Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-02-17
REPLY OF RIsTINE TO OLIVER p. MORTON. ESQ
IsDIANAPoLIS, INDIANAg
Eel, ~ 1874

Feb l3, 1864
OLvRh z. MoRToN. Esq. Sir: have just re-
ceved your autograph note ofsthis date. in which
you inform me that YOU have received by the
hands Of my messenger - printed political doc
ument, purporting to be the official report of the
Auditor oi State %
You also inform that sit has no honest
claim To the character of au official paper and
cannot be regarded as such
The statute requires that my report shall be
made "to the Governor of State. and having
noticed in the morning papers that you claimed,
and had secured the opinions of eminent counsel
to the effect that you not Governor. l was
doubtful as to my duty. but having ascertained
by the examination OF various public documents
that you have since the 10th day of jan
usry, 1861. claimed the title and exercised
all the power and authority pertaining to the of
fee. and much that is not annexed to il by law,
| regarded it nv duty to overlook your present
Reputation of official character and send you m
report
did it as an act of official duty, and not as
mark of respect To which YOU are entitled as an
individual. or because supposed it would be graf
flying to you to know that the financial affairs of
the State being conducted in accordance
with legal requirements.
The report was prepared with reference to my
obligations 10 the law and public interests. The
facts are taken from public records aud anthem
tic documents. Whether the conclusions drawn
from the facts stated are legitimate, each candid
reader will determine for himself.
| did not expect that their presentation to the
public would be agreeable to vou nor did | sup
pose IL my duty to seek your aid in the selection
of the material for the report. your advice
to the manner of its arrangement
IL became my duty TO call Your attention u the
condition of various funds upon which. under
different preiexis and with species Of ieserie-
main not often exhibited in positions SO exalted
that YOU fill. you had drawn without reference
TO your own power or the rights of the State
also called your attention to the Arsenal.
an institution built up by YOU without legal au
thority, carried on with the money OF the State,
and the profits. which reported to be large,
passing into the pockets of private individuals
Al all events one cent of either the principal
or increase thereof, has been by you. yonr
agents, or partners. paid into the State Treasury
since have been Auditor of State
With reference TO the interest on the funded
debt of the State, for the payment of which you
have exhibited such zeal show that YOU
aP9rOred an net OF the Legislature by which the
tax levied for the express purpose of paying the
funded debt was diverted from that purpose. and
appropriated to the payment of the war bonds,
and which provided that no portion OF the tax
should be paid on the debt for the payment of
which is was levied, until the war bonds were
palti. tut> leaving no means with winch TO pay
either the principal or interest of the funded debt
unless money raised for other purposes should be
misa pplied.
The facts are clearly stated in the report The
taxpayers of the State have right to demand
information to the financial condition of their
public treasury. To have concealed them would
have been an act of otfeial dishonesty
/ have stated no fact that does not legitmatelv
connect itself with the financial condition of the
Il b.v ,bcE -,
my official duties in any portion of the report;
and though the spectacle of official delinquency
nav be humiliatng 10 the people of the State, its
eTpoSUre better subserves public interests than its
e0RetaimeRf
The charge tina; the report Is a political doe
ument,' under ordinary circumstances would be
contemplate. but coming from the source il dos
IL j. purely ridiculous The PEOPLE alone are
imperial IN all matters connected with their pub
lie servants Under the requirements OF the law
for their benefit and informal ton. furnished you
the statement OF the condition of the public
revenues. funds and incomes of the State y
Your attempted Subterfuse To suppress the report
will not avail YOU for your purposes The public
will see IL
In conclusion permit me 10 say that have a
toleraby clear perception Of my duties rs Audi
tor of State, and that 10 not recognize in YOU
either the mental aud moral qualities, or the al
right. TO dictate the manner ct their performances
that regard your letter A. grttuitous snd i'm
pertinent, and estimate il aud its author at their
proper value j. RIsrISE-