Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-09-17
Democratic and FAnQw Nothing office
hOlders-.A Contrast.

Democratic and hnQW Nothing Office
hOlders--A Contrast.
Incur first article on the subject of the Commits
sioners Bond we stated that the committee erred in
saying that the Act Of 1876 makes it the duty Of
the Governor to require the Secretary Of State to
enter into bond as commissioner Of Internal In
movements. We attributed to the committee no
desire to do injustice to Governor JOHNSON, but be-
ieyed and still believe that the error was uninten
tiOnel The Language used BY the committee does,
however, convey an idea different from the strict and
literal meaning of the Law, and viii necessarily pro-
dncs an Impression that Governor JOHNSON has dis
obeyed positive requirement Of the law. Now the
law Of '4e, says that the Secretary Of State shall
execute bond as commissioner, II does not say
that the Governor shall require it to be done What
ever Interpretation, then, the committee may place
upon the Law, they certainly erred in saying that the
Act Of 1885, makes Il The duty Of the Gorvnor to re
quire the Secretary Of Stale, before he enters upon
thedischarge Of his duties commissioner Internal
improvements, to execute bond, &C. lis just and
right hat the committee should SO modify their Ian
gusge as to make it conform to the language Of the
statute We think that as soon their attention is
called to the subject they will hasten to repair this
unintentionsl injustice.
The Patriot in defending the report of the Com
nittse states that it is the Governors duty to see
that aIl laws are executed This is true Whenever
his attention is called to the fact that any officer has
omitted to perform any act imposed upon him by
law, it is the Governors duty to require him to per1
form It, Yet the Governor cannot be expected to
supervise the acts of any officer of the State strict
ly as to that he neglects duty which the law
requires him to perform,-thst he does every thing
which the law requires him to do. 1t is no more
the duty Of the Governor to see that the Commits
sioner executes his bond than to see that the Comp
troller keeps the books of his Office correctly and
according to the requirements Of law Now, the
Committee report that the Comptrolers books we're
imperfeOdy and incorrectly kept from the time of
the passage Of the Free Banking law 1t would be
IS just to eeusure Governor CAMPBELL for any neg.
lect on the part Of the Comptroller to register the
notes Of the Free Banks during his administration
as to oensure Governor JOHNSON for the neglect Of
the Commissioner to give his bond, on the SUPPOSE
ton that no bond was given. It would be as cor.
also for the Committee to report that the Free
Banking law makes it the duty of the Governor to
require the Comptroller to register the circulation
Of the Free Banks to report that the Act of 1916
makes it the duty Of the Governor to require the
Secretary of State to execute bond It is incor.
rect to make either of these statements for neither
the Free Banking law nor the Act of 1876 imposes
such duty the Governor. If Dr. BURTON had failed
then, to execute bond as Commissioner Of Internal
Improvements, Governor JOHNSON would be respOn-
sible for this neglect just to the same extent
that Governor CAMPBELL is, for any neglect in
the registration of Free Bank notes, during his ad
ministration. Yet neither the Patriot nor the Ban
asT utter word of Censure against Gov CAMPBELL
for the negligence, which, as the committee report
occurred in the executive Offices during his admin,
istratiOn, but direct their indignation entirely
against Gov JOHNSON, on the incorrect assumption
that BURroS failed to execute his bond It is some
what remarkable that these papers should seek eve
~ occasion to illuminate their denunoiations at the
head Of Democratic ex Governor for what, at
worst, would be only an oversight, while the Know
Nothing Office holders, who have committed crimes
of the deepest and darkest dye receive scarcely one
Wordof condemnation in their columns. They write
interminable articles, and eIPend an immense
amount of labor to prove that Gov. JOHNSON has
been gully of the strocous crime of failing to take
g bond from Know Nothing officer, but scarcely
slude to the fact that thrty-siz thousand dollars
of the public money has been stolen by an hOnored
member of their own party. Gov. JOHNSON is
charged with being 'reoreant to duties he had
sworn to perform because Burrows bond cannot
be found, while BURToS's crime is almost ignored
and forgotten.
The same papers also, which condemned Gov.
Johnson severely for allowing the Commissioners
bond to remain in his own custody, have never even
Ill LII tI,,4
done by the Hon NELL S. Brown, while Governor
of the State. Now We think that the Banner and
Pqtriot might proitably turn their attention to the
sins of their own household. They have much time
and much angry denunciatiou to devote to the sup
posed omissions of a Democratic officer but very
little of either for the guilty deeds of their own
brotherhood. Recurring to the period when all of
these officers whose conduct has been made the sub
jeet of animadversion, went INTO Office we remem-
Der that the American party promised reformation
in government, by eevating to positions of dignity
and trust "men Of higher qualifications, PuTer morals,
and more uuselsH patriotism" They elected two of
their own members TO executive offices al the Capitol
They went into Office with the sanction and endorse
ment of the entire body of Know Nothing Represen.
tatives. OF course we had q right to expect that
they were men of the "highest qualifications and
the purestmora Before three years of their official
life had expired frauds, crimes and populations were
discovered in both those Offices unparalleled for
boldness and atrOCiy, in the whole history of this
State. At the same time, two Democratic officers
were inaugurated in the executive departments of
our State government. Both Of them have retired
from Office with characters spotless and unsiained
and the worst charge that can be urged against Ell
Their Of them is that he failed to secure the State
against the dishonesty of her Know Nothing Off,
GERS. We leave the contrast to the country.
See First and Fourth Pages.