The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-09-03
A Charge which cannot be denied
AGOVernOr Chase has failed &c
do his Duty.
LOOK AT THE RECORD!

LIS duty, In the matter oil protecting '"t
State Treasury. We have further ch'r I'D,
that by his 'wonton negligence, the Site
has suffered most seriously in the lbs OF
money, character and credit. Thesc are
grave charges, Snd ought never to be r'4de
unless sustained by incoutrovertble eVi,
dence. The evidence, however, is strong
clear and overwhelming, Governor Chase
did neglect his duty, grierousy and crim'9
oly. To prove this, we have only to ca!
attention TO few important facts.
During the administration of Gov. Chase,
the treasury was beyond the reach or exami.
nation of either the Governor, Auditor, or
acy other officer OF State. The State Trea-
surer could loan money, speculate, carry on
/ banking, or epgage in any other enterprise,
whittier inclination led him. The necessity
of more numerous checks ard guards over
the public moneys WIGS earnestly ielt by ev-
cry sincere wcll-wishcr Of the public vel.
fare. Gov. Medill, Auditor Morgan, Robert
J. Atkinson ind many others, felt and re.
peatcdy urged the absolute and pressing de-
mand for reform in this particular.
Afterwards, when Mcdill had retired, and
Chase was Governor in his stead, on The Sth
day Of April, 1856, The Republican Legisl.
ture passed the act, so long needed, to pro.
vide for the examination and better protec.
ton OF the Treasury. This law was passed
without the recommendation of Chase, but it
nevertheless binds him to execute It's pTov.
sors, and he cannot escape the responsible.
ty which it imposes. !. he does, lie is high.
y oensurablc for h:s conduct. We call the
attention Of cur readers to the provisions OF
the law. Section sixteen reads as follows:
"GrC. lG. All the material facts ascer-
tained by the examinations prescribed bv this
act, shall immEdjqteiy on the close thereof,
or as sCon thereafter rs may be practicable,
lie communicated to the governor, who Shall
lay the same before the general assembly ut
the commencement of lis next ensuing ees.
siCn.''
The language Of the foregoing section is
explicit and imperative. Itrcquires that the
Gorcrnor shall lay ALL the facts ascertain
I'd by such examination, before the General
Assembly at the COMMENCEMENT Of
its next ensuing session. Now, what did
Governor Chase do! Absolutely nothing.
The law was passed in April, 1856 The
next ensuing session OF the Legislature
commenced on the 9th day Of January, 1857.
Ard yet, Governor Chase made no report to
the LcgisIatuGe-stutcd nothing about any
examination of the treasury-did not cyaa
inform the people whether there had been
any investigation or not. His message is as
silent as the grave upon this important sub.
ject. Thus he WiIlully neglected and DIS.
| OBEYED the imperative command Of the
law enacted for the protection of the Trea.
sury. He failed to do his duty, because he
did not cause thorough examination of the
treasury to be made-he fOiIed to do his
duty, because he did not make a repor: Of
the examination of the treasury to the Gen,
eral Assembly.
Now, let us lock at the fourteenth and
fifteenth sections of the law of 1856, and as
certain :cAat Kind of an examination was to
be made Of the Treasury.
"SEc. IL. The ouIitor shgII, alone. or in
conjunction with such person as the governor
shall appoint for that purpose, between the
first day of September AID the first dav OF
November in each year, and al sucb other
time or times IS he shall deem necessary,
carefully examine the books, account, yUu-
chers, official correspondence, certificates of
deposit, and documents in the cfice Of the
treasurer, relating TO the receipt disburse-
ment, deposit Or custody Of the moneys Of
the state, or ony part thereof, and shall care
fully count al the moneys remaining in the
treasury, and shall also ascertain tie sums
or balances actually due the state on account
Of moneys deposited and kept elsewhere
than in the tre0 urcr'5 Office at CotGmbus
and the responsibility of the dcpostaries
Thereof; he shall also ascertain the terms
and conditions on which every such deposit
of money shall have been made, whether
actually agreed upon or understood and es.
pecialIy whether any, and if any what con
sideration, by wCy Of interest or otherwise,
shall have been stipulated for, received, or
shall be eEpe ted by the treasurer, or by any
other person for Or on account OF any sucn
ie2ost.
SEC. lJ. To enable the auditor to make
the examinations required by this act the
F treasurer shall, Oh the demand Of the uudior,
submit to his full and unrestricted eXamiHa-
ton, all the books, accounts, vouchers, GER
titicates of deposit, aud ali other evidences
OF money deposited to the credit or subject
TO the draft OF the treasurer, and all the Off
cjal correspondence in their office or posses
sion, or utject to lheir control, and the treu.
SureF shall, moreover, on oath. TO be admin.
isteror by the auditor, make full, true and
explicit answers an 1grUiRg, to all questions
put TO him by the auditor or by his direction
touching the receipt or the payment, anc
touching the deposit Of moneys belonging tc
the state. And the Gnditor may examine OF
cause to be examined ON OATH am or al
book Keepers ard clerks in the treasures oGfc,
and DEPOSITARIES Of monegs belonging
to tb' state, al their clerks, book keepers Gnc
agents, TOUCHING TIE PAYMENT OF MONEYS
INTO OR OUT oF THE TREASURY, or Of aa0ne4
: remaining therein, or touching the deposit o
\ moneys Belonging to the state, elsewher
than in the state treasury at Columbus"
i Not single requirement Of the above sec
e tion was ever carried out, either by Governo
4 Chase or Auditor Wright-not one, VIII
e did they not Carefully examine the book,
n accounts, vouchers and official correspond
!. enee Of the treasury departmentN .Wh