The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1858-09-30
Hon. Mr.. Barker on Republican Extrav.
Rgance.

~ those OF our readers who were
present at the discussion between Messrs.
BAec & BARKER, candidates for the Dis
trict Attorneyship of this district, which
took place at the Court House on Tues
day Evening of last week, will recollect
the charges made by the latter gentle
man against the Republican Administra-
ton of the State, on the score of extrav-
agance. These charges are not original
with Mr.. BARKER, but are the offsprings
Of that prince OF liars, WILL ToMLrNsoN,
of the Des Moines Journal, who tried to
get an extra half dollar from the State
for each one of his papers ordered by the
Legislature, and failing therein, has done
nothing since but pirate of Republican
extravaganza. and as fast as one lie is
nailed, concocts and circulates another.
He is ably seconded in this by the editor
of the Dubuque Express d Herald, who,
while State Printer, endeavored to dip
too stceply into the funds of the State. and
being cracked over the knuckles there
for by Mr.. PArrEE, the Auditor, has
since taken great delight in crying T" stop
thief" after that gentleman. Every one
OF these lies have been nailed upon them
again and again. until they are now
ashamed to reiterate them specifically,
but arc forced to speak of corruption and
extravaganza in very general terms. Mr.
BARKER. however, trusting, as DAVE
WILSON did before him, that anything
which member of the Legislature would
utter, would be believed, took occasion
to go over the same list which Mr.. Will
SON gave us, and, like that gentleman,
claimed the credit Of having ferreted out
these Republican peccadilloes, and of
having exposed them in the legislature,
although not a word was ever heard in
reference to them until this canvass open
ed. Mr. BARKER was more willy, how
ever, than Mr.. WILSON, and did not pile
up the agony high enough to get into the
ridiculous, and thereby render his effort
migratory. as did the latter gentleman. He
kept within the bounds of reason, and
trusted in a general mystifcation of the
subject, by giving whole series OF fig
urcs. These he mixed and mingled to-
gether until they arrived at judicious
state Of confusion, when deduction,
clear and emphatic, and always pointing
to the monstrous prodigality Of the State
Administration was sure to result Some
Of these deductions we propose to exam
inc. in order to see whether they are sus-
tsined by the evidence.
One Of the main charges made by Mr..
BARKER, and one upon which he dwell
most emphatically. was. that the balance
in the State Treasury Nov. /, 1856, as
reported by the Auditor. was 1882 80,
while, in making up his report for 1857.
finding it inconvenient to balance his
books. the Auditor had placed the bal
ance on hand at the end Of the former
fiscal year. at Sl1.254 81. Here. then,
said Mr.. BARKER. is deficit of S13, 97l
o. Now, what are the facts The Aud
itos rclo:ts the balance of money III the
Treasury, Nov. lst, 1855, at 1875, 226 80.
In his report of 1857, the next year, he
says 8 Balance of reDenUe in State Urea |
sury Nov. LIST. '55, 1854 81" In one
case il is money. in the other it is reyenue.
BY turning to the report Of 1856. we
find the following items given as part OF
the reported balance Of Ss5. 1926 s3 then
in the treasury |:
Amount received from the School
Fund Commissioners, being pro-
ceds III sals Of the saline lands, s 1886 81
Also the amount OF saline land mon
ey in the treasury at that time (bc-
ginning Of the yenr) 1855 40
-
Total. .... 1881 81
Nov this saline fund is appropriated 10 a