The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-05-04
.;e WHEELING THURSDAY MORNING MAY 1876

history and character oil the TRANSACTION
10 shown by the following extract from
ny annualmessuge 70 the Legislature Of
Indiana in January, 1865:
Upon the adjournment OF the Legisla-
ture / found myself unprovided, with
the exception Of small balance OF the
military contingent fund, with money OF
appropriation for military purposes
No regiments could be raised under
the acquisitions OF the Governor, nor
could not be carried forward without
the use Of large sums Of money. The
Legion (militia) had received no pay for
their services from the beginning Of the
war, and the organization could not be
successfully continued unless the pay.
ment was made and the men reimbursed
for their actual needs. The expenditures
for which the appropriation for the
Legion fund was made in 1851 were In
adequate. The Southern border was still
disturbed by threats and danger Of inva-
sion, and such steps were to Do taken, II
possible, as wonld guarantee peace and
security to our people. In this dilemma,
l determined to apply TO the President
for advice. Under an appropriation
made by Congress on the Slst Of
July, 1851, which act is in these words
Be Il enacted by Tie Senate and House Of Rep.
resentutiueS in Congress assembled:
That the sum Of 100000 be aa.l the
same is hereby appropriated TO be ex-
pended nnder, the direction Of the Presi.
dent Of the United States in supplying
and defraying the expenses OF transport.
ing and delivering such arms and amuni.
ton Of war as in his judgment may be
expedient and proper 10 place in tue
hands OF any Of The loyal citizens residing
in any Of the States Of which the In;
habitants arc! in rebellion against
the government or in which rebel
lion is or may be theatened; and
alikewise for defrayiDg such expenses
as may be properly incurred in organic.
Ing and sustaining, while 50 organized,
any Of the citizens in companies, battal-
lions, regiments or otherwise for their
own protection against domestic violence,
invasion or rebellion. After the full con.
sideration OF the condition OF affairs in
Indiana, the President advanced to me as
disbursing officer out Of said appropria-
tion the sum Of $250000. II will be
proven that this money was not paid to
me as loan 10 the State, or an advance
to the State upon debts due her from the
general government and creates 10 debt
against the State, but that in theory il is
an expenditure made by the President
through me as his disbursiug agent. 1t
has, however, been disbursed exclusively
in the name and for the benefit OF the
State, in payment Of the necessary mill.
tary expenses, for which the State should
have made an ample appropriation. l
have advanced the pay OF the State
forces at different times to the sum Of
Sl7l ,66l, OF which, however, the greater
portion has been reimbursed to me by
the general government upon my filing
in the proper department the receipted
pay.rolls OF the Indiana Legion for serv.
ices rendered in the war. For detailed
account Of the expenditures Of the mill
tary fund the Legislature is referred TO
the financial report oil Hon. W. II. Fl.
Terrell, Financial Secretary, which Ia
herewith submitted, and to the vouchers
on file in this department. All OF these
expenditureswcre laid before the auditing
committee appointed by the Legislature
for examination, and received their ap.
proval as will be shown by q report that
| had on hand on the lst Of May 1865, Of
the military fund, the sum Of Sll5,4S7,
and the question is now presented as to q
proper method Of a settlement with the
Government for the fund. One or two
ways way be adopted:
First-By returning to the Government
the balance Of the fund unexpended, and
by settling with it iot the amount exT
pended upon vouchers OF the expendi.
lures, after the same, shall have been apt
proved by the Legislature, and this
would be ia accordance with The theory
upon which the money was originallyad-
yanced by the President ~. ~. 81, ir.5,fs
Second--By paying into the State
Treasury the 4unexpended balance OF the
fund. and treating the whole as an ad-
vance to the State, to be accounted for by
her in her general settlement
with tho Government for advances
made. The latter plan is, in my
Judgment, more consonaut with the justice
and honor OF The State, the money having
been expended for the purposes for
which the State was honorably and
partiotically bound TO make provisions.
The total amount of cash received by me
was 81 ,O26,32l. ] have dlsbursed for
civil purposes, on vouchers, Sl99 ,6l4; for
military purposes, on voucheIA, $40, ,42O;
total, S0O2, ,O65, leaving n balance in my
hands Of Sl24,256. OF this balance s., ,76S
belongs to the funds received on account
OF civil expenses and Sllj,4S7 on account
Of funds received for military purposes.
Asks FOR A JOINT COMMITTEE.
an conclusion on this subject, would
respectfully request shat joint commit.
te. Of the two houses be speedil y appointed
TO investigate the civil and military ex-
penditures have made since the adjourn
ment Of the lat Legislature and TO ex.
anime the vouchers for the same on file
in the Treasury Department, and that
the Legislature make prompt provision
for the payment OF the money ! have Dor.
rowed for public purposes. 1t was ad.
vanced from patriotic motives, with full
reliance on the good faith OF the State for
It's reimbursement. Without'it the ma
chinery Of the State Government could not
have been kept in motion"
A Joint committee Of the two houses,
embracing some Of The ablest Dem
ocratic members, was appointed, as
requested IN my message, who patiently
Investigated all my accounts, including
the expenditure Of SlSS, ,S02 which ! had
obtained from the President and unani.
mously reported correct taking no ex-
ception even to the amount Of one cent.
The unexpcnded portion Of the $3.50, 1000
which had obtained from the President
and which Idescribcd In my message as
the military fund, but which was err
ronously stated In my message as Sll5,.
900 instead Of $4,000, l did not pay
into the State Trcasvry as suggested
in my :. message, but refunded 1t
directly TO the the general government as
before shown; and the Sl3S,0OO which
/ had expended for the State were settled
with the government by giving credit to
,he government for that amount on the
Indebtedness OF the government to the
State as before shown. After a full ex.
animation OF my accounts the Legislature
made an appropriation % pay my bor-