The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1870-01-12

said WickE8e. / mandamus was issued aooioet yva1.
Ite requiring an additional issue Of warrants IN tre
amount, as already specified Though duy cited he
put in no appearance in this case, made no eort 10
protect the interest Of The State and violating the law
relative 10 according the issuance Of warrants only in
proportion to appropriation made, did issue the adj
ditionaI warrant asked for in the case.
g. Wcklita has violated the aw with fraudulent de-
sign relative to public printing. The act provides a
uniform rate Of compensation for work done and it is
the duty OF the Auditor to verify the accounts Of the
Public Printer and protect the State from imposition
The law, an equal amount Of work being done, makes
discrimination between parties doing the work. but
pays each alike. Yet you find numerous instances Of
this sort.
Said Wckiihe issued warrants on the Treasury in
favor Of the New Orleans Republican for printing the
laws of 1865 for twentysix hundred and seyentyfour
dollars, (S26T41 while for the same work warrants
issued in favor Of the Baton Rouge Courier for
the sum of six thousand eight hundred and seventy
seven dollars and sixtysix cents, (S6SI7 66) To the
Homer liad four thousand three hundred and fifty dol
lars, (S1350) To the Tensas Gazette four thousand
seven hundred and fifty dollars (S4750) 1t is certain
that the Republican entitled to the same compen-
satlon with the other papers mentioned and equal
~ certain that the Republican did the work required
by law and received the full compensation for the
| why this discrimination between these papers, in
cfeaSs, as 1t does III violation of law and equity the
expense OF the State thousand nine hundred and
fty-nlne dollars and sxtv-six cents (s7959 &C. For
publishing the laws of the session of 1862 warrants
and certificates Of Indebtedness were issued to the Re-
publican for two thousand two hundred and fty-four
dollars, (S2254 while for the work warrants and
certificates issued the Baton Rouge Courier for
the amount of four thousand three hundred and fifty
dollars S4350) and to the Homer Iiad for four thou
sand dollars, (S40OO) When you consider that there
are four papers in the State which publish the journals
and twenty-five that publish the laws you can easily
conceive how conduct like the Auditors as instaneed
wi Gap Clp a,fr pIy tho
financial credit of the State If the papers of the State
had received for the work done only the rates pre-
scrbed by law, as Illustrated in the case of the Re
publican, the total cost to the State for the two SEES
sons for public printing would amount to two hundred
and thirty thousand dollars 1920 00ol leaving re-
mander of the appropriation made for this purpose of
orytIve thousand dollars, (S45 000 in the Treasury,
which ought to have been enough to meet the demand
for all other public printing besides the journals and
| laws
The Auditor has, only exhausted the forty five
thousand dollars but has oVerdrawn the appropriation
made by your honorable body more than one hundred
thousand dollars making the State printing and adver
Using cost not less than three hundred and seventy
five thousand dollars. This criminal and fraudulent
administration of the printing act is aggravated be-
cause it involves the violation Of article 04 of the
constitution, which says that " no money shall be
drawn from the treasury but in pursuance of specific
appropriations made by law ; and OF Sec. Is OF the
act defining the duties Of the Auditor Of Public Ac-
counts, which says:
"No warrant shall be drawn by the Auditor, nor
paid by the Treasurer, unless the money to pay the
same has ben previously appropriated by law, nor
shall the whole amount drawn for or paid under any
one head exceed the amount appropriated by law
for that purpose
Said WckIiHe has most crminally mal-adminstered
the act entitled An act to provide pensions Tor the
veterans of 1814-15." This act requires that certain
evidence shall be produced by the applicant for pen
sion, and that the clerk Of the court of the parish in
which the pensioner resides shall certify to the credi
biity of the applicant and his witnesses, The require
ments of tile law have not been complied with in the
cases of over one hundred and sixty persons. The
Grand Jury Of the parish of Orleans, attera most Wig
liant examination for three months have not been
able to find but hundred and fifty persons who are
entitled to pensions under the law but the Auditor has
nevertheless and insufficient evidence, and for pc
cunary considerations issued warrants to nearly
thousand persons amounting in the aggregate to over
two hundred thousand dollars, and this too, without
any specific appropriation made by law. large
Der OF these warrants have been received into the
Treasury i'll payment OF taxes, thus defrauding the
Treasury of cash which would otherwise have been
paid by the payers. Twelve indictments have been
preferred recently against the Auditor by the Grand
Jury Of the parish of Orleans, for misdemeanors in
Office, which now pending.
The Grand Jury, last spring, preferred fourteen in
dictments against the Auditor charging him with ex-
tor5n from the creditors of the State, appropriang
public money to his and issuing warrants not
authorized by law Two of these cases were tried and
to the asonishment Of the community he was ac-
: quilted So monstrous the verdict of the Jury in
the last case that the Judge reprimanded and dis
missed them The Attorney General taking the ground
that constitutional officer could not legally be tried
by jury until after impeachment, dismissed the bal
of the Pending the trial of the above re-
erred Indictments to preserve the records and pro-
teet the State deemed it my duty to take possession
Of the Auditors Office and to appoint suitable per-
son, al interim, to take Of the same. When the
cases dismissed, returned the key of the office
to said Auditor and withdrew further opposition his
possessing of his Office.
Love for your State and fidelity to the people whom
you represent demand rigid scrutiny into the conduct
of the officer herein complained Of and prompt pun
shment should follow if it is ascertaned that guilt
lists. Permit me to say that the modification I feel
the Executive of the State in view OF the criminal
conduct of this officer is increased and aggravated by
the fact that the offender is member of the party
which | belong. No party is worthy the confidence
Of the people, retain the same who will permit
such conduct to pass uncensured and unpublished
submit the matter, gentleman, to your grave candid
and immediate consideration and request that such
action be taken the ends of justice and the public
, interest require. Ii. G. WARMoTH,
Governor of the State of Louisiana.
Recorders Court.