Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-10-15

| no very active part IN the polucal contests,
make the foregoing statement as explanatory
of the reason why letter addressed to me
personally is furnished for publication.
RESPECTFULLY &C.,
JAMES SMITH, Jr.
VERNON, Minn., Oct l 1859.
JAS. SMITH Jr.
DEAR SIR AS you have expressed de-
| sire to have statement from me in relation
to certain investigation made i'll Ohio, and my
| opinion as to Mr.. Bakers completely in certain
aIiedged frauds, (as charged in the Pioneer
and Dsnsocra) [ comply with your request
| as briefly as possible.
You doubtless remember that at the Ses-
sion of 1856, a joint Committee, consisting Of
lion. r W. Taylor, Of the Senate, John A.
Snnctt and myself on the part of the House,
were appointed to investigate the disburse-
ments Of the public money, and to report the
exact state If the Treasury. There was also
two other investigating Committees appointed
cunss ing each of one member of the Senate,
and two from the House. The Democratic
side of the House was requested to name
member for each Committee. They first as
sented to the proposition, and John Shaw, Of
| Van Vert Co. was selected for the Treasury
Committee, whose name was inserted in the
bill. But after fully caucusing the matter, it
was resolved on their part, mot to take any
part in the investigation" but declared the
whole thing unnecessary that the officers OF
the State had faithfully and honestly discharg
ed their duties &c. Mr.. Shaw, therefore re-
fused to serve, and Mr.. Sinnett's Maine was
substituted for his You remember that the
grossest frauds were reported by the other
two Committees which report was made at
the adjourned Session of 1857.
So gross was the fraud in the letting of
the Public Works, by the Board of public
works, that the Legislature refused to n,ake
any appropriations to carry out the contracts,
but authorized the parties to sue the State
and test the validity Of their contracts. Suits
were accordingly commenced, and the Su-
preme Court declared the contracts void, by
reason of fraud DC.
Before our investigations were made, it be-
came necessary for the State to make loan
or issue Bonds, and offer them in New York
market for $24, 900 to meet the then present
Indebtedness of the State aud carry on the
government, Notwithstanding Auditor Nor
gan had Just reported surplus in the Treas
ury of about, or over half million of dollars
1t was made the duty of the Fund Commits
sioners (the Auditor, Secretary Of State and
Attorney GeneraD to sell this new issue Of
Bonds in New York under certain restric-
tons specified in tn, law authorizing this is
sue, but the Fund Commissioners not having
realized as great premium for the bonds as
was anticipated, the Committee deemed it
their duty to go to New York and investigate
that transaction. 1t was there found that
the Commissioners had followed the provi-
sions of the law, and before awarding the
contract, had taken the legal advice of one of
the best legal minds in Ohio, to wit, Il. c..
Schenk, who happened to be in New York at
the time. And although the bonds sold for
less premium than was previously anticipa-
ted, yet the Committee after full invesliga-
ton, and careful inquiry into all their acts
and doings, fully acquitted the Fund Com
missioners, and were satisfied that they acted
in good faith and for the best interests OF the
State Had tere been any improper con-
duct of the Fund Commissioners or out side
speculation on their part, | am fully satisfied
it would have been discovered and exposed.
There is no man in Ohio better qu lifted to
ferret out such transactions than H. w. Tay
lor, who is, and was well acquainted with the
noneyed men of Wall Street. This report
was made in March, 1857, and was fully ap-
proved by the Democratic side of the House.
They (several Of them) stated that the inves-
tigation was full, fair and impartial and
they fully endorsed the report"
Thomas Sparrow, Esq, late Post Master at
Columbus, an honorable and respectable
Democrat as Ohio affords, was appointed by
Gov Chase, after the defalcation of BreShn
and Gibson was made known, to investigate
the Treasury Department. He found the
same state Of things to exist that We had
found i'll our investigation, except that the
treasury was minus in money over hal: a
million. So that you see two special commit
tees had fully examined the same transac-
tons, without an inSinuation against ei her
MIR. Wright or Baker. This duty was as
signed to W. d. Morgan, Edgerton and Rem
lin. You know that have ever been the per-
sonal friend of W. d. Morgan, that many of
my friends when was candidate in our
own county, before Breslin and Gibson de-
falcation found fault with me for saying so
much in favor OF Morgan as a competent Of
ticer, &C., but assure you am done with
hitn. | was not surprised at Ed serton and
Remlin, believed tn III capable Of defaming
the best men in the State for political effect,
but was not prepared to see Morgan throw
off all moral restraint, and in an official re-
port seek to injure the reputation and fair
fame of Wright, Baker, Delano, and nearly
all the prominent Republicans in Ohio. But
it is claimed that Remlin is a Republican,
"Not So" he may have voted for Gov. Chase,
and to some extent did act with the Repub-
licans, but no Republican, to my knowledge,
mad any confidence in his professions, and |
venture the opinion that no official act OF Gov.
Chase, has caused so much dissatisfaction
among his friends as the appointment of Rem
I'm, although to an unimportant trust, (Trus-
lee of the Reform School.)
Relnlin has always been brawling parti-
san Democrat, except the very short time
above alluded to- have no doubt but that
every respectable Democrat in Ohio, is, at
heart, ashamed of the report made by Nor
gan, Edgerton and Remlin-what else defeat
ed Morgan before the Democratic State Con-
vention f,r Auditor of State? 1t was Just
rebuke, he received at the hands of his friends;
they well knew that that infamous report
would defeat him before the people of Ohio.
When you shall be as we'll acquainted with
James II. Baker as l am and the men who
seek to delame him, you will not want my in