Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-10-28
ComptroIIer,s Report.
ICORtinued.l

REPORTS TO District ATTORNEYS-Sub-sec. q Vi
sec POI makes it the duty Of the ComptrOler 10
make annual reports TO the District Attorneys aiter
his visit TO Knoxville and jackson, OF AL the dehI-
oUents charged with the collection Of public reye-
nue Subsec 81 of the same section authorizes hlln
upon his own apprehension OF probable loss'Of upon
reasonable suggestion from Others TO 40 so at any
time These provisions seem TO confer power 10
meet all emergencies and have acted under them:
Rnt under the radical change in the collection OF
revenue produced by the legislation OF the last Le
Oislature in section CAB, requiring seni-allhual
statements and payments, the Legislature deem
cd II proper TO enforce a more prompt proceed
1re fsection POI subsection 2l against dehnquents'
and to require all officers to be reported IN 80 DAYS
who dId not COLLECT and make returns OF settlement
or nav over moneys Of the state by nm recelNec,
at the time and in the manner required ey law
This of course operates virtual repeal OF SUP
soc u and will require. instead OF an annual re
mort to the District Attorney. at least four 10 DC
made at different times two against CoAectoIS 'i
two against Clerks, &c. 1t will also dispense win
tho necessity of the annual visits to knoXYle ana
TaSon az there will be nothing to settle with Clerks
and Collectors except what is already IN the hanus
of the District Attorney. These visits are uhheG-
essarv at any time, the settlements can Oe iaOe
as well by letter, and much cheaper TO the ohceIs'
than by meeting the Comptroller at these polh's'
The Comptroller would never object 10 attehulls at
these placese as these visits are relaXaton from
bis more onerous official duties at the CapItolWere
| he is certainly more needed.
Law
of money into the Treasury rather than leaving Il
scattered in the hands of many individuals wherG
| il was doing the State government no practiC;s.
good and sub-sec q Is also proper IN callnS puollS
officers promptly to account for dehnquehcles. Dul
| as # was new law. not properly UNDERSTOOD "
| those on whom it intended to operate anu d
| many of them the Clerks especially; cOhtf"NSrtT'
/ the fact as TO whether they were included anu u'
time when the payments were due, nave mus Id
foreborne to report them for the non-return OF iGL
| however.
done in future if the law, which Is clear ana uii
bicuous to me. remains unchanged. r
RppoKTs FROM THE DISTRICT ATrORNEYS.-Secuo
| 9q61 subsection - requiring District Attorneys
report to this office, on the hTst OF I1
wear. detailed statement of the claims piaceu
! fboir hands for collection, has been dead letle
prettv much since the present incumbent mas PC =
in office In obedience to section 2Ot SUBSECTION o.
have 20 report. that I. Z. Scurlock, OF tlle t1t
| C;rcui+ and Vim. G.. McAdOO Of the 81, lOf lo0'
| onJ r p Scurlock of the 18th. Samuel Powell !
the lst and VIM G. McAdoo, Of the a. loF TO-
have been the only District Attorneys whose report
under the above section, have reached tlls Oiito
) Many and perhaps all of them have aeknoWleuse
- !a;r,t of the claims sent to them, and this +
onirppnent having escaped their observation may
waiting for final disposition OF the cases Deloi
reDorting The failure is of little moment as
money due the State (sec. '5y-4o) passys my ~
toin hands hut through the Clerks Of the Creu
Courts, who, upon receiving IT, pay 1t Aiil'
\, | into the Treasury. (oec. 1922 -
, REGTsrER OF BoNDs AND PAYMENT OF COUPONS
Sections 2O9 to 2I3 inclusive. are unreasonaOl u
If practicable, and unnecessary ana 'lfpH Oh
~ labor mon this Office impossible TO be pefforme
without a heavy clerical force, and Keep up WIN
l. current 5usiness Section 2O9 requires the Oom
troller TO keep book in which TO register the hei
her and date of every bond heretofore or mere ~
ST 10 he issued to whom, and for what purpose. II
IT Secretary of State does this. His is the once lro
~ which bonds issue and to whom receipts, IN poo
are given. There is nolecessity for the Oompuoll
IA do t:and after being done, u Wouiu DC DuI vi
Fro,, the SerYetsry's books and not FeeelFaple e
Q cent nv special enactment as evidence any "psl
- II Is an immense labor upon an officer aiready Owe
burthened with legitimate business "l'loI. {"
practical or beneficial result DeIng S0oOlPltsil
n Section 2IO requires continuation OF uileSess"
n labor. bv having all the coupons in'LAeu ,
: | J-,,rs onnosite the Londs, the time Wh
y NV fall due, and marked as PAD NA'
Id n common is paid, every maternal laCt 10 q
d. ALWAYS has been put upon book IN the Oollp'Io
,r er's Office at the time the Warrant ISSUES WY"
il Maid by the Treasurer, the receipt Is reIuIHTu
10 III Cor,ntroler when he coBnteFSgns the eHeck
II and the same facts go upon anoihef pooh.
e ,5opId seem that putting down all the iacls wv
& would be sufficient. but this law requires the s'i
facts in a third book withno cOunterparls OF eHoo
RS 80 = a. tho former are by the Treasure
bpoLs Resides it is a moral mposslbhlty 10 IL
al More than thrae-fourths OF the bonus u WY
= have been issued TO railroad compalnesi WIN S n
= commons pavable in New YORK ihe Dana I - -.
! agent Tor the FdhEO@H-s' PN'N
be INV ace never presented to the Comptroller, ana
NJ aCynot know of their payment except upon near
evidence and his record OF the tact Woulu Ue WI
"a | less. $50, -, IS tho Con
is section 2Il requires the bond book OF the O0't
e ,Ila, n. snow the final payment OF the OOhq,
Nv Iiarv hooks do that if paid at the Treasury d
. :. - therefore unnecessary TO keep another anu
nsual book for the purpose The Secretary OF .o''
lg section 49, sub5ec 49, is required as Tue pS
IL ,.o,,ar officer and the one from when lhey ~
is 70 keen registry Of the payment ana canceii'''
ns of bonds -; ,l,;rd In
he Of rybat is always put in two books IN the Oon
r. ,II.s off;ce with the additional labor OF wrlu
SO The humber of the warrant upon the coupon
saving who presented, not owned II nv ~
used for the payment of all other clallilS aga
IL the State show ali the facts. always T'C m
n, non nnon naving IL and paste it IN pOOk. II
A0 are not debts of a more sacred character Nl@n
on ers--not more likely to be paid twice-eahilpl
on when cancened-receipts are always taken 8s
ces other caims-an malpractice ID men te 19 =,
IN would be as dscoyerabe as any oIneI 4i@pu VI
~ the Treasury. 80.
section 2i3 contains the penalty for violation
these proyisiOns-qute an inducements " d VoIiii
MS informer. Ii is to be hoped these secuohs wiz
sh- repealed, and law substituted requiring Ine c
ms pons to be cancelled and fled with the recelpts'
l. other claims are. Then each case could De exam
'Ae ed for itself
ur- While upon the subject of Comptroller's dut
/ would say that it is impossible for any one man
perform all the labors OF this office, unless he b;
the much higher qualifications of business than the
law sent incumbent Requiring the Comptroller TO ]
- his own clerk hire Is equivalent to a reduction
his salary to that extent.
- A well-prese,ved colossal bronze bust of CIC