Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-01-30
WEEKLY SENTINEL.
80, 1851
Finamcessf the state.

IL is not to be denied that the financial system
Of the State, under all administrations, has been
loosely conducted. but It is no less matter of
surprise that greater losses to the State have not
occurred. The custom of receiving deprecated
currency for dues to the State; the necessity of
employing banks and banking houses for the de-
positories Of the public money. the State furnish
ing no secure place to keep her funds, and the
large discretion consequently left with the fnan-
eial agents Of the State, are facts which go to
show that there is more fault in the system of
conducting the financial affairs Of the State. than
there has been in its administration The Repub-
licans in both the Senate and House, on Thurs
day. took tilt at the late Auditor of State for
wasting the public treasure" as one Senator
termed il, and specified "the over-draw in the
case of the Northern State Prison as evidence
in point. Mr. WAGNER was excessively indig
nant thereat, and charged that "if the appropri-
atoms had not been over-drawn, we would have
had over S2O0,00 in the treasury to-day" Let
Us snalyze these charges of the distinguished
Senator from Warren, and as an illustration we
will refer to the case Of the Northern Peniten-
curing the passage of that act. Turn to page 1873
of the acts of 1859, and we find the following
section in the law providing for the erection Of
the new prison:
Sc. IL. In order to carry out the provisions
Of this act, there is hereby appropriated the sum
of fifty thousand dollars, out of any money in the
treasury.
This section Of the act has been strictly carried
out by the Auditor Of State. Not a cent has
been overdrawn. But where is the leak, for there
has been over $1,000 drawn out of the treasury
for the prison North2 We call the attention of
Mr.. Legislator wAsSER to the next section of
the prison law, which reads thus:
Sec II. The necessary expenses of said prison.
and the control and management thereof. shall be
paid out Of the State treasury xnder such regHla-
lions and restrictions as may be adopted By the /
Board Of Control. and rs far as practicable in con-
formity with the practice and usages of the pres
ent State prison.
The Legislature, by its own act, thus opens the |
doors Of the treasury to the Board of Control, |
and then complains of the Auditor for wasting
she public treasury" That officer had no dscre-
ton in the matter, but, under theprovisons of the
section of the act cited, was compelled to issue
warrants for the drafts of the Board of Control,
and we believe he did so, in one instance. upon the
mandate of Republican Judge. Mr.. WAGNER
SHOULD not aid in the passage of such loose laws,
il he does not desire deficient treasury. We do |
not pretend to say that that gentleman "has done
any moral wrong" in getting up such law, but
improvident and careless Legislators ought to ego
to bre king rocks in the penitentiary' along with
the officers of State, who, though they do no
"moral wrong" have not complied with the /
strict letter of thelaw
No specific appropriation has been overdrawn
during the administration of the late Auditor of
State, and it will be noticed that the appropria-
tons which have been overdrawn are for the
general expenses of the government, or the be- |
nevolent institGtions-debts which will have to |
be paid at some time, and which can not, in most |
cises. be denied without causing serious embar.
easements to the parties concerned We admit |
that the Auditor in such overdrafts has not
complied with the strict letter of the law, but |
we apprehend no "moral wrong has been done |
by that officer, nor will any be discovered.
Our Republican friends are sore over the |
deficiency in the treasury, and well they may be-
III the Republican Senate of 1857 had not failed, /
for party purposes, to have passed the revenue
bills Of that year, there would have been no
occasion for Indiana 10 have borrowed money for
either general expenses or to pay the interest
upon her public debt, nor would there now be
deficiency in the treasury. All the virtuous
Indignation of the Republicans in the present
Legislature can not hide the great error COM
mitted by the Republican Senate of 1857.