The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1871-08-04
NO. 25.
The Governors Rent.

AT the regular session OF The Lcgisla-
iurc in 1863. an act was passed "appoint-
ing commissioners to sell certain real
estate therein named, to provide resi-
dcncc for the Governor Of the State. aEi
TO make him an allowance in lieu there
o: until the same is provided; and mat.
icrs properly connected Herewith" la
section four OF this act will be found
lhc following:
"sa'a Commissioners arc authorized
10 provide suitable residence for tho
lGoycrnnr until n residence can be pro.
lcured according 10 the terms OF this act.
or in lieu thereof, that they pay him a
sum eqi;al thereto, not exceeding $5,lCO
per anEum."
lie OBJECT OF the act was to provide
FOR tie selling Of certain property bee
longing to the State. and with H..
proceeds bnild suitable residence for
The Governor. The act was approved
February 2ith. 1865. The property was
sold and the proceeds deposited in thu
State Treasury, but the Governors resi-
licncc has rot been built. The plain
purpose of ihc law rs expressed ia tho
act Itself. WIS 40 provide n permanent
and suitable residence for The Governor
OF the State OF Indiana, and lis success
grounds and bindings suitable 10 tho
dignity OF ii,e Executive. authority. of
lie Stasc.' Fu; how has the law been
Icxccutcd? Although ample means were
obtained by the sale OF the property IL
build "A permanent and suitable resi-
dence' Tor tho Governor. tho Commits
4 ~i0ners for some rcason failed 10 carry
ont the provisions Of The act.
I The law was passed February 25is,.
1865. anil the records develop the fol-
flowing facts:
4 Instead of providing y suitable tenn
Horary residence fer Tic Governor. or im
lieu thereof. paving lin a sum ceua,
thereto. Governors Morton and Baker
l,avc been permitted 10 draw from The
Treasury The snin os 5000 year. when
II! i known tha, neither have aid rent
exceeding the sum Of ) ,,5n0 per annnn.
: and for lie mcsi Of Tie fine rot over
81 600. ifihat sum. Morton moved in-
20 his own house which would not rent
: for over 81 COO per anuum. Had they
7 any right under tie iaw To draw from,
the treasury any more than the rent they
had TO pay for what they regarded u
: suitable residence, by occupying II
y But what have these yirtnrus aud hon
; est Governors done? Gov. Morton
9 drew The following Sims:
! For year commencing Jan. I.
I. G5. aud ending Dec. 81. 'G5 5000 ca
!. 1865. May25 2clS "a
!, 1867, February :.@:O 81
Total. slO.S47 O,l
What right had Governor Morton Ia
, draw for !iousc rcn; rrevious to the pas.
sage of tho law. when nothing Of tho
; kind was contemplated by the ACT?
Here arc Governor Bakers drafts for
house rent, "Old Honesty" as his friends
! term him:
1861 from April ic 70 D-cente. % t.ss 81
& i&sGs ircm Fshrdary J 10 August 20 2 80 70
iSee cndns October u CslG 81
1s7o, ending uctot@rs u cs9 %
isil' u? TO July 3.s9 IS
Total. on,xsa -
| Under this net. providing for the pur.
chase ofa suitable house for fhe Cover.
nor, or in lieu thereof. 10 pay him sum
equal 10 the rent OF Il suitable residence.
these immaculate Governors have drawn
Ike following gums from Jan. l, 1866, to
July !, 1871:
oliver Hazard Perry Throckmorfon tlo :g7 90
covernor lak,r, vs.. Old Honesty ~ t?2 2;
Total ssl 3s2 ~
Six ,es,- and bali rent, al 81 200 per
annGa, Is $50 ca
cver.rawn, eai 20 ~
These honest Republican Governors.
instead Of drawing from the treasury
the actual rem: paid for a suitable resi-.
dcncc. and mt no time has tho rent they
have paid exceeded $1,000 per annun,,
without authority Of law, they have
drawn at The lowest estimate 81 800 ~
more tlsan they had The right to do.
Will The Journal sanction This ROBBERY Of
the treasury? Will ihcy pretend that
there WAS any authority TO draw more
than Tie rent Governors Morton and
EaEcr actually paid for a suitable resi-.
Gcncc! DO these gentlemen belong tn
the ring that il says is formed to rob tho
treasury! VIC should guess from their
acts thai they do.
During tic period Governor Morton
took a trip 10 Europe, and temporarily
Baker was acting Governor al interim.
When Morton returned. lie fouud thas
Baker was claiming the rcnt money.
Morton insisted upon the steal as his
Ircrquisitr. and Baker cinimcd It wan>
his. a :tcr hot conies, The matter waa
settled, and "Ol Honesty" triumpllcd.
lie had ~ good thing and was deter
nucd to aud did hold OH 10 II.
This robbery of The Treasury hy tho
Republican Governors has ben known
ia lhc Radical leaders at Il TIC Endicat
papers. but never n word vi dcnnncia-
lion. not wlimper hns bccu heard from
that quarter. bui ifa Democratic Cover
nor had drawn n crni more of rcEf than
hc had actually paid. howl Of indigna-
iion wonll have gone mp from every
Radical ,hroa; in The state. Will Nor
ton and Takcr be made 10 disgorgr. ar
wiil the ''honcst' party sanction tho
is;cal?
| TO be continued.
/ Cav 1,or.l,.I,,h or Nrv- Yn,.as. savs