Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1871-11-30
SANDER of Public Men.
From the rsrre lauts Express.

From the Terre Haute Express.
Editor Express Enthusiastic pursuit
of happiness in the way of shooting quails
me of the privilege of seeing the
Evening Gazette of last Saturday until
yesterday In the paper of that day there
occurs under the heading, The Express {
Defends the Thieves" the following Ian.
guage: vo,
'"rhe editor says these fellows are not
thieves and robbers, who have been ap-
propriating the proceeds of the School
Fund to their individual use, but simply
gave an erroneous construction to the
law" and that this is ''but mistake of du-
ty," Was there ever such villainy called
by such endearing names ?-and more
comments of the same character,
The men to whom reference is made,
and who are called thieves and robbers,
are John 1. Morrison and Gen. Nathan
Kimball, ex-Treasurers and Hon. Thos.
B. M'Carty and Major John d. Evans,
ex-Auditors of State.
By some curious Interpretation of pro-
priety, it has become a rule with public
men not to notice the attacks and dis
paraging insinuations of editors, it being
held the wiser plan to remain quiet and
let partisans have it their own way.
This is doubtless real Christian resigna
ton, though I believe the public would
relish little animated reply now and then
even if it involved an abrasion of some
thing more than amicable relations.
There are no more honorable men, for
instance, in the State of Indiana, than
Mr.. Morrison and General Kimball and
there is not an editor in the country who
can show purer record, in any particular
whatever, than they. During their terms
of Office they handled millions of dollars
of State funds, and no man can truthfully
say they diverted one dollor from its legal
or proper use. They discharged the on
erous duties of their positions with emin-
ent success; turned over the full amount
of every trust, and left the school fund, OF
which so much has been said, in a vastly
better, and more remunerative condition
than it ever was before.
The only direct charge made against
any of these men is that they received in
terest on deposits-which charge may be
sustained, and may not.
1t may be we'll to say, however, that at
no time in twenty years has the State had
a suitable place to keep with safety d
quarter of million to million dollars
and the State officers, for their own Sc
curity, if for no other consideration, have
been compelled to make deposits of mon
ey where it would be safe And there is
not a man among the free and easy ac
cusers of the State officers, if he had any
sense, but would have done the same
thing. Three tunes within the last few
years the State officers have been notified
by responsible detectives that English
cracksmen and burglars had made ar
Treasurer's and Authors offices, and once
arrests would have been made at the doc
Of one of the officers had it not been TO
the laundering Of detective.
No air-minded man will accept the fac
that the Attorney General has brough
suit against the ex-Statc officers as evi
dence of guilt Intelligence enough II
understand the simplest movements o
political strategy is sufficient TO show tn
objects and purposes of these suits.
1t is a we'll known axiom Of law tina
even an accused party shall be deemed in
nocent until he is proven guilty; and ye
upon the merest rumor, growing out c
partisan malice and Ill will, the most 81
rious charges are made against men {
unblemished integrity and honor; an
men who would scorn to do mean &C
who for their childrens' sakes if promp
ed by no other motive, would not swer1
from the line of duty, are prated about
thieves and robbers
1t would be no more aggravated iaju
if it were said that Col. Hudson, viii
Agent OF State, misused the funds viii,
came into his hands, and that he receiv
mMterest upon money held on deposit wi
Messrs WInsiow, Lanier & Co. for t
payment of interest on the State de
He could not fee more keenly the wro
done, if he were called thief and re
Der, than do Mr. Morrison and Gen Ki
ball.
These accusations are a gross outra:
and were it not for the fact that the p
pie themselves place little credence in
wholesale charges made against men Il
have been proud to honor, the lutheran
of slanderers would be less frequent, ;
there would be fewer cases of genuine
pidity and malice. j. C. ]