Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-11-04
COLUMBUS, ONO, oct. aIst, 1863.

.r DhNiD IODI VUVttnOrs
& COLUMNS, OHIO, octf3st, 1868.
To His Excellensy David Tod, GOovTOr of Ohio;
DEAR Sn:-Your favor of the 26lh inst. =,
inviting me, in company with all the offiCera Of
the State, TO be present on the 18Th pr0x :, near
Gettysburg. Pennsy sylvanis, to participate in the
ceremony Of dedicating lot of ground, which
has been selected as the final resting place of
the brave men who fell there In the battle Of
July last, did not come to hand till this after
noon. The fact OF receiving note ct alI from
you surprised me almost as much as lite con.
tents. For you know, Governor, youbegan the
political contest this fall In your speech at
Youngstown, Ohio, by falsehoods and misrep-
reservations Of me personally, which / am
informed, both you and that political weather.
cock, Treasurer of State, kept up during the
canvass. Hence, you are the last person from
whom expected friendly note.
But of its contents: The note is printed and
has your written signature at the bottom, and
Judge has been addressed to all the officers of
the State as we'll as officers elect. You pro-
pose to furnish ell these invited guests with
trsnspoYtation at the eTpense Of the State."-
That alone will cost the State from $4,000 to
$4,000 Will you permit me TO inquire where
you get the authority, to deal out 80 generously
the hard earned taxes Of the people, that you
can furnish all your friends with free ticket
to Gettysburg and back, at the expense of the
Slater Under what statute and what particu.
lar clause Of the statute, do you find the power
thus to squander the peoples money! The State
Constitution provides:
Art. Q. sec %. "No money shall be drawn from tbe
treasury except In pursuance Of specific approprln
What Legislature made appropriation for
this excursion Of State officials1 Where is The
act2 Or is Il one Of those smuggled through
BY certain gentlemen after the adjournment Of
the last Lsgisla.ure7
Sleak out, Governor. Your Excellency
could Issue o proclamation and enlIghten the
people on the subject. BY virtue Of your office
as Governor, you are Commander In Chief o
the military and naval forces Of the State. Il
1t "by uirtue Of the toaT potssr" that you thuI
unceremoniouely thrust your arm into the Stat,
Treasury Or without regard TO any particular
authority conferred upon you, 10 II q presslnl
"miiifary necessity" that compels you 10 tht
act2 The war power of the Commander In
Chief, or military necessity either, might salts
fy some. i think you ought to take your posi-
tion at once, and declare your policy In thif
war upon the Treasury.
| Or rather is this expenditure generally (no
particularly for the purpose Of putting dowr
the rebellion, and at tho same time "defendlne
the State against invasioni'' Or ia there, Of
some malicious people might suppose, On un-
Iderstanding between you and the railroads o
the country by which you are to pay them al
The money you can out of the State Treasury
You boast In your public speeches that not
dollar Of the public money ever etuck to tn,
palms Of your hands, though millions had pass
cd through them. That may be strictly true
Nevertheless some have limited, asyou may 70
member, (mallclouBly no doubt) that when yol
purchased ~ the Ohio and Pennsylvania Cana
last year, you not only got of The State for moth
ing, but that you pocketed seurGI thousGnd dol
lars besides In the bargain. But what differ.
ence does II make to the taxpayers whethe
you steal their money out Of the Treasury your
self, and put II into your own pocket, or deal |
ont In prinoely sums to your friends for Grams
pOrtation at the tEpsnss Of the Siate," In rallroai
excursions, pleasure trips, eto7 .-
il VIII you allow me to inquire Of your Excel
lency why 10 ls, that this transportation, at th,
expense Of the State, Is furnished to men VIII
are generally able to pay their own expenses
: Would IL not be more prudent, as we'll as NOR
patriotic, to furnish u to the poor widows ami
orphans, and ohildless mothers who have beei
made such by the great battle In July, that the,
Il
graves of their husbands, fathers and sons, AMI
moisten the dry earth that covers the gallan
dead, With the copious tears of ef1iction AMI
affection that arc now falling In silence and se
clueIon all over the land. Or, better still, us
this money that you propose TO pay out for tn
transportation Of the officials OF the State, Il
purchasing clothing, fuel and food for the euf
, fering poor who vera made euch by that greu
/, battle.
4 You are inviting all the members of th
Legislature, with the other State officials.
cannc, conceive the motive. Can It be possibl
; | that there is already go large deficiency 1
tho transportation account of tho State coca
Stoned by 90 many persons being given fre
passes to Republican meetings, and to the fift
or eixty thousand fraudulent voters who wer
brought into the State just before the last eleC
- tion, that you are fearful the incoming Lsgsls
ture will not make the appropriation for th
al deficiency, unless you can &c. them personsl'
IintereHted. and give them beforehand tste
:. the sweets Of public plunder7 That can hard
u be 1t or should not nave been invited, for II
|, by no means certain that ahall have the hon,
Of occupying seat in the next Ohio Senate.
Ia conclusion have to say 20 your Exec
"a Iency, that whatever may be the motive Of
r however much Of melancholy pleasure IL migt
afford me 70 participate In the solemn ceremt
> MES of the 19th of November and 10 visit d
. graves OF the brave and noble men who fs
near Gettysburg, many oflwhom wero my pc
, lsonal friends and some of whom were my kin
y men, cannot coneent TO be o party to u
o' fraud and larceny Of taking money iEom u
public treasury for any portion Of my pereon
expenses. l Bcorn tho proposition, comiI
- even from 80 high . source sa the Governor
the great State Of Ohio; and ! wsrn you, o
) TO beware how you do this thing Yoa ha
is, already been guilty of many sins, both Of om
3. .. sion and commIesion. You have asssted q
By instigated the seizure OF the peaceful citis