Nebraska advertiser., 1870-03-03
A OF NEBRASKA,
EvErTrrINE DEpARTMENT

LINCOLN, February 25th $780,
To the Honorable the President Of the
Senate:
Without claiming other or greater
virtues than are usually possessed by
men i'm general, 1 yet believe that,
whenever my personal interests and
those of our noble State conflict, 1
would sacrifice the former to the ad-
vancement of the latter.
When the matter Of the investiga.
ton Of the action Of the Board Of
Commissioners of Public Buildings,
&c, was first mooted, believing, as l
yet believe, that the best and material
interests Of the State would not be
promoted thereby, such investigation
met with my earnest opposition.
I felt that the call was a blow aimed
at me, not only in my official char
acter, but as a man and a citizen.
Emenating from a personal OppO-
nent, based upon floating and uQcer-
tain rumors, its inception founded
upon a desire to insult and debase me,
by giving, prominence and substab-
TALLY TO the veriest gossip, it was not
a matter of surprise, that, smarting
under the base attack, / should repel
it.
I felt that the mere call, therefore,
was insulting in the extreme, and /
rejOiced when the House of Repre-
sentatives placed its condemnation
upon it.
Now. however, from fair and unbi-
ased men comes another and further
call for investigation, and while | fear
that the best interests of the State may
suffer by the delay in their progress
incident to such action, yet that this
reproach upon the Commissioners,
the chief officers of the State, and the
foul stain upon the Commonwealth
may be removed, 1 now ask that, the
Investigation, fair, full and ample
NAV proceed as speedily as practica,
BILE, that the advancement of the pub
lie building and the pecuniary inter-
ests of the State may not suffer.
I earnestly desire that her honor
NAV be saved, and that from her es-
cutcheon may be wiped the breath of
the charge of shameful corruption
and dishonesty st the hands Of her
officials.
That i'm the disposition of the public
lands of the State, and in the erection
of public edifices, the Commission has
OAkCCACG 4C ~ WI W - N@0NA
the law, il does not deny.
1t stands ready TO show at the proper
time. that in assuming this ever dam
gerOus responsibility the emergency
required it, and the best interests of
the State were advanced by it.
In every act, whether authorized or
unauthorized, the Commissioners had
an v singly TO the public good, and
in honesty and sincerity, believe that,
for il TO have taken other action than
il did, would have called down and
justified the censure of the people.
ask that, under all the eircumstan-
ces, a full hearing may be given by
the cOmmlttee-sOon. I hope, to be
appointed by your Honorable Body,
That it may be given full and ample
time to make a report, and that such
report may be published and issued to
the world.
Calling upon the Searcher of sall
hearts to witness that while / may
have made mistakes, they have grown
out of an earnest desire to accomplish
the riQht, L await the opportunity to
yindicate my assailed honor, and re-
Iieye the State from the faintest belief
in the truth Of the reports.
DAVID BUTLER.
That our readers may understand
this matter of investigation, we state
the fact that at the last session of the
Legislature n law was passed author
izing the Commissioners to sell the
unsold lots in the city of Lincoln, and
from the proceeds expend sixteen
Thousand dollars In completing the
dome of the capitol building, and enc
closing, grading and ornamenting the
capitol grounds; and further, to eX-
pend the sum Of fifty thousand dol
lars in the building Of a State Lunatie
Asylum and not exceeding the sum
Of one hundred thousand dollars in
the erection Of a State University and
Wicultural College. If the city lots