Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-02-17
rhe xepert of the Auditor of state
The Grum bling Of %. -. MA spicy
Correspoudeuce.

comFtaiHs that i've report OF the huoltor OF the
State Is far from being a truthful official state
ment Of the affairs Of the State" bat without a
single specification TO sustain the charge What
the duties Of the Auditor Of State. a. defined
by lavf The act prescribing bis posers and
duties may be found in g 4 n !. p. lis Under
that ias IL j. made bis duty. among Others. TO
keep and state all accounts between the State
Of Indians and the United States. any State
or Territory, or any individual. or public officer
Of this State. indebted 20 the State. ntrusted
with the collection, disbursement, or manage
ment of any moneys. funds. interest arising
therefrom. belonging TO the State, Of every char
acter and description whatsoever. when the same
are derivable from. or payable into. the State
Treasury" aud "superintend the fiscal concern.
Of the State, and their management in the man
ner required by law" Has The Auditor in bis
report stepped beyond the line of duty in making
bis statement, az required by law. Of the condi-
ton OF the public revenues. funds and incomes
Of the State" and the operations of his depart
ment during the fiscal year ending the 3lst day
Of October ias,r Is not his report. in fact. just
zach a. the law contemplates be should makel
IL unable for want of Information from the proper
parties to keep and state all accounts between
"any individual. or public officer of the State"
who has received and disbsrsed moneys belong
ing to the State, is il not proper. nay does it not
become his duty 10 give the reasons why he is
unable to do so? This is all he has done in this
instance This probably is the offense against
which His Exceliency takes such umbrage and
which induces him to pronounce the report an
untruthfnl statement of The Affairs Of the State
The report exhibits the financial condition and
accounts in precisely the same manner as did
Mr.. LANCE. his Republican predecessor in Office,
aRj have all his predecessors in office since the
adoption Of the present Constitution: yet o p
MoRroS says il has mo honest claim to the char
acter Of an official paper''l Bahl aud SO will
every sensible man respond
The Governor takes exception again because
the report not made the .frsf day Of No
re,nbsr. as required by law. No other Auditor has
vet made bis report on that day Il is a matter
of imposSibility to do so. The fiscal year
ends the DIV previous. and any man with
grain OF sense that il would be out OF his
power IN balance and state all the accounts the
day after that are embraced in his report. The
Governor also objects to the note which accom-
panies the report, dated November ., 1861, adj
dressed to His Exrelency. and states that at the
time Of its date the report was not in existerce.
This Is a mere matter Of form. and the Governor
well knows il. A similar note and date is ON
every Auditors report which has been made. and
yet the reports not in existence at the time,
aud were not perhaps for months afterwards. This
the Governor pronounces with very vrtuous in
dignation. can utter and shameless fabrication.
can Official falsehood 20 deceive the public" and
being "a little il any better than official
forgery" In thus eondemning Mr.. RIsrISE, the
Governor condemns equally every one who has
held the Office of Auditor of State. Mr.. LANCE
made bis annual report under precisely the same
circumstances did the present Auditor. APP
pended to that officers report for the year 1861
Is the following note:
OFFICE or THE AUDITOR OF STArEl
indianapolis. Nov. l. 1861
To His Erceiieney. o II. Morton. Gosernor
81 the State Of Indiona:
Sra: have the honor TO transmit herewith to
your Excellency my annual report for the fiscal
act of February 3. 1883 To provide for the annual
reports of State officers and others
Yours verv respectfully.
ALBERT LANCE. Auditor of State.
The Governor knows that the report was not
made on November 1. 1861. He knows that it
was not made tor months afterwards say in April
or MAY succeeding. In fact he knows that IN
such letter mas erer sent or erer receired'', vet
according to % =. MoKToS this letter in
every part an utter and shameless fabrication !,
San official fal-ehood deceive the public,
"little il any better shan an oilicial forgery"
IL these charges are applicable to Mr. RIsTINE,
they are equally so to Mr.. LANCE We ony al
lude to the subject To show the little. contempt
bic. miserable sahserfuges to which His Excel
lency is compelled 10 resort To fnd objection
10 the report OF Mr. RIsrixE. and We may say
that il is eminently worthy the source from which
il emanates. What small bubble to raise
against an official document
The Governor raises another objection. lie
says:
THE law declares that the Auditor shall make
his annual report 10 The Governor, on the lst day
of Move mber in each wear and provides that the
Governor NAV the same be printed.
lst vol Gavin & Hord's Stat page 53s
The law declares such thing. 1t saws the
Governor shall cause" the same 10 be printed.
He has option in the matter He has no con
troll whatever over the report Of the Auditor. No
power is delegated to him TO revise il. His only
duty in the matter is TO receive the report aud
cause il "a be printed. It's being addressed 10
bin il a mere matter of official courtesy 1t has
not been the custom to send the report to the
Governor in manuscript. Ithas gone direct from
the Auditors Office TO the public Printer as soon
a. il ready Cor publication. Mr.. LsNGE's re-
port. II we are not mistaken. was sent from his
Office To the Printer And what difference does
IL make il il did 20 from the Auditor to the
Printer when the Governor has no RICH, to revise
or change Il, and has other direction ia the
matter bat 10 cause il TO be printetg Il i only a
little man Who stands more upon his official dig
nifty than good sense would ever think OF ques.
t.onins document becsu-e !, was not handed To
him before il was 10 the Printer And the law
does not even say whether the report shall be
presented to the Governor in print or in manu-
script.