The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1864-03-09

the interest which accrued on the lSt uay
of January, 1854, and up to this time. as
am advised, have paid ont s2s0.0o0.
The noble and generous conduct of this
house should and viii be appreciated by
the people of Indiana, and Mr.. Lanier.
in his clear comprehension and able
management of the affair, has displayed
not only financial ability but a broad
statemanship that should put TO the blush
the petty and contemplate management
of State officials who for partisan pur-
poses We're willing to disgrace the State
before the world
There is another transaction connected
with the refusal to pay the interest on
the public debt which must if possible
increase the adherence entertained for
it in the public mind. On the-day of
August Messrs. Ristine and Brett, the
Auditor and Treasurer, advanced to
W alker from the State Treasury the sum
of fifty thousand dollars. to be invested
by him in our war loan bonds or the
State stocks. ofwhich have been speak
ing. Messrs. Ristine and Brett have
also taken from the Treasury the sum of
500, 900, with which they have purchased
Indiana ) per cent. stocks, making in all
the sum of 100000 taken from the
Treasury for that purpose. We are here
presented with the remarkable spectacle
of State officers deciding that there is no
law by which they can pay the interest
on the State stocks, but finding law to
take money from the Treasury for the
purchase of the stocks themselves at a
price deprecated by the failure to pay
the interest In what light must such
transaction be viewed among private
persons in the business world. refuses
to pay his paper at maturity and then
puts the money in the hands of b to buy
it up at discount. Ristine Il Co. decide
that it is unlawful to pay the interest on
our stocks, but that it is lawful to take
money from the Treasury to buy up the
stocks themselves reduced in price by the
failure to pay the interest Surely the
State might have been saved this last dis
grace.
STATE PRINTING.
| should fail to present the conduct of
the State officers in its proper light if did
not allude to their action in regard to the
State Printer, 1t is difficult to see upon
what legal or moral ground they could
refuse TO advance money for the support
of the Benevolent Institutions and Peni-
tentiaries, and at the same time pay large
sums of money TO the State Printer; yet
this was the case. When the Senate
Journal of the last day of the session,
Monday, was read, it was found to con-
tain a resolution, which the minutes
showed to have been adopted appropriat-
ing twelve thousand dollars for the pay
ment of the State Printer
The Union members present declared
that no such resolution had been read in
their hearing. and that no quorum was
present to pass that or any other. Be
that as it may, it was but the resolution
of one House. Itwas not a law, and had
no force or validity whatever Under the
fimsy preteXt of this resolution warrants
were issued to the State Printer for twelve
thousand dollars, on which he drew the
money. When this sum was exhausted,
there was little delay in the payments,
but having become bolder, and the ne
cessities of the editor of the Sentinel be-
coming greater, they dispensed with all
preteXt or forms of law, and paid him
large sums of money from time to time,
in all amounting to about twenty thous-
and dollars When asked to pay for the
support of the Benevolent Institutions
they plead the absence ofappropriations,
and the terrors of the embezzlement bill.
But when asked to pay the editor Of q
partizan newspaper, they laughed at the
embezzlement bin as a good joke, and
treated the plea of no appropriations as
a clever thing in its way, but too trifing to
interfere with the support of the news
paper organ of the party. / am informed
that the Attorney General gave an
opinion to the effect that it was legal to
pay the State Printer. / should have
been surprised if he had not.
RIGHT OF THE GOVERNMENT TOWARD REB-
Passing from matters of local or State
national condition, and said
1t is a truth taught alike by reason and
history, that the more terrible and de
structive wars are made the sooner they
are ended. Lingering and protracted
wars are the most terrible calamities that
can befall Nations Not only do they
consume the blood and substance of a
Nation, but they are attended with de-
moralization and dissolution of the frame
work of society more dreadful than the
loss Of even blood and treasure. HUI
manity, mercy and sound policy then
dictate that war, if it must exist, shall be
made terrible and destructive that it may
soon be ended and demand that every
legitimate means for that purpose shall
be promptly employed.
The power of the enemy NAV be over
come and destroyed in two ways: First,
By destroying or capturing his army in
the field Second. By withdrawing or
cutting off his resources so that he shall
not be able TO furnish, clothe, feed, or
maintain an army. and where this can
be done it is quite as efficient as the for
mer, and far less costly and bloody to
both parties. The resources to which I
refer consist chiefly in arms and munitions
of war, transportion, food and clothing
for armies.
The first great step adopted by the
Government 10 cut off the resources of
the rebels was the blockade Of their ports,
and the exclusion Of all foreign trade
and commerce. This effort has been
only partially successful, and there is
good reason to believe that fits success
had been complete, the rebellioni' would
have failed before this time for want Of
material and supplies for carrying it on
The question of the power of the Gov
ernment to blockade the ports of the
rebel States was early presented in the 4
courts. and has been solemnly affirmed
in the Suprerue Courf of th q Tnit<>1 Cfafoa