Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1859-07-07
The Auditors Report.


calling attention to it, that 1t would have
scme startling disclosures to make the fol-
lowing week. We deferred our remarks for
the purposc of hearing what /. would have
to say bat for obvious reasons. probably.
1t has ''nethiug to say" and we shall
therefore examine the exhibit for the pur-
pose of ascertaining the true Indebtedness
81 the county, and other matters in which
the people are materially interested. We
do not wish to be understood as censuring
the Auditor. and charging him with Ger
sifyiEg to statements which he did not be-
fieve to be correct, but will explain what
we conceive 10 be TIE true cause, which is,
that our Auditor is not infallible, and that
there is still room for him TO learn some
thing in regart. 10 county affairs and the
duties Incumbent upon him. We entertain
none bat the kindliest of feelings towards
the Auditor; ss earnest desire that the peo-
pie may be correctly informed of the mat
tiers on which he treats. has impelled us TO
the task.
The Auditor says. at the close Of his
additional report, that The true indebted
mes of the county. June LIST. 1859, is So
sic, 22, less what the Rail Road stock is
worth. or can be sold for'' We request
the reader 10 stick a pin there, as we shall
4 r
again.
The first error that we will speak Of,
"f,r The information Of the people, is the
Trcasurer's fees (s6S1 .23. for collecting
the revenue That amount he was allow.
cd in the settlement sheet by the Auditor,
and. with the expenses of the delinquent
list, erroneous assessments, &C., DE. was
deducted from the whole amount collected,
and the balance the Treasurer is ckargea-
bic with. In the FIRST place, the county
pail no SG8l ,23 to the Treasurer for col
Letting. The amount which the county
pail. In round numbers, was 1924; even
II this amount was placed as expense, it
should also be placed among the receipts.
which would leave the indebtedness of the
county the same in either case.
The next error which we will refer to,
is tie Treasurer's fees (S64) for settling
with the State. In reference TO this we
would remark that he county does not
Il I'll
the State. Ii is n matter which concerns
the State alone; the expense is paid ly the
SAFE. out Of her own money. How the
Aaiitor came 70 make such an uHpardon
able blander, We are not prepared to state.
His remarks in reference the rail road stock
and the interest on the same. are correct.
The stock was reported as so much re-
ceipts. and was worth as much as county
orders. at the time. In the next place we
would remark in reference TO the Library
order of $500. that some OF the former
county officers were of the opinion that as
the order, or draft, was not numbered,
that it had not been reported in the annual
exhibit, but by examining the old receipt
book. we End it has a number, and has
been receipted as other orders, and checked
of. which is prima tacia evidence that ii
has been reported. The Auditor fur
Their reports bill of 5000. which was
allowed by the Board after the exhibit was
made out, and should not have come in
until merit June. He could, with the same
prop,iety. have reported the amount allow
ed him for fling road receipts, or record
ing delinquent list, or in fact all the or
ders which were made by the Board at its
June term. There is one more item that
deserves a passing notice: He reports
s193 of interest on the Library order, as
that amount Of indebtedness of the coun-
ty. which. probably, is literally true; but
this is lie FIST report We ever noticed,
in which the interest on outstanding orders
was inserted as an item of Indebtedness.
The reason why the Auditors do not pub
lish II So. is because they have no means If
ascertaining the amount.
1t would seem from the above, that our
Auditor has sought every means within
his reach, to make the Indebtedness OF the
county appear as large as possible, for
what reason. tho intelligent reader can. read
ily imagine Tbs Indebtedness is great
enough without charging upon it. Let US
post up and see how the matter stands.
Total amount of receipts, after deduct
ing collecting fees. Illegal assessments, cos;
of advertising delinquent list. DC. DC.
S1O.277,77
Total expenses. 7,340. SO
Excess Of receipts. 2.937.l9
Indebtedness of county. as re-
ported in June. 1853, 3.630.03
Add rail road stock. $4,000
Interes, on the same, 342.S7