The daily press. (Cincinnati [Ohio) 1859-1859, 1859-03-10
THE PRE- S.
HENRY REED, Editor.
Cincinnati, Thursday, March 10.
Treamry-Defalcation Report.


Treasury-Defalcatl Report.
The Commercial of yesterday con-
tained-an effort of extraordinary enter
prise-the report of the Commissioners
upon the Treasury Defalcations-a docu-
ment Of interest, and creditable to its au-
thors. Although more certain and par
ticular than the report of the joint COM
mittee of the General Assembly of 1857,
it can scarcely be said to cover more
ground, or to place the circumstances in
any new aspect 1t is forcibly-we might
say sensationally and viii doubt
less attract attention. The authors have
evidently done their work as well as they
could; and do not appear to have finched
from any portion of their duty The
titles and captions which the editor of
the Commercial volunteered to attach to
the document, looked as if they had been
furnished by some misanthropic black
leg, glad to discover that there were other
scoundrels in the world besides himself.
The beginning of the series of events
which ended in the defalcation and fight
of JOHN G. BREsLIN, late Treasurer of
| the State of Ohio was in his immediate
official predecessor, ALBERT A. Bliss
Mr. Bliss, on his second term of Office
had for his sureties certain bankers and
dealers in money at Columbus, in whose
hands he placed himself, and by whose
advice his policy was directed. He en-
barked in speculations, used the moneys
of the State in various ways, and, at the
close &C his term, found himself indebted
to the Treasury in a large amount-sup-
posed to be at the time about $65, 900.
The testimony contained in the report of
the Commissioners, exhibits an equal
want of honesty and capacity on the part
of Mr.. Bliss, and betrays a looseness in
business habits, and want of feeling of
moral obligation, as surprising as any of
the disclosures connected with the affair.
Mr.. BREsLIN, ON coming into office, was
surrounded by the friends and sureties of
Mr.. Bliss, and influences brought to bear
to induce him to conceal the defalcations
of his predecessor This he most unfor-
tunately promised to do. He was also
subjected to the same species Of induce
ments to embark in business operations,
and make money out of his control and
possession of the finances of the State.
1t was the fashion so to do County
I'reasurers and City Treasurers specula-
ted upen the public fupds, and accumula-
ted real or imaginary fortunes by the
process; and in money circles Mr.. BREs-
LIN was looked upon as person of cap
ital in the way to accumulate riches.
Stronger men than himself would have
been intoxicated, and have given way un-
der so great variety of influences. His
first act of official misconduct con-
cealment of the defalcation of Mr.. Bliss
was speedily followed by an imitation of
his example; and the rest is but the nat
ural consequence. . -.-........
The most reprehensible feature in Mr.
BREsLIN's conduct is his present refusal
to communicate his knowledge of the ac-
tual condition of his account with the
Treasury, disclose the names of the par
ties with whom he is implicated, and
place in the power of the State that por-
tion of its funds which he has yet sub
.iect to his control Upon this point, the
expressions of the Commissioners are not
too strong; "We cannot but view this last
MS the most unfortunate act of n misguided
man. He had personal friends who
would have made every effort consistent
with personal honor in his behalf; and
they and the whole people demanded to
know whether his lossescould be ascribed
to misfortunes and errors of Judgment, and
not to criminal design. But with blind
infatuation MS to what is honor and integ-
rity, he withholds the truth, and leaves
the innocent to be suspected, and the
guilty to 90 unpunished o.. .'
The fool and the zany of the SERIES
the caricature of public officer, and har
leqpin of the roguish profession-a mar
apparently without any conceptions o.
, truth or honesty, and as careless of his
own reputation az of the public finances
IL WILLIAM II GiBsoN-brother.in
, and successor Of Mr.. BREsLIN, and heil
to his missing balance, as Mr.. BREsLi>
was to that of his predecessor. Says tn,
committee; mo part of the mystery o
, the Treasury delalcation is more difiicul
| off satisfactory solution than that which
F, duplicates Mr. GIBSON as participator il
it. While he has repeatedly, in the mos
$ solemn official form, released Mr. BREsnl
. from all responsibility for it, hehas sworl
upon his solemn oath that he receive,
only part, and referred to his receipt
Q and acknowledgements of his predecesso
: to sustain him, While Mr.. BREsLIN as
severates, in the most emphatic Language
that Mr.. GIBsoS, was not cognizant of thi