The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-12-03
A A1l0ht Mistake

The Chicago Democrat and Times are
hard after our republican state officials at
Springfield, and if, as these papers allege,
a large amount of the peoples money
that ought to be in the treasury has been
lent to political spectators and favorites,
they bid fair to track it to its hiding place.
These papers, in their righteous zeal,
however, occasionally deal with single facts
so loosely that unless more caution is exer-
cised, they may endanger the credulity of
all their statements
The Tines has the following:
"The next appropriation was for the sum
of $l3, $50 for the Court Rooms Sd Divi-
sion The Republicans say that the Trea-
surer has paid out that sum. To the law
and the testimony! The law appropriate
ing said sum, had this proviso, namely
Said sum shall be subject to the order Of
the commissioners heretofore appointed by
law to superintend the erection Of public
buildings; upon the presentation Of which
order, the auditor Of public accounts is di-
rected to issue warrant upon the Trea-
surer, from time to time, an such sans as
| may be necessary See laws 1859, p. H.,
sec. !. Now, this Court Room is not COM
| pleted, nor has much been done upon the
work-and it is simply foolish to claim
that it has been necessary in the mean
ing of the law to pay over the whole
amount of this appropriation. 1t has not
been paid over II 8 ESQ, G:5t of the State /,
money mon is IN Ottawa, it is not there because
it has been paid legally to the builders OF
the Sd Division Court Room, but 1t IS IN
| the pockets of some one or more good Re
publicans to speculate with or loan out at
usury.
| The Times has certainly been greatly I'M
posed upon. So far from mot much work
having been done upon this court house
at Ottawa, we are happy to state that the
building is completed, up to about the last
touch Of the painter!
1t was commenced in good season last
spring, and about June or July the COM
missioners made an application to the
Treasury for $1,000, but were informed
that the penitentiary had just dried that
institution UP. SO they advanced some
s., 100 out of their own pockets rather than
stop the work. until their draft was finally
honored Some six or eight weeks ago,
the work being nearly completed, they
drew the balance OF the appropriation.
which fortunately has proved large enough
to cover the whole expense, even to the
fencing in Of the lot and the setting out OF
few ornamental trees
Thus much for the Ottawa Court House.
But while tue TINES was in error here, It
deals with much graver charges that are
not SO easily disposed Of The Springfield
Journal, on the authority Of the auditor
and State Treasurer, stated = week age
| that the total revenue received thus fax
had been s5I7 ,59l13, and against this war
rants had been issued 10 the amount Of
$3.50, rs 10, 30 that not only al the money
received had been paid out, but that the
treasury was some $4,000 behind. Bat
among these warrants paid the Journal 5
authorized statements puts 100000 paid
20 the Joliet penitent:ary. Now the re-
publican Commissioner Of that building,
J. 4 W Buck, SAYS but $40 coo Of these
5000 900 have been drawn. Where IS the
balance-S70,O 900? Other items are nam
ed by the Times that are not payable un.
til after Jan !, lS6O-sweiling the whole
amount to sl33, 900, that ought to be in
the treasury now But the Treasurer says
there j. no money in the Treasury
Where is It?