The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-10-25

AGEMENT-"T FUNDS CONTRIBUTED
BY THE CHURCH" "HAvE NOT BEEN
PERVERTED "-ASSETs AND LIABILITIES
sTATED-A CARD FROM DIR. BAIRD COR
RECTISG SOME OF THE STATEMENTS OF
THE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE.
Mr.. l.. Charles Inglis. lawyer OF Baltl-
more. SON OF Judge Inglis, and Mr.. &. w.
| NacRae, a prominent merchant OF Memphis.
| in accordance with the order OF the General
Assembly OF the Presbyterian Church South,
have made an investigation OF the affairs OF
the Committee OF Publication, and prepared
the following report:
The General Assembly OF the Southern
PRESBYTERIAN Church, which met in the city
Of New Orleans on the 18th day OF May,
1877, appointed by resolution q committee
OF three "to repair to Richmond at as early
a day AS practicable for the purpose OF MAX
ing thorough examination into the ahalrs
OF the Committee OF Publication and report
the result to the public through their news
papers and to the next Assembly,
In pursuance OF this resolution The under
signed, constituting working quorum OF
this committee OF three, met In the city OF
Richmond on the 9th day OF September,
1877, and proceeded to make the eXamna-
:ion directed by the Assembly.
They had before thcm the record OF the
transactions OF the Publication Committee,
in al the departments OF its business, from
the earliest date at which any regular record
OF such transactions appears to have been
madc-to wit, November /, 1SGG-to Octo-
Der !, 1877, except one book Of original
entry which disappeared about the time the
! late secretary left the city OF Richmond, ana
has not since been found. They examined
carefully all the books and papers bearing
in any way upon these matters; they sought
| information and explanation from persons
connected with the business; they invited
communication on the subject-matter Of
their examination, and in every way en-
dcavored to thoroughly familiarlze them
selves with
THE BUSINESS METHODS
and practical working OF the Publication
Committee, while obtaining the statistical
information desired by the Assembly.
They encountered many and serious diff
culties in the prosecution OF their inquiry
difficulties arising mainly, as they are con-
vinccd, from irregularities IN the conduct
OF the business, from want OF system IN
the bookkeeping, from the lack OF vouchers
| for many OF the disbursements OF the Publ
cation House, and from the mixing up, by
the late secretary, of his own private
business with his official business. While
these causes OF difficulty have not APP
| pcarcd to them to proceed from any
wrong or UNIV worthy motive, the result
has been such as to render 1t extremely
difficult, if not impracticablc, to oD-
tain any positively accurate statement OF the
condition of the affairs at any given period.
4 proper set OF books, properly kept and
!. n Icnn t,.it
feet accuracy, almost at Il glance, the condi-
ton as to solvency and prosperity, or other
wise, OF the business. The books OF the
Publication House. instead OF being bal
anced once month, or oftencr, as they
should have been, were allowed to remain
for long periodS of time unbalanced; and
il is highly improbable that the persons
conducting the business could have had mt
any particular period Il Just idea of the
FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE House.
The lack OF Il regular and competent
book-keeper, having sole charge OF, the
books, is fruitful source Of confusion;
| but the committee are clearly OF the opinion
that even If this source OF difficulty had
never existed the irregular business prac-
tices OF the late secretary and his arbitrary
interference with the regular course OF
affairs constitute cause sufficient 10 ac-
| count for any amount OF confusion. The
committee have succeeded to 4 great extent,
rs sthey think, in overcoming these difficulties
by patient, earnest, and unremittlng effort
during eight consecutive working days, ana
while they have found themselves at the
close of their examination unable to attain
result that in point OF accuracy IS entirely
satisfactory, they present herewith "to the
public through their newspapers " state
ment which they believe to contain fair
and substantially correct exhibit OF the
.Iaflairs Of the Committee of Publication"
with special reference to the administration
OF them in the past, their present aspect,
and the outlook for the future.
The committee desire at this point to
state that throughout the whole of their in
vcstigation, from the beginning to the end,
they have had the hearty cooperation and
assistance. so far as requested, OF the menl-
| bcrs OF the Executive Committee OF Publ
cation, and those connected in any way with
the business affairs OF the Publication
| House; they have had
FREE ACCESS TO THE BOOKS
and papers OF the concern, and any informa-
ton or explanation desired in order to q
full and accurate understanding OF the bus
| mess has been readily and freely given by
all upon whom they have had occasion to
call So that il the committee Shall be con-
sidcred to have failed to any extent, how
ever small, in the accomplishment of the
object of their examination, such failure
should not be attributed to any opposition,
or even lukewarmpess on the part of any one
connected with the publication business,
but rather to the difficulties hereinbefore
mentioned, and to such want OF ability or
capacity MS may exist OH the part of the un-
dcrsigned.
BY going carefully over the books in
which the original entries were made by
the treasurer Of publication the committee
found that the Executive Committee OF
Publication acknowledge to have received
for the cause Of publication generally, by
contributions from all sources, since No
yember l, 1866, the sum Of S125,641 .01.
This amount. supplemented bya sufficient
sum for
THE PROCEEDS OF SALES,
thew find to have been disbursed as fol.
! lows:
| For expenses OF conducting the publ
59S 55s Ss
Sooks, &C. sent through che MALI 7,as5 ,aa5 g g
Advertising :, -. 81. : ..,
sa.aEies o. ss.i..a.! ..c oi @ 7o,22o 81
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