Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-09-16

bond, the latter does not change the place of
Commissioner, are imposed upon the Secretary
by this act, and the additional bond required
is the Secredry,s bond, and the place for its de-
post had been pointed out by previous enact
ment. Theobject of the law specifying place
of deposit. was to take the bond out of the
Secrctary's possession, and place it in the
custody of a person not interested in its de-
struction. Governor HARRIS has required two
bonds from Mr.. RAY; they are registered in
the Secretary's Office, and deposited with the
Circuit Court Clerk. and his receipt taken for
them, and spread upon the bond book, in the
Secretary's Office. ---. -
If the bond had been taken it was negli-
gence to leave It with the obligor himself
Would it be proper for the County Court to
take Sheriff7s bond, and hand it over to him
and ask or expect him to have the same regis
tered and kept safely? Would it be proper to
leave the Treasurer's and Comptroller's bonds
with the makers? In all such instances, it
would be better for the public interest to re-
move the temptation.
Again: The Free Banking law. passed 18th
Feb, 1852. enacts that the Comptroller, be-
fore he shall enter upon the discharge of any
of the trusts or duties imposed upon him, by
this act, shall enter into bond to this State,
and annually thereafter with sufficient sureties
to be approved by the Governor of this State
in such sum as he shall direct, with condition
for tho faithful parformanoa of tho trnsts and
duties imposed upon him by this act, which
bond, being first first endorsed with the ap-
proval of the Governor, shall be filed in the Of
fee of Secretary of State"
This act certainly requires the Governor to
''direct" the amount of the Comptroller's bond,
anu approve the securities, and afterwards to
endorse his approval upon it; and requires
the bonds to be taken annually. Yet the Com
mittee find that Mr.. LUTTRELL gave no bond
for 1857. He executed bonds for the unex-
pired term of Mr.. CRozIER, for which he was
elected, and for 1856. Mr.. CROzIER did not
give bonds for the years 1854 and 1855.
There can be no doubt that the Governor is
required to take these bonds. He directs the
amounts of the bond and approves the secu-
rity and endorses his approval upon them.
The Committee seems TO have regarded this
as an oversight and reported it without line
of comment. Why does our neighbor shut
his eyes to these facts, and dwell only on the
Burton bond Burton's declarations about
his bond are somewhat conflicting, as we
learn He said the bond had been given,
promised to find it, and afterwards said he
would give another, which he was cautious
never to do. No doubt he resorted to subter-
fuges to put Off Gov. HARRIS, who was press
ing him about a bond. Tie public knew that
he was ready and willing to do or say any
thing to screen himself, and withhold from
them the fact that he had embeZZled the pub
lie funds-he probably, too, entertained the
hope of liquidatng the debt, before the pub
lie was aware of his defalcation. We trust
the Committee may not be sustained upon this
point-that the bond is in existence-that the
sureties are good and sufficient, and that the
people may be saved $4,000, but we appre-
bend their report is too true, and feel satisfied
that the public will award to them severe i'm
pdrtiali[y and strict accuracy.