Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-01-20

zrss'a ss'sessS 4s 'isi7 fs." - Z.
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sent, in my judgnen., many important sugssstioss
respecting the Execu tive administration, some Of
which may require legislation, and TO whioh ask
your careful attention. rs. 3
Among the more important topics presented BY
Thorn fer consideration, mention he following:
OFFICE OF SECRETARY or STATE.
In this Office are deposited most Of the Bonds ex-
ecuted to the State. ~ provision OF law exists for
recording them Many NJ them secure the state
~ snst malfeas4uce in office In We ylsrge amounts
and one of them being for over $500 O0O The Com
missoners suggest tsat it sAosd Dc requiredby law
that the officer charged with the custoi ~ Of any
such bond sh uld Immediately give 1t TO the Regis
ter Of the State and Oflce, to be recorded in
volume kept for that purpose, and that sueh copy
and certified transcript from 1t should be prG facs
evidence OF the contents Of the ~ OF
justice in this State The ori inal and the copy
being thus kept in separate departments would d.
minish the hazard Of loss BY Ere Or otherwise.
STATE LAND OFFICE.
1t appears by the report ON TINS once tnat sundfy
hooks still wanting to comply VITA tne terms OF
psh the object of its estabishment; also, that no
records or papers pectng the Terrtor 81 grant Of
lands which Iewa City is situated were ioaad In
the Office.
1t further appears that many errors exist In pat
ents of lands issued by the Secretary Of State prior
70 the organization Of the office, which demand ad-
iustment. Other important facts and suggestions
are contained in the report on this Office to which
it would be we'll to give attention.
oFPIcH or SUPERINTENDENT.
Thi -, department was found in o very unsstisfac-
tory condition, most attributable to the infusion
occurring during the superintendency OF Mr.. Eads.
Tho Com mssoners were nable to state the accounts
of that Office from any reliable data found ausng
it's papers and looks. From dates found elsewhere,
thew ascertain tho amount Of per cent. fund 70
thnT Tad n the at
1857, to be $552, 609.O3, and amount OF premiums
| on drafts therefor by Col. Benton to be $37 .98,
making a total Of 1852 AT .96, Of which is only
accounted for $4O3, 672.93, leaving balance unac
ooun ted for of $14s9:47o This amount repre- :ent'
the sum loaned toindviduals retained or otherwise
disposed of by Mr.. ads, the condition and security
| of which was reported upon by Mr.. J. M. Bs0h
under the direction Of q former General Assembly
and which is fully traced out in the report oil
the Commissioners, who find against Mr.. Eads On
to deduction of ats note of $1,000, since paid
and whatever else may be realized from the collat
erals held by the State.
The Commissioner found no account, in this az
any Office, showing the am,unt OF school fund
charpeabe to the several counties Of this ..tate, u
five Der cent. fund distributed to them, or Is pro
eeeas Of sale of school lands held by them and On
abng them to ascertain reliably the Fl ssent amour
of the School Fund Of this State.
Taking the figures furnished by the iastreport
| tho .uOerlQteQu6QG OF EuOIlC ouu S"a
rectng the computation mada by him. the tota
amount appeared to be 2,03l ,24l.59. But they d
not consider this sum ss RELIABLY ascsrtained.
