The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-11-29
Report of Committee to Examine and
Investigate the Accounts and EXpendi-
lures of the Governor.

Report of Committee to Examine and
Investigate the Accounts and Expendi-
lures of the Governor.
To the House Of Representatives. nor IN SeS-
sion:
Your Committee appointed to examine
and investigate the accounts and expendl-
lures made by the Governor, Adjutant and
Inspector General and Quarter Master Gen
eral, in raisiny, SuJsiSting, mitormimy,
equipping transporting. and paying the Vol
unteer Militia" have performed the duty of
examination and investigation that was as
signed them. and find that the accounts Of
the Adutant and Inspector General have
been allowed and paid by the Governor, and
filed with his own. The expenditures made
in this branch of the service amounted to
Sl,249 81, and consisted chiefly of Office and
telegraphic expenses, travelling and hotel
bills, clerk hire, and the expenses of the Off
GERS OF the uniformed militia of the State,
who, on the reception of the first requisition
by order o. the Governor at Burlington for
purposes Of consultation.
The Quartermaster Generals Report hav-
ing been printed and laid before the House
the Committee do not deem it necessary to
refer to it any further than to say that they
examined those of the bills particularized
therein which are among the vouchers OF the
Governor, thclhg neulv the whole and
found them, with few unlmportant eXcep-
tons. correctly extended, added and receipt
ed. That part OF his account which is con-
nl R :og
and after the date of September IS. 1861,
has not been submitted to the inspection OF
the Committee, nor have they received from
him any explanation in regard TO the balance
that has been reported from year to Year as
remaining in his hands.
The Committee examined with great care
and minuteness the books and accounts OF
the Governor, looking over every bill Of eve
" description, and, in nearly all cases.
in all It's details, with a view 10 aScer-
tain its character. and 70 form an opinion as
Tar as they could OF its necessity. a. well as
10 see that it was correctly extended, added
and receip'ed. In few cases they found
slight clerical errors. in bills certified by va
rious military officers. which had, at the time
of their payment, escaped notice, or were hot
deemed OF sufficient Importance under the cir
cumstances to be corrected.
The Committee did not make a minute ex-
animation of the Eegimental pay rolls, that
had been certified by the Auditor Of this
State, the drawing his warrants for their pay
ment being simply an executive duty of the
Governor, involving no other responsibility
on his part.
As far as the Committee could Judge. they
are of the opinion that the expenditures
made by the Governor were iudicious. and
made with proper regard 10 economy, and
that the accounts. as submitted to the Gov
ernor for payment. were carefully >crutinized
with a view to seeing that no undue advan-
tase was taken of the State Treasury.
Your Committee intended to have present
ed comparative statement of the expenses
of each regiment. but time has failed them
for this. and they can only say that in their
opinion there was gradual diminution Of
. expenses. and that the 9Th Regiment, though
in all the particulars of lis equipment equal.
if not superior to its predecessors. was raised,
equipped and dispatched, under the sole d.
rection OF the Governor. at an expense to
the State of thousands of dollars less than
any other that was fully equipped by the
State.
1t appears by statement, obtained from
the Treasurer OF the State, that the EX-Gov-
ernor drew warrants on him TO the amount
of Sj>9,19j IS. including a few warrants
drawn by Governor Hoibrook. at Governor
Fairbanks request. all of which warrants
have been paid by the Treasurer.
The Committee find on footing up the
ledger kept by Governor Fairbanks Secreta
~, and making trial balance, that this sum
corresponds exactly with the Governor s
books. and the Committee having previous
" checked 81 on the book all the vouchers.
they are able TO certify that the EN-Gover-
nor has exhibited receipts for the who'll of
this amount. except Sj532 Is, which is cash,
an! which me Committee counted and found
to be How on hand.
The condition of the books and vouchers
and their classification having been correctly
described by another Committee, that has al
ready repo,ted to the House, this Committee
deemed 1t unnecessary TO 20 over the same
ground with similar details but would ex-
press their entire concurrence in the COM
mendation therein expressed of the neat and
systematic manner in which the vouchers
and books have been kept by the late Secre-
tary of Civil and Military Affairs, and of the
vast amount of labor performed by him.
As, however, large additional number of
accounts have been settled, since that repor,
was made, they deem it proper to give new
recapltulatlon, As follows
Incidental Expenses, SS,7O6 Il
Rs crultlnS Stations, $500 81
(ommlSsarlat OF Subsistence, 81 81, -
Equipment, 3j}.jjaa2 -i3
Horses. Harnesses and Wagons, 32,S79 IS
Forwarding troops, 693 10
Services, 12,:}j5 80
Suspense account, 2.2l6 -
r. a. Morse, Quartermaster of
the lst Regiment, 1919 20
Redfeld Proctor,
- Quar'ermaster of the 3D. Res't. go 90
/. l.. fitkin," % - O.
John W. Clark, 9th 27,OOO 90
J. Halsey Cushman. 18th loo 90
VIM. \. Ripley, Paymaster,
9TH Regiment, lS.j45 90
Passumpsic Bank (undrawn bal
ance of a deposit,) 81
Cash on hand, jj3o l.,
Total, $3.50 IS
Your Committee made investigation to see
II money had been drawn out of the Treasu-
ry IN advance to its being required to make
payment. and found that II had not but that