold to say that no part of the response
bility for Mr. Rreslin's course of policy.
or the still more ruiuous policy of his
successor, n be truthfullY placed to
til ir account. On the contrary. tue
facts are, the legislative records are full
of the evidence, that large majority of
the Democratic m III mbers elect to each of
those Legislatures, felt deeply the ne
cessity Of legislation on til, subject; and
! la bored earnestly and zealously, to pro-
vide against the evils which were be
lieved to exist, and which have resulted
at last. so disastrously to the State.
On behalf of those sound Dem Gratis
and faithful public servants, who labored
with me during tho e sessions of the
Legislature, in earnest efforts to place
on the statute book some further guards
aud restrictions against the improper
use Of the public money, propose. now,
la this letter. to give you brief sketch
of the proceedings had in the Lcgisla
ture on the subject; with such refer
ences a: [ have space to make TO the
records, in order that the responsibility
may rest where it properly belongs, so
far the action or non ection of the |
Legislature is concerned.
To begin: The first Legislature under
The new constitution met in Columbus
N the first Monday of January, 1852 |
T'Lf IF af fha IF
fcers dsclos d tie fact that SlG0, 900 of
the public finds had been loaned to or
deposited with the Columbus Insurance |
Company, by The former State officers,
(Mr. Bliss being the Treasurer of State,) |
which sum was then posed to be lost
by the insolvency os that eoucern. Mr. |
b esin, the newly elected Treasurer of
State, entered on the duties of his office
a iew days after the meeting Of the lie
gislature; aud it was soon surmised that
he would continue the old practice of
loauiRg oi drpositirg public funds with
favored Individuals and banking Q iustitu-
tious
had been placed on the Committee
on Finance of the Senate. (Joel W. VIII
son. of Seneca county, being Chairmau.)
ANU lANdlh VI tit StSSltu- II
recollect Alright, l brought this matter
up in the Committee, ard proposed All
introduction of bill from the Commit
tie" providing fer the organize tiou of the
Treasury Oh ali independent basis, aud
total divorce from banks. or other cor
pOrarions or individuals, as depositaries
If the public funds On comparison
IF vie s. it was ascertaiDed that a ma
jority of the Committee were averse to
the prop' sitiou.
then took the matter into the Sen
ate, aud introduced a resolution instruct
ing the Committee on Finance to pre-
pare and report bi 10 provide for Il
reorganization OF The State Treasury.
and for the collection, safe keeping,
ransfer and disbursement of the public
revenue" THIS resolution was either
laid on the table or defeated by direct
vote on motion; l think, of the chair
man IF the FInai ce Committee. l have
not the journal Of that session before
me, aud am, therefore, compelled 60
speak from recollection, but feel conf
dent that [ an substantially correct -
This was perhaps, towarus the latter
part of the session. At all events, l
had no bill matured, and the burning of
the State House, the general derange-
ment and confusion which ensued, the
amount of legislation absolutely neces.
sary to inaugurate the government under
The new constitution, with the certainty
of an adjourned session, all conspired to
induce me to defer further action at that
session.
Accordingly, the Legislature adjourn
ed until the 18th of November, 1852
On the third day of the sessipn-the
18th November gave notice of the
introduction of "a bill to provide for the
of the S'ate Treasury,
and for the collection, safe keeping trans
fer and disbursement of the public rev
enue;'' and on the lth December in
Senate bill No l62, under the
above title. [Senate Journal for that
session, page &c have not space
here even to give synopsis of the bill
Ii had. do IbtIess, many imperfections,
as all primary legislation on snch sub
rcts must be more or less defective.-
But it contained many provisions admit
ed to be salutary. The bouds of the
Treasurer were increased in amnuat,
more close accountability was provided
,y giving to the State Auditor checks
le did not formerly possess; and fre-
Iuent examinations were required, on
I