The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-04-06


| the first legislature elected under the new
! Constitution, a Bill to provide for the better
organization of the State Treasury, and for the
collection, safe keeping, taansfer and disburse-
ment ofthe public revenue;' bill substantially
/ like the present sub-Treasury law of the State.
The bill passed both Houses, but there was a
disagreement and committee of conference
was appointed. The committee reported and
the final action the bill the vote on
agreeing to the report of the committee
| Here is the vote:
! -16irmatire-Messrs, Award, Atkinson, Cradle
baugh Ferguson, Gillctt, Hill, Kilbourn Mack Rex,
Riddle, Smith, Taylor, Van Buskrk and Walkup-
/ Ntyat;re-Burnett, Cox, Fudge, Johnson, Moore,
Pardce, Rice. Rich and HI,Nams-9. Democrats in
| italics
So the report failing to receive constitutional
majority, was disagreed to and the bill was lost.
| Again, sir, Major Atkinson introduced the
same a similar bill into the Senate in 1854.
| Here Is the vote on the passage of the bill
l. 10frmahcc-Anderson, Atkinson Bartlitt, Con-
verse, Cragh, Davis, Follatt, Hockinbury, Latin,
Lee Norris. Pendlcton, Riblet Shift Shdeler, Smith
| of Athens Stockes, Taylor and Williams, of Co
lumbiana-1o. Gan Democrats.)
| NfgatiUe-Allen, Barrere, Foote, Sherman, Smith,
| of Madison, Townsend, upson and wright-S. (All
| Oppositon.) So the bill passed. ---.--f. s.e'.
This record enlightens us upon the position
of Cuyahoga county uron this effort of the
| Democracy to protect the Treasury. We find
| the name of Mr.. Foote, the Opposition Sena-
| tor from that county, recorded IN the negdttre,
and after the bill passed the Senate he express
! ed the sentiments of his constituents on the
subject by moving to strike out the title of the
| bill and insert a substitute.
ga bill TO render insecure the public moneys of
the State of Ohio, and to oppress he citizens"
Now, sir, we find the opposition Senator
ftom Cuyaho ga in 1854, voting against, and
exercising his heavy wit upon the Bill of the
Democrats to protect the Treasury of the State,
and in 1859 the representative from the same
county is bowling against the Democracy for
not passing this very Bill through both houses.
Mr.. PARSONS (interrupting) Mr. Speak
er, with the permission of the gentleman from
Licking, desire to say that had l been in
the Senate in 1854 1 should have voted just
as Mr. Foote did. l consider the system
inaugurated last winter for the government of
the Treasury, as one tending to render insecure
the money of the State and to oppress the
people.
Mr., WOODS (rcsuming) Well, Mr.. Speak
er, l would ask the gentleman from Cuyahoga
to tell us what system he is in favor of. Let
the gentleman show his hand. Is he in favor
of going back to the old system under which
the Treasury has been robbed of $50 0,000?-
Let the gentleman enlighten US. What system
does he propose? will cheerfully yield the
floor to the gentleman to give us his views
We all desire to understand the position Of
the Republican side of the House on this i'm
portant question. Sir, 4 yield the floor.
Mr.. Speaker, as the gentleman from Cuya-
hoga does not seem disposed to accept my in
yitation we must endeavor to find out for our
selves where cur Republican friends stand on
this question. The public moneys must either
be kept in the Treasury, or they must be de-
posited elsewhere. The sub-treasury law of
!ast winter provides fer their safe keeping IL
The Treasury. Every Republican in this Cen
eral Assembly voted against that law, and we
have heard it to-day denounced On this floor
by leading members of that party. Now, sir,
the inference is inevitable that their plan is to
go back to the old system Of depositing the
public money with the banks and shaving shops
of the State, which has already brought the
State to the verge of bankruptcy. To use the
language of the gentle man from Madison,
now "sound the tocsin of alarm" The bank
ers and brokers are upon us, and the great Re-
publican party Of the State proposes to put the
money of the people again In their keeping
Sir, upon this question we are ready to meet
our opponents. The unawed Democracy desire
no better issue.
+ But, sir, to return to the fate of the sub
treasury bill of 1854. After passing the Sen
ate, the bill was transmitted to the House, and
passed through its three several readings, and
then upon the motion of Mr.. Gcst, Of Greene,
an opposition member, was laid on the table,
the great mass of the Democrats voting against
the motion and the united opposition for it
There, sir, is the record of the two parties up
on this question of Treasury reform, and sub
NIT it to all impartial minds to decide where
rests the responsibility for the failure of the
reformatory measures proposed by the Demo
Gratis
Now, sir, having disposed of the charges
made against Auditor Morgan and the Demo
cratic party, l purpose to take glance at the
official conduct of a certain Republican official
in connection with the Treasury defalcaton.
propose to carry the war into the Republican
camp-nto Africa. We have been told by
each of the gentlemen who have addressed the
House on the Republican side that when a
public officer in carrying out the laws for the
safe keeping, and disbursement of the money
of the State neglects his duty, and the State
thereby suffers loss, the officer is justly held
accountable for the loss, and it is fair to pre-
sumo that he is particeps cr-in,inis. Sir, i am
willing to take that proposition sound, and
L propose to apply it to the official conduct of
Gov. Chase.
By the act of April s, 1856, section II, tits
provided that money belonging or due to
the State shall be deposited, placed or kept by
the Treasurer or by his direction, order or as
sent elsewhere than in the Treasury office at
Columbus, without taking in every instance Sc
curity therefor;" 4 < x provided that before
any such deposit shall be made the name and
place of the depository, the terms and eondi-
tions of the proposed deposit and description
of the kind and amount of the securities shall
be communicated in writing to the Auditor
and Attorney General and their approval in
dorsed thereon"
Now, sir, how was this provision of the law
carried out by Gibson, the Treasurer of State !?
We learn how, by reference to the report of
the Joint Committee of the General Assembly
on Finance, better known the Smelling
Committee, (R. w. Taylor, Chai man, made in
December, 1856.
After quoting the 18th section of the act of
April s, 1856, as just given, the committee
proceed to say:
"The treasurer has partially, not fully in any in
stance complied with the provisions Of that section
Some ofthe depositares have given bonds, ta chers