M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1857-09-24
The smelIlng CommIttecs.

to appropriate five hundred dollars to each
of the three Committees. The unsophistica.
ted in fusion tricks were quite astonished
therefore, to learn that instead Of 81 800 fol
all three of the Committees, that sum haG
been appropriated to each one of them-ma.
king the gross sum Of $4,000 instead of ST..
500! The people were still more ustonish,
ed, when they learned afterwards that Gov
Chase's officials had not only audited and
paid bills for the Committees to the tune oI
that $4,000, but had actually, in violation Of
law, paid in the same way the unexpended
balance Of an appropriation which was
made several years ago and, of course, new
er intended for the Smelling Committees OF
1856 We now have before us the Laws
of Ohio for 1867, and we find on page ST,
that the Legislature, last winter. made ad-
ditional appropriations for these same Smell
ling Committees. They are as sfollows:
Joint Committee to investigate Public
Works the sum of SS92,42.
Joint Committee to investigate the new
State House, Penitentiary, SC, the sum Of
SI,757,99.
Joint Committee to investigate the fnan-
cial transactions, the sum Of $2s3,6O.
Making the additional sum of S2,933 ,9l
that went into the pockets of the Smellers.
But, to cap the climax Of all these wrongs,
the same law in which may be found these
additional appropriations, actually legalizes
the paying tothe Smel lers of the unexpend-
ed balance of an old appropriation, in the
very fGce of the Constitution. That instru-
ment declares that
"SEC. 22-No money shall be drawn
from the Treasury, except in pursuance OF
a specific appropriation, made by law, and
no appropriation shall be made for longer
period than two years.
Both clauses in this section were violated
by Chase's officials. The old balance had
been appropriated longer than two years,
and according to the Constitution belonged
10 the General funds the Treasury and it
could not be drawn out except in pursuance
ofa specific appropriation, which the Fusion
Legislature did not make.
In direct violation of this plain provision
of the Constitution, Section 6 of the law
above referred to declares that these appro-
priations shall be held to be in addition to
the appropriations heretofore made for the
same purposes, and as authorizing the pay
nlent of The money heretofore dra10n from the
Treasury on the warrants of the Auditor of
State, whether the Auditor shall haze con-
'trued the acts making such former aPpro-
oriationS correctly or notl!
No matter how the money was taken out
If the Treasury, whether in pursuance of
aw, or in violation of the Consttution !;
whether correctly or mol, its payment to the
Smellers is held to be all right!
1t will be seen that instead ofSl 800,
hese Smelers cost the State near $4,000.
Vow what bonoft havO the people derived
rom their labors
Tie Board of Public Works Smellcrs re.
'ort that the Canal contracts made by the
Board of which Jacob Blinkensderfer was a
member, were all fraudulent, and the Black
Republican Legislature thereupon repu1ia-
ed them. In few months afterwards the
Black Republican State Convention re-
nominated this same Jacob Blckensderier-
hus giving that Committee the lie and re-
'udiating the Legislature, or presenting to
he people for their suffrages a dishonest
nan Either ofthese conclusions is palpa-
'le, and fatal as palpable.
The Committee that smelt into the public
Institutions reported numerous frauds, over
,harges, &C.; but the evidences that this
eport was false in every essential point,
'oured in upon the Legislature so thick and
asst, that even the Republicans would not
redit its statements.
The Smellers into our finances, who made
he fairest report of the three Committees
most thoroughly investigated the Treasury
nd its transactions. They found that Sal
non p. Chase had recommended Breslin to
eposit the funds of the State in Banking
Institutions which were notoriously unsafe,
nd they declared that the unsound condi-
on Of the City Bank of Cincinnati could
ot have been unknOpn to any "person of
rdinary intelligence They also affirmed
nat they counted the money IN the Treasury
nd found 1t uH there In few months
lterwards the people were astounded TO
ear that their Treasury was robbed Still
lore surprised were they to hear Governor
hase assert, in the face of the Smelling
committee, that Bresln, who had been out
office eighteen months, was the robbor
lid the SmellerS tell the truth when taey
eported the money in the Treasury, or did
ley lie ! Chase would have us believe
nat the Smellers were deceived! Ifso, of
hat benefit have they been to the State,
'hich has paid them thousands of dollars for
leir services? No benefit at all They
rere humbugs for which the Black Repub.
can Legislature is responsible. The state