Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-09-16

ton. II provides that the trustees Of tho he-
nevolent institutions and tho directors Of the
Penitentary should be appointed by law
When Gov. Chase got the right to hll them
do not know.
The next point Of complaint is, that the
Legislature have undertaken to make three
Boards Of Public Works. What is tho fact
about itH You are aware that our public
works lie in different parts Of the State. The
Board we're accustomed to put these works
under the direction Of some one member OF
The Board Now this law does what was done
by the Commissioners,
The noIt point is one Of very great impor-
lance TO the people Of the State. II is the
question, how shall the public monies of tho
State be kept and disbursed We have had
a very sad experience on this subject, and
propose TO call your attention to the history
OF this matter. The Democratic party elected
a Treasurer in 1852 by the name Of Breslin,
and got Awfully cheated in it, too. He held
the office for four years. The Republican
party then elected man by the name of Gib-
sen, and if they did not get little worse
cheated | am greatly mistaken. (Cheers).
But the beginning is not there. Let us then
60 back little further.
This Treasury of ours has been systemstic-
ally robbed for the last u years. When / say
robbed lsimply mean that the money has been
takon from the Treasury and used for the
private advantage Of the man into whose
custody it was given. | propose TO 90 back to
a man by the name Of Bliss who has always
belonged to this same party. Think It's one
Of the most ungrateful things in this world,
that the Bankers of Columbus should set up
howl against us farmers. Mr.. Sullivan, Di-
rector OF the Clinton Bank, because surety
for Mr.. Bliss with the expectation to receive
from the deposits Of money.
In his Affidavit before the Investigating
Committee, Mr.. Sullivant thus discloses the
reasons that actuated him in becoming the
surety Of Bliss, and the gain he expected
thereby:
William s. Sullivant being sworn, says:-
| became surety for Mr.. Bliss with the eIpeo-
tation Of a benefit accruing therefrom 10 the
Clinton Bank, by deposits to be made therein
by him az Treasurer. Mr. Deshler as Cash
ier, agreed to share with me any RESPONSE
bility that might arise in consequence of my
becoming such surety, and gave me an instru-
ment Of writing to that effect After became
surety for Mr.. Bliss, was not entirely salts
fed with his management Of his Office |
thought he was absent too much and there
were other circumstances that excited my
suspicious as to his transactions There were
other Banks whose regulations were also
surities for Mr.. Bliss, aai presume, for the
same reasons which influenced me to become
his surety.
For this money he was to receive an in
terest. What was the outcome of this trans
actionl Bliss entered into all sorts Of specu-
latons with the public monies, and came out
in dcfalcation Of 500 900 which had to be
provided for by his sureities. My friend who
now thinks there is no Democratic party in
this country was the Trustee Of the Creditors
of Bliss.
When he talks about the old Democratic
masses being implicated in the suppression Of
the defalcation, before or at the time a De-
mocratiU Treasurer had taken the office. Sui
livan further says
By some arrangements between Mr.. Bliss
and Mr. Breslin the amount to be paid by Mr.
Bliss, and for which his sureties were liable,
was Gscsrtained to be f65,0O0. Thirteen
checks OF $4,000 each, we're given by the
sureties to Dir. Breslin. There was an under
standing that these checks were not to be paid
for two years. and were not to draw interest.
Then there was turned over to Breslin
over 100000 by this man Bliss. Here was
the hrst fatal error of Bresin. He should
have said 'hand me over the money! But
he suppressed the fact that his predecessor,
Bliss, was defaulter. But do not stop here
My friend, Gov. Chase upon the accession of
wi. bItsllu ~ lllt treasury NIOlC MN an al
fectiOnate note. He was then in the Senate
Of the United States and Breslin had been no
unimportant instrument in effecting that re-
suit. lie had figured with Townsend & Morse
in bringing this election about. Chase told him
that the City Bank of Cincinnati was a very
'pfs institution in which to make deposits. v ell,
Brother Chase thought 30. But when you see
so shrewed and intelligent man getting 10
deluded think it is safe to stand by this
Democratic law and not loose our money by
the methods suggested by our friend
What was the result of that deposit of the
money in the City Bank Of Cincinnati2 There
was only $4,000 deposited and lost in this.
safe institution.
There was gentleman by the name Of
OEias BOwen-you have all heard Of him.
Breslin had scarcely got himself seated in
the Treasury until OziaS made his appear
Gnce. What are you down here for Ozias p
Well, I will tell you. lie came to mako an
agreement with Bresiu to make n deposit in
the Marion Bank. This Drcslin agreed 10,
with the understanding that he was to receive
four per cent. interest on such deposit. They
knew it was unlawful to use the money OF
the people for private purposes, and so took
this method to make it a personal advantage.
How much do you suppose OF the money Of
the people was used in this bank2 Only
about 1921 900; and it did not stop here
OziaS went with the money and set up the
Central Bank Of Indiana. Well, my friends,
what want you to see is, that Breslin cover
ed defslcstion of his predecessor that the
latter was making use or And Breslin gave
himself up into the hands Of very pure Re
publican patriots, and these men aided and
conniVed at this population of the public
funds
Let me introduce you to another gentleman
by the name Of Gibson. He was n shining
light in the world about lS55-was Jealous
to keep slavery out Of all the world You
may have heard him speak to you here.
Breslin had but just got hold Of the Treas
ury, when he went down and bought Bank
in Maryland. lie brought up and lent $780,
600 to his friend Gibson, with which Gibson
bought up the Seneca County Bank. Here is
a nice business when both Gibson and Bres-
lin, outside OF the peoples money, were not
worth hfty thousand cents | might go on in
this way to almost any length, but il is un-
necessary. Now what is the difference be-
tween the gentleman aud myself2 In pub
lie speech OF his he says that the Kelley law
was the best law ever enacted in any State.
This admitted the deposit ON certificates, of
| the peoples money in Banks. The present
| Treasury law provides that your money should
be kept in the Treasury until the public
Treasurer shall be required to pay it out in
| pursuance to law.
| This | humbly conceive to be the most
! honest plan that can be devised. But OF all
| things in the world to draw the money from
the Treasury, this Kelley law is the very
worst return to the odious system Of deposit
| ing The moment you say TO public officer,
he can touch the funds, that moment he will
struggle to get rich out Of the public monies.