The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1859-03-24

TO prove, by other testimony than the
above receipt. the full payment to Mr.
Breslin of S3O4,34O 50.
IT-JOHN G.. BRESLTN,
Treasurer tram 1852 to 1856.
The Committee next proceeded to in
vestgate the official accounts, transae-
tions and conduct Of J. G. Breslin, late
Treasurer of State. They assert that
they have devoted much time and pa
tient examination to the attempt to throw
as much light as possible upon the mvs-
teries Of the enormous defalcation with
which he is charged CA previous com
mission. it will be remembered, had
reported the sum to be S54O,11O 4G.)
BREsLTN's SETTLEMENT WITH BLISS.
After a long essay on political econ
omy, aud public opinion in the State of
Ohio, at the time when Mr. Breslin as
sumed the duties of his Office, CJan. II,
1852 the committee state that his first
important act was his settlement with
his predecessor. They contend that
while Mr.. Bliss had failed to account
for large amount of money (much Of
which was not paid to the State till
nearly four years afterwards, and for
s37 600 Of which he is still defaultor.) )
Mr.. Breslin was induced through SYM
pathy, or other cause, to make a private
settlement, and give him a receipt in
full. In their own language:
"The full disclosure, at the time Of
the settlement, of all the facts since
brought to light, would have led to such
investigations into the affairs of the
Treasury as would have secured proper
legislation, and effectually prevented a
further abstraction Of public money,
and saved Mr. Breslin from disgrace.
and the State from an enormous loss. -
Mr.. BUEsLIN DEPOSITS THE PUBLIC MON
EY IN TIE BANKS.
The Commissioners of the Sinking
Fund, as set forth in each of their semi
annual reports from December, 1852, to
January, 1856, found Mr. Bresin wiful-
ly persisting in the loaning of the public
money to banks. This practice was
kept up, against the wishes and in def
ance of any power possessed by the
Commissioners to control it.
He RECEIVES UNAVAILABLE RAILROAD
STOCKS, ETC.
Whatever may have been Mr.. Bres.
Inns ideas of right at the time of his
election, or his opinion of the wishes of
those who elected him to Office, he seems
10 have placed himself in the vortex for
destruction, within a very short time
after he entered upon the discharge of
his duties. AS we have before stated,
he concealed the defalcation of Mr.
Bliss, and entailed thereby upon him
self all the consequences of his duplio-
ity and folly. Finally, he received from
the sureties of Bliss, or from Bartlett &
Smith, with whom they arranged for
the payment of the deficit, a part of it
in what was less than money, and never
was, as we believe, available as money
to the State. Until Mr. Breslin ex-
plains from what source he obtained the
Columbus, Piqua and Indiana Railroad
bonds and stock, (between $4,000 and
S2O,O0O,) which he has rendered to the
State, we are justified in the assumption
that they we're received from BARTLETT &
Smith in part payment of the indebted
ness of Mr. Bliss.
Mr.. Breslin, at the time of his settle
ment with Mr. Bliss, received from him
a certificate of deposit of W. E. Chitton-
den, banker, New York, for S48, ,464 &c,
as money, which was in violation Of law
and Of overy just rule of official conduct,
and either by his own remissness or by
the advice of Mr.. Bliss, the larger por-
ton of it was lost to the State In our
opinion, this sum was not in fact availa-
bic to Mr.. Bliss as money, when he
sought to transfer it TO Breslin, and
hence his solicitation that it should be
permitted to remain undisturbed in Mr..
Chittendcu's hands until Sthe July fol-
lowing. Inducements TO withhold a do
mand were undoubtedly held out to Mr..
Breslin not disclosed in the testimony,
for, unfortunately for the reputation Of
these men, as we'll as for the interests Of
the State, they are unwilling witnesses.
As this never was a payment of money
by Mr. Bliss TO the State Treasury, or
to the State Treasurer, even, we cannot
see by what rule of law, or by what prin-
ciple of justice, he or his sureties can be
discharged for their liability for the pay
mont of the balance due Of S35, 600 or
$4,000.
+ Il y +
Besides the gross violation Of official
duty on the part Of Mr. Breslin in his
agreement to conceal the dofalcution of
Mr., Bliss, he further aggravated H. by
permitting the sureties 10 give their
checks for S65, 600, payable in two years,
without'interest, as stated in the deposit
ton Of w. s. Sullivant. The following
was the form Of the thirteen checks, for
S5 900 each, which they gave him, on
the Clinton, Exchange and Franklin
Banks Of Columbus:
No. I CoLUMBUs o., Ool 1 1852