Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-07-23
t-- From the Desmoines Citixer
How a Lilo Is Forged.

A week or two since, the Journal of thi
city contained an article in relation to thu
State Treasurer, which was known to be, al
the time it was published, wickedly false
and libelious and but for the fact that its
author is as bankrupt in purse as in charac.
ter, and is regarded as beneath the contempt
of honest men where he is known, would
have secured for him an instant summons to
answer to the legal tribunals of the state.
The intent of that article was to leave
upon the public mind the impression that
MIR. Morris, the State Treasurer, is Il default
er, when it is perfectly we'll known to every
member of the late Legislature that the
investigation instituted during the session,
! showed that there were in the Treasury
resources to meet every dollar due the State.
Such IS the report made By a committee, one
member Of aohich is a leading Democrat an
the Senate. The only cause Of complaint
was that a part Of the money was in drafts
and certificates of deposit, when as the
Committee thought, it should be in gold.
Here is a passage from the Journals
article:
"The total amount lacking in the State
Treasury, at the date of the Report, was
One Hundred and Nine thousand, Seren
Hundred and Serenity One d 0rs and
Eighty-Nine Cents! And what did the
Treasurer have to show for this vast sum
Merely the drafts, cheeks and certificates of
deposits Of certain private bankers and indi-
viduals! lie had certificate Of specie
deposit with B. F. Allen, of our city, for
$4,000. Did that certificate state the truth
No. For when Mr.. Allen was interrogated
on the subject by Senator Saunders, who
held in his possession some $4,000 or
$4,000 in State Warrants, the reply was
that the specie could not nor would not be
paid until returns were made from New
York on those drafts, checks, certificates,
&c put into his hands for negotiation. So
with the certificates of Hoyt, Sherman Il
Co.."
Here, it will be seen, is an insidious state
ment that there is deficit; but it is fol-
lowed by the statement that that deficit was
provided for by certificates of deposit, &C.
What did the Journal mean by its sneering
allusion to the certificates of Allen and
sherman? 1t knew that those certificates
were just as good as the gold that there is
not a man in this community, or any other,
who is acquainted with these gentlemen, but
knows that their certificates were Just as safe
to the State as so much gold and silver. But
twas supposed that abroad, in some sections
of the State, men would be led to infer, by
the seeming sneer, that A. and S. Il Co. were
men of straw, irresponsible and worthless
as their defamer.
The lie having been started, let us see what
use is made of it. Here is quotation from
the Davenport State Democrat:
s'We cannot now tell the exact amount for
which Morris will be unable to account, but
we have the best Of reasons for believing
that the State will lose by his operations at
least one hundred and nine thousand dollars.
1t is with deep regret that We announce that
leading banking house of this State has
unfortunately become involved in Morris
transactions. 1t was because of the exposure
of Morris rascality that the Republicans did
not dare to nominate him for re election,
but this forced retirement will not shield
him from merited condemnation. The report
of the committee will add the name of Mar
tin l.. Morris to the already we'll filled cata-
logue of Black Republican delinquents."
The Democrat quotes the first portion of
the Journals statement, and there stops !;
doing just what that paper intended !: pro-
ducing the impression as far as possible that
Mr.. Morris is defaulter, when there is not
even the shadow of foundation for such
suspicion to be found in the records of the
Legislature, or of any committee of investi-
CATION of any party.
We pursue this matter no further. If the
editors and writer's for the journal were
known abroad as they are known here, it
would not be necessary to say even thus
much. But we ask honest and intelligent
men, of all parties, if it is not high time to
crush this Infamous abuse of the freedom of
the press, which makes it a mere vehicle of
the basest slander, for blackening the char
acters of men whose records have, thus far,
passed through all ordeals, unscathed.