Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1864-02-04

Commissioners to see that the interest on
the bonded debt of the State is promptly 4
and faithfully paid Second-To represent
the State before the Board of Claims, Gre
atcd by the Act of April l3, 1868, TO |
provide a Board Of Commissioners to ex-
anime certain Military Claims, etc. "
Every man Of intelligence knows that
these two matters of business form but a
small portion of the numerous duties OF the
Attorney General But Governor Tod
seems quite ignorant tf the law in regard to
even them. As a matter of law the pay
mcnt of the interest on the State debt is
not committed to the Attorney General, as
every Executive Magistrate ought to know.
And to represent the State before the Board
of Claims is simply an additional incidental
duty; and, as it requires absence from the
office, is to he considered subservient to the
duty Of keeping this department in readi- |
ness for the transaction of its regular and
ordinary business.
The first specification which the Governor
makes.is based upon the verbal statement of
o. Cole, the Governors Auditor by ap-
pointment. Upon this statement made in !
July last, the Governor has thought proper
to act. The evidence in his behalf is,
then, a verbal statement not under oath
| Though that would make but little differ
ence) nor official in its character, and no
doubt mentioned incidentally by the Audi
tor in self laudation, and as convincing the
Governor he had made good appoint
ment-a statement about which the Gov
ernor never made inquiry, and which was of
so little importance in his own estimation
that he, In his message, entirely disclaim-
ed any intention of preferring charges
against the Attorney General on account of
it. A Governor who would thus seek to
} bring public officer into disrepute can not
be regarded in any other light than as fool
or villain
The charge Isl Neglect of duty as a Fund
; Commissioner in New York In answer, |
, propose to inquire-First: How is the At
torney General connected by law with the
payment Of the interest on the State debt
l Second: What were the circumstances at
tending the performance of that duty :?
(, First: The first section of the act of
5 April 18th, 1858, IS. and c. stat 235)
! provides, that the Board Of Commission
i crs composed of the Auditor of State, Sec
1 ted by article Sth, sec. Sth, of the Consti-
g tuition, styled and known as the Board OF
+ Commissioners of the Sinking Fund, is
: hereby organized by constituting the Audi
h tor Of State the President thereof, and the
70 Secretary of State the Secretary thereof,
and the said President and Secretary shall
II hold their Offices during the time they may
+ respectively be such Auditor of State and
a Secretary Of State and it shall be the duty
: of the said President and the said Secreta.
a ry of the said Board, with the advice and
: concurrence in writing of the other member
OF the Board, to do and perform all anC
'e2 singular the duties prescribed by this act
d Provided, that nothing in this act contain
ed shall be so construed as to prevent ma
4 Ijority of the Board from transacting an,
+ business authorized by this act
l, By this section the Attorney General i
al simply an advising and concurring membe
III Of the Board, but in the absence of eithe
,e one or the other Members, he can, to maxi
T. a quorum or majority, act as one Of tn
3 Board.
re Section 5th of the same act provides tina
Il 'the President and Secretary Of the Boart
of Commissioners ofthe Sinking Fund, ar
rs hereby especially required, authorized AM
NJ fully empowered by and with the advic
IN and concurrence of the other Member of tn
said Board to cause to be paid promptly
ny etc, the interest, ETC., and keep up tn
or credit of the State, etc
10 This section makes it the duty of the Au
ditor of State and Secretary Of State t
OF pay the interest, and to act with the iadvic
P and agreement of the Attorney General i
y all matters pertaining to the various stcr
Oh to be taken to that end. The Attorne
e. General duty consists in advising with tn
hS Board as to the transmission Of the Funt
M to New York, where they should be depo
ne tied, how drawn out, by whom, and if NJ
OF by the person to whom the interest is du,
Ms what authority the agent or attorney shoul
vi present, and in the absence of either Il
ac President or Secretary to assist the OF
us present in paying the interest, and gene
ally, to consult with the Board as to. ii
nc best means to keep up the credit of Il
er- State.
% These are substantially the duties of Il
,oc Attorney General, prescribed by law,
IA one Of the Sinking Fund Commissioner
he he in the paying of the interest on the Sta
no. m debt.
.o ss. Second In the latter part of june al
be December Of the year 1868, went to Ne
\ lork city, as had been the custom of II
In predecessors, to do and perform what mig
COS be necessary IN the payment Of the intere:
iGr In July, both the President and Secreta
Ihe of the Board were present and perform
ous their duties as specially required by t
in act The Attorney General was also pr,
,tlv ted so far as his services were called in
In- requisition by the nature of the business.
N The duties Of the President and Secret
T., ry OF the Board are, as general thing,
ne, sign checks upon the bank where the fu
10 is deposited. The State Agent receives t
's 'as' receipts of the applicants and clerk max
gio out the checks.
'sie The time prescribed for paying the inter-
H.. is fourteen days, but six or eight days wor
shv be amply sufficient. Usually the gr,
my iny bulk Of the money is paid the first three
m ie. four days. This has been the case in be
Was bs instances in which have participated.
ilo ho July, III that time over three hundred tho
. nc ho sand dollars had been paid, and genera
tnc from twenty to thirty thousand dollars
L .tii returned to Columbus, no demand bel
urn 'aut presented by some holders of the bon
uH;' 49,; SO that it will most generally happen Il
ori. i. after the sixth or eighth day not more IL
ols' twenty or twenty-five thousand dollars
,ei , main to be paidout. In the presontmon
reu / remained in New York until the even
.,a ru. of the 9th day. When left, over tn
n rro, hundred and forty thousand dollars |
ani M: been paid.
III IN While transacting this business,
qmo h Members of the Board usually relieve c,
Id other for short periods, In July, O. c,
noli Ii the President OF the Board, and from VIII
'eIu the Governor receives this statement,
Al, the City of New York early in the mon
on" an1 to visit his family in some adjoining St;