Brookville American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1858-1861, 1859-01-21

year 1s4l and 1912, sG7G,30s 04 werc
been collected, upon an assessment
equal 10 that Of 1856, it would have
amounted, in the two years, to 81 ,2000,-
600, which would have left in the Trea-
sury now s9000,000 ofa surplus. Still,
with all this failure to raise the revenue,
there Is yet In the Treasury sufficient
means 10 sustain the Government Until
the lst Of next March; and if authority
is given to,ncgotate temporary loan
for $3.50, 900, the revenue which will be
derived from tho taxes of 1859 and 1860,
levied at your last session, will pay ov-
cry debt created, and sustain the gov-
cr1ment until the end Of the year 1861.
Tho taxes Of the State must necssari-
| ly be collected by the county officers.-
Hitherto they have had no direction by
law as to the kind Of money they should
receive; the result of which has becn
that the Treasurer Of State, in timcs of
ffinanciab difficulty, has b.eh. eompelled
10 exercise his discretion in receiving
from tho Treasurers tho money they
had collected. Between tho time OF the
receipt Of such money by the County
Treasurers and the paying of the same
to the State, much OF it has deprecated
in value. While the County Treasurers
acted in good faith, receiving for tho
States taxes the ordiarary currency of
tho country, il would have been wrong
for the State TO decline accepting the
same from them, ard IL would have
been equally wrong TO hold tho Treas.
urcr Of State responsible for any depre-
citation in such currency whilo in his
possession. But in the receiving, hold
ing and paying out of the money thus
collected tho State has sustained many
losses,
The State has never yet provided
safe depository for her money. While
the TREASURER has been required 10 give
bond for the faithful return Of all by
him collected he has been compelled to
exercise his judgement in selecting the
place whore il should bo dcpos.tcd-I
The result of the exercise Of this Judge.
mcnt has somc times been unfortunate.
Is il not therefore better that tho Log
islaturo should determine by law the
kind Of money which shall be received
by the various County Treasurers for
State taxes, and provide q suitable place
Of deposit, In which the Treasurer of
State shall retain il, until the laws re-
quire its disbursement. In determining
the kind of money to be received, is not
tho highest safety of the State secured
in requiring it in the constitutional cur
rency Of the government? lf you pro-
vide that the taxes may be paid in the
notes of banks, you simply loan to those
institutions the taxes you have collected
You also confer upon the Treasurer the
power TO discriminate between tho var
ious banks what bills no VIII first dis
burse.
The effect of fconferring upon the Trea-
surcr this power TO discriminate rs to
what m ney he will pay out endangers
the public funds. ! therefore earnestly
recommend that law be passed proyi.
ding that the taxes of the State shall be
cUleo ted in legal cerrency, that n safe
building be erected, in which such mon
ey shall bc placed; that the Treasurer Of
State receive q proper compensation for
guarding and preserving the same, and
he be required to pay, when legally de-
manded, thesame moEeyhe has received;
aud that IL he deposits any of IL in any
other place than tho one established by
law, or loans any Of tito any individu.
al or corporation, he shall be punished.
] am desirous of cooperating with
you in the cnacting Of any law which
will inure 10 the welfare of the people
we represent AMI the interest and hon.
or of tho State Of Indiana.
ASHBEL p. WILLARD.