The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1857-07-01
More about the Defalcation-Indig
nation Meeting at CO!umbuS-S
S. COX'S Speech. &c.

The question "who has got the peo-
ple's money ?" is not yet answered. Mr.
Gibson, the Republican Treasurer, has
published card i'll the Tif1in Tribune, but
it is anything else than satisfactory. 1t is
a mere whining, childish statement deny
ing that the money was lost through his
agency, and attempting to fix it upon Mr..
Bresin. He says:
"Whcn Mr.. Brcslin failed to put me in
possession of the funds, should have
made it public. My kindness of heart,
which in me amounts to a positive weak
ness, led me to rely upon his assurances,
and say he paid all, except the $204,0OO
reported. This was my great aud only
error. 1t may have been wrong, &C."
Ills "kindness of hcart!" Poor fellow
Aided in swindling the State ont Of three
quarters of million from pure kindness
of heart B-eslin is his brother.in law
and if his "weakness F." would lead him
to help steal for his relative, the same
"weakness would be very apt to induce
him to put share of the spoils in his
own pocket. If he had "weakness F."
for swindling, Mr.. Breslin would hardly
be the ouly man benefited by it.
There seems to be desperate effort
made by the Republicans to white wash
Gibson's part of the transaction, and to
throw the blame as much as possible on
Mr.. Breslin. We do not defend Breslin;
nobody defends him; but we want fair
and honest investigation, and the respon-
sibility placed where it belongs. Mr..
Chase in appointing his investigating
committee, took them both from his own
party. which. to say the least, is bad
start for a fair examination.
An indignation meeting was held in
Columbus on the 18th, purporting to be
of all parties, but the officers of the meet
ing, and every member of the committee
on resolutions were Republicans. There
were, however, q humber of Democrats
present and taking part in the meeting.
Among them was S. S. Cox, the Con-
gresham elect from the Columbus district.
His speech on the occasion throws more
light on the subject than anything else we
have seen The following are extracts:
What nice fness, cordial contracts and
gentle embraces these fraternal Treasurers
exchanged in the month of January 1856
Il can only picture. What chuckling in
Tifin Bank parIors and friendly shaving
shops through Ohio, then took place, /
can only imagine. Whether Breslin was
then in default and Gibson agreed to damn
himself, to become his scape goat-and
be slaughtered in the wilderness-we have
no record to determine. All is surmise.
The Republican Legislature, Auditor and
Governor did not know. They took the
record as the Treasurers made it. That
record has been made endorsed by Gov
ernor, by Auditor, by the sworn statements
of the Treasurer, Gibson, by the smelling
committee appointed llth April, 1866
by the Finance Committee of the Senate;
and by the constant action of the State
governments since January 1855.
Noao what Is that record? When We
find this, we may get the best light as tc
",cho has got the peoples money? Let nc
Republican squirm as I read it, for if he
, be an honest man it does not affect him
! Now for the record from the printed
, documents! What is the record left by
Mr.. Breslin when he went out of Office
. He accounted for every cent he received
as will appear by his report; it specified
particularly what losses he had sustained
in the Treasury by the deposit CT Stat
= moneys:
a These losses amounted to $203,324 II
They were made up by de-
posits-in the CONNER +.
: ciai Bank of Toledo {. $24,9lE o.
City Bank Of Cincinnati 79,sll 81