Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-12-21
The iaterest ON the state Debt-Gov
ernor iWorton,s Plea


The Iaterest ON the state Debs-Gov
ernor iWorton's Plea.
The Journal in labored article in its issue Of
Monday, evidently prepared by one in high au-
thority, attempts to Justify the course ofthe Gov
ernor in usurpipg powers to administer the State
government upon his own account and not in ac-
cordance with the plain provisions of the consti-
tuition and the laws. There is one fact the
Journal does not deny and that is the Republi-
can members of the House deserted their seats
remained away-and thus prevented the legisla-
ton necessary to maintain the good faith of the
State not only to the holders of her bonds but to
her other creditors. The payment of one class
of creditors is certainly no more obligatory upon
the State than another and assured those who
had advanced money to raise troops TO fill the
quotas required by the General Government for
the suppression of the rebellion, entitled tc
as mnch consideration as the foreign bondholders
whose sympathies are against the Federal Gov
eminent in the struggle for what is termed by
Governor MORTON and his partizan friends, the
nations life. The Journal complains in behalf
of His Excellency that the appropriation bills
were not matured and presented before the seces-
sion of the Republican members. 1t says:
Mr. Branham, one of the abIest men in the
Stale. and the most experienced in legislation,
wsson the Committee of Ways and Means, and
he repeatedly urged the early completion of those
bills He knew how frequently and easily i'm
proper or extravagant appropriations are made in
the hurry of the last hours Of a session, and he
wanted the bills introduced in time to allow them
to be thoroughly examined before the pressure
came But his representations were unheeded.
Nov it is we'll known by all who have any
knowledge of legislation. that it requires great
consideration and labor to prepare appropriation
bills, and they never presented until near the
close of the session as the action of the Legisla-
ture, which cannot be anticipated. often shapes
many of its provisions. The reference 10 Mr..
BRASHAx is unfortunate In 1861 he was Chair
man of the Committee Of Ways and Means, and
the appropriation bills of that session were not
presented any earlier than they would have been
at the last, if the Republicans had not skedaddled
from the alarm oecasioned by their own shadows
The Republicans we're absent the last twelve
working days of the session. hence the plea that
there was not time to carefully consider and ex-
anime the character of the appropriations is all
twaddle But if the Republican members were
afraid Of "dsloyal" legislation, they could have
returned on the last day Of the session
when bills can be constitutionally enacted into
laws, and passed the appropriations, defeated
all other legislation and thus thrown the respon-
sibility of the failure of laws necessary carry
on the State government in subordination to the
constitution and the statutes upon their political
opponents. But such course would not suit
their factious and revolutionary schemes. And
1t must not be forgotten that Governor MORTON
was aiding and encouraging the revolutionary
conduct of his partisan friends in the Legislature.
The Journal also complains that the members
made appropriations for their own pay and mile
age, but the force of this objection is lost when
it is remembered that this appropriation was made
early in the session at the suggestion of the able,
experienced and honest Mr.. BRAsHAM.
The Journal endeavors to justify the conduct
of Governor MoRros by quoting the course of
Governor WILLARD in 1857 as precedent. The
Republicans condemned Governor WILLARD and
the State officers of that year for assuming the
ICepouotDuAtl VI poJfhS tHO hAuOosCu-
ness of the State without legis-
lative appropriation. The two cases
are very dissimilar. In 1857, there was no en-
bezzlement law. And the Legislature of 1859
passed an act "for the manner of receiving hols-
ing and disbursing tho public moneys of the
State" which prohibited the State officers from
Withdrawing any money from the Treasury unless
Gin conformity to appropriations made by Law" I"
The Legislature Of that year and of 1861 evi-
IDENTIFY intended that this clause should include and
cover the payment of the interest upon the
public debt, for there was an appropriation
in the appropriation bills of each of the
regular sessions Of those Legislatures, both 1859
and 1861, for the money necessary to pay the ac-
cruing sums due semi-annually for the two sue
ceeding years The able and experienced Mr..
BRAxHAx voted for the law passed in 1889 for
regulating the treasury system; in 1861 for the
embezzIement act which made 1t q penal offence
for any State officer to violate the treasury law of
1859 and for the appropriations made by the
legislatures Of 1859 and 1861 to pay the interest
upon the public debt, hence he must have been
Of the opinion that money could not lawfully be
taken from the treasury to pay the interest with
out specific appropriation by the Legislature.
When these facts are considered, can there
be any doubt but that the State officers did right
in refusing to pay any money out of the public
treasury exceps in conformity 70 appropriations
made by Iawf" Neither can there be any ques
ton In regard to the duty Of Governor MoRrox.
The last conssitusionAl Consensi,n provided