The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1859-07-27
The Treasury DefalcotiOu.

Commission proves to demonstration that the
Delalcation in the State Treasury, had its ORR
gin in, and was the natural result Of the prsc.
tice for many years in use, and by which the
banks and other corporations were permitted to
have the unlimited use of the public money
security for the Treasurer, and rendering other
iavors to him. in consideration OF benefits to be
derived by them, in an unlimited permission to
use the public money in their banking business
and other speculations In the testimony of
VIM. S. Sullivant, Esq, Of this city, taken be-
fore the Commission on the 22d June, 1853, he
frankly says:-w became surety for Mr.. Bliss
with the expectation of benefit to accrue
therefrom to the Clinton Bank, by depostes to
be made therein by him as Treasurer" Mr..
s. further testfes that "there were 9th.
er Banks whose representatives were also sure
ties for Mr.. Bliss, and presumed for the same
reason which influenced me to become his sure
ty." The prevailing custom ofthe times is con.
clusively established by the testimony OF MIR.
the Banks had 10 fact become the Treasury Of
the State, and the custoday of the peoples mon
ey was transferred from the officer elected to
take care Of, manage and disburse the same, to
irresponsible corporations. The improperly of
such a custom and the evils heretofore, and that
would hereafter result from it, if again revived,
are so well understood and appreciated, that we
will not here recur to or enumerate them; but
we will call the public attention to the fact
that it is the design of Mr.. Dennison and his
party, if they succeed in tie contest of the COM
ing fall, and carry the next Legislature, to re-
peal the present restraining laws, and return
at once to the old indefensible and corrupt sys-
TEN. OF that fact there can be no question,
and it is we'll for the people to be admonished
in time, so that being "forewarned they may
be forearmed."
By this custom it is shown by the Report of
the Investigating Commission, that Mr. Bliss had
become so embarrassed that on the close Of his
term there was quite deficit in the State
Treasury. Asa faithful, prudent officer it was
his duty to have had in the vaults of the Treas
ury every dollar belonging to the State, and to
hand the same over to Mr. Breslin his success
sor This, however, he was not able to do, for
the reason that as he had made the vaults of
banks and other corporations, the treasury of
the State, he became, as he inevitably would,
participation in their their schemes of specu-
lation, many of which proved unfortunate, and
thus he was embarrassed and consequently un-
able to close his official life by discharge of
his official pecuniary obligations.
Through the consultations, and arrangements
which took place between Bliss and his sure
ties and Breslin, the latter was induced to take
from Bliss check on the City Bank of Cincin-
natl which was not only lost, in the end but was
the means of further loss Of some $90000.-
Breslin was likewise induced to take from Bliss
a certificate Of deposite from w. E. Chittenden,
Banker, New York, for the sum Of $48, ,464, ,72,
which turned out to be straw concern, and
was an almost entire loss. Bliss also gave Bres-
lin, some time after the latter became 1reasu
rel, the checks Of his sureties for S65,000 on
certain Banking Institutions, thus showing in
these three items (without naming others)
deficit of over one hundred and twenty thous-
and dollars in the public revenue at the end Of
Mr.. Bliss and the beginning Of Mr. Bresln's
term Of service We Yesterday published the
deposition of William Dennison, Jr., the Repub-
lican candidate for Governor, taken before the
Investigating Commission from which it is
shown that he was made trustee, and the prop
erty OF Bliss conveyed to him in the month Of
June, 1852, to secure the sureties of Bliss a.
gainst an admitted detalcation Of $1,000 then
existing. This transaction took place several
months after Breslin took the office. From
Mr.. Dennison's connection with banking opera
tions in some Of the institutions which had the
public funds, it is to be presumed that he was
aware oft full extent to which Bliss failed to
pay over the public money to Breslin, and the
nature of the huckstering and checks, certf-
Gates and other assets which Breslin was pre-
vailed upon to take. With this Bliss defalca.
ton, which it is to be remembered occurred an
terror to the connection of ex-Auditor Morgan
and Mr.. Edgerton, with the State Treasury or
the public finances in any way, Mr.. DenniScn
was familiar. He knew all about it, and ifhe
did not disclose it to the public and expose the
whole thing he is taken and deemed to approve
of and sanction the reprehens ible loose and
corrupt manner in which the business ofthe
treasury was then managed and as ready to
conceal all the damaging facts then within his
knowledge. AS trustee he appears to have
regarded himself in the instrument executed
by him, as declaratory OF the terms and condi-
tions on which he accepted the trust, in some
sense the guardian ofthe treasury. But in the
December following Notwithstanding the rela.
ton he appeared to occupy towards the treasu.
ry, here conveyed the property to Bliss when he
knew that the money due from Bliss to the
State had not been "well and truly accounted
tor and paid over according to law" and thus
threw away the securities placed in his hands
as trustee for the protection of the State to the
amount OF the defacation. .-l. ..... ~
The people will observe then that Mr.. Dem
nison was the gentleman who had the early
knowledge Of the treasury defalcatlon and at
period when il the facts had been disclosed by