The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-05-19

Inc Emu Oh the fcck C8Scss0$S f'd1U AMtO
the State Treasury.
The long talked of case the People Us
G. w. Peck, late State Printer, charged
with receiving double pay was closed
at the late term of the 1ngham County
Circuit Court. The Lansing Repss6Ii-
can gives Tire following explanation
of the case as appeared upon the trf-
al.
1t is a long lane that has no turn
ing'-and even the $3.50 double pay
business, must share the fate of all
things sublunary it has finally come to
an end, the how will be shown by the
following receipts u
"April 25, 1859, General Fund re-
ceived of j. c. Bailey for twice paid
accounts, (receipted as follows:)
j. G. Bailey to State of Michigan,
to amount of accompanying voucher
twice audited and recipted, viz: audited
May II, receipted May L 9, 1853, audited
and receipted August 10, 1853, as per
copy attached, $3.50.
Interest on do. years, s months
and days, at 7 per cent, s17911
$50 90
1929 II
This short but expressive extract
from the Treasury's book, seems to
show that the late Auditor General
Jones did well to demand this sum of
Mr.. Bailey, who, as rumor said, had
the money, and that demand not being
complied with, to sue Mr.. Peck for the
amount, in whose hands, the record
showed, the money was lodged. Upon
the trial of Mr.. Peck's suit, it appeared
by witnesses produced by the defense,
that he never had the money, but that
it was in Mr.. Bailey's hands, one
of the principal witnesses for the de-
tense.
Much animation has grown out of
this matter, great portion of which,
has been needless. Mr.. Peck, like
most high spirited men, was very sensi-
tive to the charge which implied gross
carelessness, dishonesty, and in his zeal
to defend his honor, obviously commit
ted the mistake, out of which most of
the hard feeling has grown. Upon the
discovery of the payment by Auditor
General Jones in the winter of 1856,
and upon the demand upon Mr.. Bailey,
the late Deputy Treasury, to pay over,
if Mr.. Peck had taken the same view
of the matter which he subsequently
did, all would have goneregularly. The
money would have gone back into the
Treasury, and the whole affair would
have been forgotten. But by exercis-
ing an act of control over the money,
and by refusing to allow Mr.. Bailey to
refund it, he committed grave mistake
in our opinion. The Lansing Journal,
Detroit Free Press, and other Locofoco
papers, are inclined to treat the result
of the Peck case, as a partizan triumph.
There is not the slightest ground for
such demonstration-so far as there
exists any ground for exultation, it is
with the prosecution, for the suit re-
suited in bringing into the Treasury
5000 III which belonged there, and
which could not otherwise have been
attained. The late State Administra-
ton are hereby vindicated, alike from
all charge of personal malice, as well
as from the unjust suspicious of hav-
ing brought groundless suit. They
did their duty with nerve, and the re-
suit has satisfied them to the fullest ex-
tent. Considered in the light, then, of
political triumph, the Peck verdict
does not furnish the Locofocos the first
element-as personal vin6ication OF
Peck, of course no one can blame him
or his friends for making the most of
| it.