be pre- ent Con stitut ion-Art. 7. sec. 3-require
that all losses to the permanent School Of UNIVERSITY
Fund of this State which hall have been occasiones
| bv n dofucation, mismaHagemout or fraud Of tn
agents or officers controlling or managing the same
shall be audi cd oy the proper authorities OF tn
State. The amount SO audited shall be q permanen
funded debt against the state, in favcr Of the 70
spective fund sustaining the iosS' upon when nov
less than per cent. annual interest shall be p.i
The Commissioners are of opinion that no dat
exists at this time in any Of the state OH ., for tn
discharge of this Constitutional duty, and that on
the particular examination by local or genera
agent in each county, togo theI with special e1
animation in the State Land Ofce of lands sol
pertaining to this fund, and the consideration
therefor, Us shown by the certificates Of purchas
and payment and an examination in the Auditor
Ofios If vouchers OF five per cent fund Distribute
to the couhties, will render it possible to audit thi
Constitu tiOnal claim;
should be faithless to my c,nv ictions of duty,
did not endorse and specially invite your attent'o
to some cogeAt reasons which they also ouer tor
partial chasge in the management OF TINS tuno
While the people of the whole State are liable 10
losses to tho fund, it is only tbs ople of tn
county who designate and elect the officers man
aging it in tho county. They suggest that th
COUNTIES as principals should BE- responsible to tn
State for the conduct of their own several agent:
thus the res of loss may fall upon thos
ouly who control its management. This prnci2l
is one Of universal Application in law, is just, an
,s well worthy of your consideration as hkei " I
;n,rsase the caro- and vigilance of the people i
protecting this important fund from loss. This fun
is dsdcat ed TO the support Of common schools.
The efficiency Of the system Will depend much
tic Or, uptness wi b which tho annual interest o
the fund Is paid. Earn that interest to the amour
of Sl2O 900 il now dine that should have bsen pal
q year ago OF more. Ahe annual paym, mt Of intel
est due this month, i: il expected, Will greatly ad
to this amount.
the COUNT Of nine per cent. interest," they loanin
it 1t ten per cent, would not release Large annu
{ reyenue to the fund and be much more reliable IL
tho support of common schools than the preser
ire suiar payments of interest at ten per cen
depenient upon the promptness OF lndlvidua 8.
The liability for the prlo cipa ahd interest Of tn
fund cannot be forced upon the counties. But i
suticicnt that the State has tho power to wltndra
the funds from them, unless under the aathority
, your legislation they would assume the habiilt
proposed for the conduct OF their own o1csrs 40
agents IN the m management of the fuad. For oths
i'm Dor suggestl bearing on these qua lions,
fully refer yon the 18th and Itch pages
the report upon this office; also to a resoluto
p,ssed by the Board CT Education At its late session
t expressing similar views.
; | TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
Tho very full repsrt Of tae Commissioners upo
the treasurer's office presents several importnn
tables and accounts. The late Ire 'surer has, ot
. ring his three terms of office, up to June l, ls5s
received for general purposes $780,, 5oO9Z Iatuia
stat are furnished, showing the sources tr0r
|, which this amount was derived. After rsvewin
thstamount they fixed balance against the Treas
, urer larger than that fixed by tie Auditor BY tn
SUN of S3l5.2s, and .ccrainet by actual coun
/, on that day the SUM of $S45 IS as remaining i
+ the treasury, Of which $3lo.2o was not calea 10
BY the Auditors settleme ami CT tue remalade
partial explanation is given in the report.
that date a portion Of the funds called t-r Wa
represented by certificates OF deposit, which wer
afterwards rendered, and the money placed in tn
ha ads of the Treasurer.
They found in tn. Treasurer's ofi;s an accoun
which has been lest sight of for many years past
relating to the sale of lots in Iowa City, and tn
; pa ymcnt to the Treasurer Of ANAL annual salar
therefor, under the supposed authority OF Terri
torial act. call your attention 10 the 1acts tnei
present ed. and the propr!esy of transfer OF tn
. b ,cks and papers relating thereto from the once
of the Secretary and Treasurer of State to tn 1t
the State Regis err and the transfer OF the contro
of any funds or lots thus remaining uusold to tn
same office, with instructions to report at you
next regular on the con .iton of said property
how much enains 20 te sold, whether there hav
been any lots or land sold, tha purchase none.
of which has not been pal !, &,', a..
Since the date of their report, the system Q
book keeping in this office has been CHAN al AM
manv of their suggestions adopted, the lncon'ni
L, easurcr having opened new books, and improved
the system Of accounts. They urge, however tn
importance of more frequent settlement with tn
Auditor than those now repaired by law. com
mend their various suggestions touching this de
partmeat Of State administration to your soun'
considers tion RALPH +. LoWE.
DEs MONIES, January 9, 1860.
t
i ~The Pemberton Cotton Mill at Law
renee, Mass, which has been involved in 81