Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-03-28
DsmocratIc and Repa6Iican vigilanee.--a
Caufraaf,

CONTRAST
On Wednesday we gave to our readers docu-
mentary proof, the authority of which has not
been, and cannot be successfully denied, of the
following facts -
That Messrs. Morgan. EdgartOn and all the
Democratic executive officers ofthe State knew,
as early as November, 1854, that there was a
deficit in the Treasury of over half million of
dollars
That, at the very time, when Auditor Nor
gan reported to the Legislature that there was
balance in the Treasury of 1854, $50, he was
illegally converting the Sinking Bund, set apart
for the redemption of the State debt into mon
ey to pay the January interest, amounting to
S4S3, ,4sS, being less by $l5l, ,297, than he stat
ed was in the treasury.
That, during the whole of Breslin's last term
of Office, while Auditor Morgan was officially
reporting the Treasury to be overfowing, and
when the talance could not have been, honest
ly, at any time below half million, the pay
ments of interest on the public debt were only
made by the most desperate shining" by the
Illegal use of funds required by law to be held
sacred for the redemption of the State bonds,
and by various other disgraceful financial make
shifts, all of which were for the dishonest pur-
pose of eoncealing from betrayed and plunder-
ed people the fact that there was an enormous
defalcation In the State Treasury
That during al these troubles the reports of
the Treasurer, Auditor and Fund Commission
ers constantly concealed them from the people,
and fraudulently represented the financial af-
fairs of the State as in the most prosperous
condition
Wehave also shown in previous article that
Gov. Medill was guilty of gross and criminal
neglect of duty in allowing nearly half of Bres-
Inns second term of office to expire, without
exacting from him his official bond
Thus all of the Democratic State officers of
the administration preceding the Republican
administration of 1856 betrayed their trusts
and violated their official obligations in the
mos. shameless manner. But this is not ALL
Governor Medill and Auditor Morgan know
ing Breslin's guilt-the latter certainly, and the
former probably-alIowed themselves to be re-
nominated upon the same ticket with the de-
faulteT, and used their utmost exertions to secure
their own and his election
We now come in the period of Republican as
eendancy, and mark the contrast! In June,
1857, Treasurer Gibson announced to Auditor
Wright his inability to meet the July interest.
Two years previously the same announcement
was made by Treasurer Breslin to Auditor Nor
gan. What did Morgan dol He at once pro-
ceeded to coUer up The defalcatiOn, by forward
ing to Edgerton the securities which he held
as Fund Commissioner for the redemption of
the public debt, for hypothecation to raise mo-
ney to meet the interest. Now compare this
with the course of Auditor Wright, under sim
liar circumstances. The latter at the earliest
possible moment informed Governor Chase of
Gibson's disclosure The Roman frmness of
Governor Chase never was more conspicously
displayed than on that trying occasion. Mr..
Gibson was political friend, and associate in
the administration of the State Government,
and upon him the blow was to fall Yet the
arm of the Executive did not finch, for it was
nerved by duty The Attorney General was
summoned without delay from Cincinnati, and
meeting of the Fund Commissioners was
promptly called to provide for the semi-annual
payment of the interest, now close at hand
Meanwhile the Governor demanded and received
from Mr.. Gibson the keys of the Treasury,
which he retained until after the resignation of
the latter and the appointment and due qualifi-
cation of his successor. A commission was
at once appointed to make careful inventory
OF the cash and assets in the Treasury, an an
other commission was appointed to examine
and report the facts connected with the defal-
cation These acts were all done promptly,
openly and without concealment, evasion or hes
itation. NOpetty considerations of party stood
in the way of the Republican State officers as
they had stood in the way of their Democratic
predecessors.
We ask the people of OHIO to look at the
foregoing facts; which are established beyond
cavil or controversy, and then judge as between
the Democratic and the Republican State of
ticers, which have been the faithful, and which
the untalthful servants.-StGte Journal!