St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-01-19


has been conducted making il unnecessary
perhaps. ever to go back of their reports for
additional information in regard to the man
ncr in which the business Of these offices has
been conducted. They present, in my iudg
mrnt, many important suggestions respecting
the Executive administration, some of which
may require legislation, and to which ask
your careful attention.
Among the more important topics present
rl by them for consideration, | mention the
following:
OFFICE OF SECRETARY OF STATE.
in this office are deposited most of the
Bonds executed to the state. No provision OF
law exists for recording them. Many of them
secure the State against malleasance IN Once
in very large amounts and one of them being
for over 100000 The Commissioners sug-
gcSt that it should be required by law that the
officer charged with tho custody OF any such
bond should Immediately on filing it in his
office deliver it to the Register OF the State
Land Office to be recorded i'll volume kept
for that purpose. and that such copy and GER
tilted transcript from il should lie made Prana
.facje evidence of the contents Of the original
in courts of justice in this State. The origl-
nal and the copy being thus kept III separate
departments would diminish the haAuus Oh
loss by fire or otherwise.
STATE LAND bfiItE.
1t appears Ivy their report on this office that
sundry books are still wanting to comply with
the terms of the Act establishing that office,
and fully to accomplish the object of its estab-
lshment also that no records or papers re-
specting the Territorial grant of lands on
which Iowa City is situated were found in the
office.
1t further appears that many errors exist in
patents of lands issued by the Secretary of
State prior to the organization of the Once
which demand adjustment. Other important
facts and suggestions are contained in the re-
port on this office, to which it would be well
to give attention.
OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT.
This department was found in very unsat-
isfactory condition, mostly attributable to the
confusion occurring during the Superintendent
CIV of Mr. Eals. The Commissioners were UNI
able to state the accounts of that Office from
any reliable data found among its papers or
books From data found elsewhere they asccr-
tain the amount of the five per cent fund re-
ccived from the United States up to the first
of June. 1857, to be $780,, 600 0S, and amount
of premiums on drafts therefor by Col Ben
ton to be S31,9S, making total of S552, 64I-
06, of which is only accounted for SOB ,672 &c.
| leaving Il balance unaccounted for of Sl4S,
ga 20. This amount represents the sum
loaned to individuals, retained or otherwise
disposed of by Mr.. Eads, the condition and Sc
curity OF which was reported upon by Mr..
J. NJ Beck Esq, under the direction of a
former General Assembly, and which is more
fully traced out in the report of the Commits
sions who find against Eads an actual deficit
of some So, $50 81, subject, however to de-
duction of Waits note of $1,000, since paid,
and whatever else may be realized from the
collaterals held by the State
| The Commissioners found noacCount in this
or any Office showing the amount of School
Fund chargeablc.to the several counties of this
State, as five per cent fund distributed to them,
or us proceeds of sale OF school lands held by
them and enabling them to ascertain reliably
the present amount of the School Fund OF
| this State.
Taking the figures furnished by the last re
port OF the Superintendent of Public lnstruc-
| ton. and correcting the computation made by
him, the total amount appeared to be 50, OBI, )
2Il 80. But they do not consider this sum as
reliably asccrtaincd
The present Constitution art :, Sec 3 !
requires that all losses to the permanent School
or University Fund of this State, which shall
have been occasioned by the defalcation, mis-
management, or fraud of the agents or off
GERS controlling or managing the same shal
| be audited by the proper authorities of the
State. The amount so audited shall he per
mancnt funded debt against the State in favor
of the respective fund sustaining the loss upor
which not less than 6 per cent. annual inter
est shall be paid.
! The Commissioners are Of opinion that NJ
data exists at this time in any of the State of
.ices for the discharge Of this constitutions
duty, and that only the particular examina
ton by local or general agent in each coun
ty, together with a special examination in thu
State Land Office of lands sold pertaining t,
this fund and the consideration, therefor, a
shown by certificates of purchase and payment
and an examination in the Auditors office o
vouches of five per cent. fund distributed t.
the counties, will render it possible to audit
this Constitutional claim.
should be faithless to my convictions o
duty if did not endorse and specially invite
your attention to some cogcnt reasons which
they also offer for a partial change in the man
| agement of this fund. While the people o
the whole State are liable for losses to tn
) fund, ii is only the people of the county wh'
designate and elect the officers managing it il
the county. They suggest that the countie
- principals should be responsible to the Stat,
for the conduct of their own several agents
thus the responsibility of loss may fall upo,
those only who control its management. This
principle is one OF universal application il
law is Just, and is well worthy of your con
sideration as likely to increase the care ant
vigilance of the people in protecting this i'm
portant fund from loss. This fund is dedica
ted to the support of common schools.
The efficiency of the system will depend
much upon the prOmptness with which tn,
annual interest of the fund is paid. / learr
that interest to the amount of Sl20, 900 il
now due that should have been paid II yea
ago or more. The annual payment of inter
est, due this month, it is expected will greatly
add to this amount.
1t is suggested whether the annual paymcn
by the counties of nine per cent. interest, the,
loaning it at ten per cent. would not release {
large annual revenue to the fund and be mucl
more reliable for the support of common
schools than the present irregular payments o
interest at ten per cent, dependent upon tn,
promptness of individuals
The liability for the principal or the intercs
of this fund cannot he forced upon the coun
ties. But it is sufficient that The State has til,
power to withdraw the funds from him unless
under the authority Of your cgislaton they
would assume the liability proposed for tht
conduct of their own officers and agents in tn,
management of the fund. For other i'm
portant suggestions bearing ON these questions
| respectfully refer you to the 10th and It'll
pages of the report upon this Office, also to
resolution passed by the Board of Education
at its late session, expressing similar views.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
The very full report Of the Commissioner
upon the Treasurer 5 Office presents several i'm
portant tables and accounts. The late Treas
urer has during his three terms of Office up t.
June /, 1858, received for general purposes
1858, $50 80. Tabular statcnentsare furnished
showing the sources from which this amoun
was derived, After reviewing this entire &C
count, they find balance against the Treas
urer larger than that fixed by the Auditor, b,
the sum of S3l5, %, and asccrtaincd 10y actua
count on that day the sum Of sS45,G S as re
manning in the treasury, of which S3l5,2
was not called for by the Auditors settlement
and of the remainder a partial explanation il
given in the report. At that date a portion o
the funds called for was represented by ccrtifi
Gates of deposit which Were afterwards rem
dered and the money placed in the hands O
the Treasurer.
They found in the Ircasurer's Office an &C
count which has been lost sight of for man,
years past, relating to the sale of lots in low:
City, and the payment to the Treasurer of
small annual salary therefor, under the sup
posed authority of Territorial act. l cal
your attention to the facts there presented
and the proprety Of transfer of the book
and naperS rrlatinp thereto from the Offices q