The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-09-20

rectly-that is, they could be put on the
mark ct and sold like ordinary bonds,and
the proceeds devoted to the redemption
of outstanding claims, aud TO meet other
State expenses, Scout and ! were pre-
vailed upon by Chamberlain and Kimp'
ton to countenance the issue OF bonds
When, therefore, these conversion bonds
we're put directly on the market, they
were sold quite readily, for bankers had
no means Of knowing how many were
issued or could be issued in one
year. So they secured these bonds as
collateral security and purchased them
In preference to the others. Perhaps
this was not exactly fair, but we went on
the principle That outsiders were bound
to look out f.. amselvas The object
of the Financial b,~.o ~ this was to Sc
cure money at the least cost to the State,
and there was no intention to defraud
the State thereby. During the four years
we were in Office the bonded debt of the
State was increased $l0,000,000, All out.
standing claims were provided for and
wiped out, so that at the end Of the four
years the only outstanding debt was for
The current expenses of the State during
1879.
"This board has been censured for
causing these acts to be passed. Who
drew up and presented the actsf Cham,
berlaiu drew up every one OF them ana
Kimpton presented them. The PROPOSE
ton for the issue of conversion bonds di
rectly was made by Chamberlain, !
looked npon this issue as necessity.
look upon il now as did then. My first
opposition to the issue of bonds in tue
| Constitutional convention was due to the
| belief that the State expenses could Do
provided for without this issue by taxa
tion. When found, however, that the
State expenses were eXtravagant, and
demands were made upon the treasury
by law for money acquiesced In the
measures proposed by Chamberlain and
Kimpton.
Serious Charge Against Ex-Governor Moses.
"There was a terrible increase of ex
penditure at each succeeding session of
the Legislature. Frank Moses was in
the chair, and am told by trustworthy
persons that he has acknowledged having
signed away $500 600 dishonesty, though
am su it was much larger sum.
believe that three or four millions of dol
lars were spent in excess of the necessary
expenses for the meetings Of the Legis-
Iature during these four years. Both
Senate and House were responsible for
this. The first President Of the Senate
was pretty good man, Boozer. They
soon got him out. however. He was
elected Judge and went out during the
first session. RanCier, coored man,
took his place. lie was equal to the oc-
casion. Colbin was President pro tenn
of the Senate when BOozer, the Lleuten-
ant Governor, was absent. | paid Cor.
bin good deal of money. Still he held
large number of offices, aud received
large salaries and regular perquisites
therefrom. ! know nothing, therefore,
to incul pate him.
II had no doubt that number of
charges brought against the treasury
were improperly passed by the LegisIa-
tire In particular, there were num-
Der of S. 600 claims presented, which L
thought were outrageous, certificates 49,
sued by those who purchased Senators
and Representatives, The certificates
were properly authorized, however, and
| had to pay them. Suppose | mad refus'
ed to honor them, what would have been
the resultP Why, | should have been
kicked out for not doing my duty as
Treasurer. There was too much int1a-
ence brought to bear against me. Had
| & ood ont alone it would have made no
difference. Why l have been to Frank
Moses with tears in my eyes, and said TO
him: "You will have no money at all in
the treasury if you go on in this way"
Frank Moses would only look up and
laugh. Talk about these Republican re.
formers" he would say; you never. heard
me say anything about reform" "No,"
said |, 81 never did"
II went out of Office on October 81 1872.
Scott went out at the same time, and
Moses came in as Governor Samuel Mel
ton succeeded Chamberlain as Attorney
Genera, but when Chamberlain went out
of office he became Melton's law partner
and so got right behind the throne again.
One of the first acts passed by the Legis-
lature after Frank Moses became Cover
nor WAS an act directing the Attorney
General of the State to prosecute the late
Sinking Fund Commissioners ofthe State
for corruption. These Commissioners
were Scott. Neage, Chamberlain, the
Chairman of the Finance Committee of
The Senate and the Chairman of the
Ways and Means Committee of the
House. Did Melton do it now? What
did he doP Waited until April, l874,and
then commenced a prosecution against
me. The complaint vas made by Daniel
H. Chamberlain, then Governor and ex.
officio President of the Sinking Fund
Commission. The Attorney General
brought suit for the recovery Of $25 O0O
alleged to have been fraudulently misap.
piled. l was arrested and held to ball.
A night or two before my arrest Chamber
lain had been talking with me as pleas
antly as ever in the theatre where Anna
Dickinson was lecturing. We had low
ing parting, but he sneaked off and caused
me to be arrested on the next day, or
within few days at any rate. When |
succeeded, however,in pressing the thing
t. a suit it was nolle pressed (SteD by the
Attorney General. On whose shoulders
does the blame for the borrowing Of the
S25 900 lie2 The Sinking Fund Commits
sioners ought to have been prosecuted
for their part in the matter, as welas for
other crimes which they committed. The
treasury needed the money, and it was
none of my business who lentthe amount.
1t was not my funeral at all. / consulted
with Chamberlain, asking him if it was
any crime on my part to borrow this
money. No. he said, it is no crime of
yonrs.' Chamberlain will say now that
he was in minority on the Sinking
Fund Commission. and that the commits
sion lent the money to the treasury with
out his consent. At any rate, the Sink
ing Fund Commissioners are responsible
in this matter, and not myself the Treas
urer.
The Blue Ridge Railroad SWlndle.
"In regard to the Blue Ridge road swim
die, by which the State is said to have
been defrauded out of 81 100000, ! can
say at least that had nothing to do with