Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-12-12
DAILY SENTINEL.
Interests en- sne state ssebt.

Governor MoRrox yesterday, announcing that
IL had made arrangements for the payment OF
he interest on the State debt due on the lst OF
july last, and the interest which will fall due on
he LAT Of January next The nature OF the
rsnrement The Governor Goes not see proper 20
advise the people Of the State We have no OBJ
lection to Governor MoEToS, Messrs. WrSsLow.
LaxrER 4 Co, or anybody else paying the indebt-
edness of The State, but the payment OF the in
terest IN The way proposed. under the clrcnmstan-
ces, is a gratuty. There was no necessity what
ever for any individual. or number Of individuals
assuming this obligation of the State. As the
Governor says: 1.-The failure to pay the interest
on July was not caused by the want of money
But why the failurel At the instigation, and
with the advice OF the Governor. the Republican
members Of the House, at it, las; session, broke
a quorum-secedei--s that the passage OF the
laws necessary to meet the obligations
Of the State to her creditors were defeated
This was doue with the full knowledge that the
action would involve the failure to meet the
plighied faith of the State The Democratic
members remained in their seats until the last
day that laws could be constitutionally passed by
the Legislature, but the Republican members re
fused to return and discharge duty which they
had solemny sworn to perform. The Governor
charges in his card that the State officers refused
TO remit the money To New York, alleging the
absence Of technical appropriation" There is
q law upon our statue book which expressly for
bids the Auditor and Treasurer from drawing any
money from the public treasury but in pursu
ance Of appropriations made by law. To
remove all doubt as the duty of these officers
in the payment of the interest on the public debt,
In the absence of express legislative appropra
tons for that purpose, the question was submit
ted to the highest judicial tribunal in the State
for its determination. and the decision OF that
body was, after n careful review Of the laws
bearing upon the subject. that the State officers
had no legal authority to Withdraw the money from
the Treasury for that purpose Certainly no good
citizen will deny that this decision of the Court de-
fined the duty and obligations of the Auditor and
Treasurer. The opinion pronounced by the
court made tho case so clear that it has not and
cannot be successfully controverted.
Under these circumstances what was the duty
of a faithful Chief; Magistrate. to whom is in
trusted the duty Of seeing that the laws are faith
fully enforcedf The Constitution had placed
the remedy for the difficulty completely under
the control of the Governor He is empower.
ell to convene the Legislature in extra session
wherever, Ia his opinion. the public exigcncies
demand il. He had ample time to do so. after the
decision of the Court had been rendered, which
he, we'll every other citizen, is bound to re-
spect, to promptly provide for the payment OF the
July interest by legislative appropriations. This
he refused to de- notwithstanding he had the
surance Of large number Of Democratic mem
bers thatif the Legislature assembled in
tra session no other business would be at
tempted until tho appropriations had been
made for the payment of the interest
and the other just Indebtedness of the
State. Gould more than this be asked from an
independent legislative body2 The stubbornness.
prevented his applying that remedy for the diff
cultes which had been occasoned by the seces-
sion Of the Republican members of the Legisla-
ture. He says he has made arrangements to pay
the interest. but those arrangements whatever
they may be, clearly in violation of the laws
Of the State. The money is in the Treasury to
pay the interest, and the laws of the
State provide how il shall be taken
from the Treasury, and the officer by
whom and the way in which il shall be paid.
And what reason does the Governor give for
his failure. We may say his recreancy in discharg
ing the duty thus imposed upon himl He is
willing to trust the representatives Of the people
He Is unwilling that the Legislature should as.
semble. for fear that laws may be passed
distastefu to him aud his political friends That
is the reason why the wheels of legislation
blocked last winter. and il likewise his apology
Tor assuming or usurping powers forbidden by the
Constitution and the laws which he has taken an
oath 10 obey and enforce. Has OLIVER F.
MORTON any more interest in maintaining the
credit and redeemng the plishted faith of Indi
ana than any other citzeng He knows that
there not Democratic member of the Leg
islature nj its last session, but who was willing
nay anxious. to provide the means and make the
appropriations To meet every obligation To the
creditors of Indiana Yet His Excellency claims
all the rest of her citizens The policy of Gov
MoRroS is dictated and controlled by selfishness
His only object is to promote his personal ad-
vaneement. That Is his study. That is the key
note to all his public acts. If he had been a
faithful public servant there would have been no
failure IN the State promptly meeting all her OBJ
legations to her creditors
4. Another point. The Journal states that mo
agreement whatever has been made with MeSsrs
WSsLow, LESIKR Co. for the payment of any
interest or compensation for the of the money
TO be advanced by them in paying the interest on
our State stocks. The whole matter is by them
referred to tho good tah ofthe STATE and there is
no danger of their being allowed 10 suffer" If
no agreement has been made to pay the interest
upon this advance, they made il with the expec
tation that they would receive ample remunera-
toa, and Governor MoRroS is pledged to use his
influence to that end Here is an i'm
piled agreement TO pay interest upon
money TO pay the interest upon the
State debt when there is an abundance Of
money IN the treasury. and intended for that pur
pose The Governor has only to exercise TIE pre-
negatives intrusted to him. and the money can be