Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-02-02
The Governor and the Contingent
Fund.

At this time, when public officers of every rank
seem vieing with each other in their assaults upon
the public treasury. it is necessary that all per-
sons having the disposition of public money should
be held to rigid accountability.
The people have a right to expect that those
intrusted by them with high and responsible posi-.
tons will act with manly integrity, that their ex
penditure of money shall be free from all Juggling
and trickery that there shall be no short cuts and
small shifts to avoid investigation and response
bility.
1t is within the power of designing men to
misnppropriate money and by exhibiting a show
ing fair on its face frequently escape exposure.
The inside view being denied, the great mass of
the people arc compelled to judge what is within
from the facts within their reach, and test the
acts of their public servants by the information
thus possessed. And where they are able to dis
cover evidences of unfairness and want of good
faith, they justly conclude that what is concealed
is worse than what is exposed, and that the off
Ger standing convicted in particular is un
worthy of confidence in any respect.
These reflections are suggested by an exami-
nation of the Governors report to the DISPOSE
ton Of the Military Contingent Fund.
On the 9th day of May, 1861, at the special
session of the Legislature. an act was APP
proved appropriating one hundred thousand dol
lars to the Governors contingent fund. and pro
viding that the Governor should report to the
ensuing General Assembly all disbursements 10y
him made out of the fund, specifying each item
thereof
! The present General Assembly met, but the
Governor did noe make his report. Day after
day passed by, but still no report came. until
the 18th inst, when the Senate passed resolu-
ton requesting HIS Excellency to make the re-
port required by the statute.
On the 2lst inst. the Governor sent in a mes
sage dated the post inst, accompanied by his
report. 1t shows that up to the lst instant
$50 l47 06 had been paid out of the fund.
We have neither the time nor inclination to
take up this report item by item; we viii refer
to but one item, and it will show to what extent
the statements in the report can be relied on.
Immediately after the battle of Richmond,
Kentucky, two thousand dollars were drawn from
|
agents to be disbursed for the benefit of the In
diana soldiers who were wounded there Ii was
not all spent, and the excess over expenditures
was returned to the Governors private Secretary.
The money checked from the fund about
the middle of September, 1862, and the balance
was returned to him short time thereafter
1t was the duty of the Governor to pay the
sum 50 returned into the Treasury as part of the
coutinee iurd, that it might be drawn upon as
necessity might require.
Was il returned, aud when?
The report shows that this excess was returned
to th" Treasury on the 81 day of January, 1863,
amounting to the sum of SS25 76.
In whose pocket was this sum from the middle
Of September 1862, until the ID of January,
ls63-by what authority and for what purpose?
The Senate resolution calling for the report was
passed on the 18th inst The Governor shows
that he had paid this money into the Treasury on
the ID inst, consequently it canno; be supposed
for moment that the cali for a detailed report
had anything to do with the refunding of the
money, but the fact is the money was not
paid into the Treasury on the date given
by His Excellency, had it been paid when
the call for the report was made, and not
paid until the 2lst Of January. as the Treas
urers report, filed in the Auditors Office. will
show.
! The manuscript report filed by the Governor is
dated the LIST day Of January, 1868, MS If the re-
port had been prepared at that time. and the date
Of refunding the money, January 2, as shown by
the Printers report in the manuscript, is 2 with
a drawn through the center, so as to make it /,
to correspond with the date Of thereport.