The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1891-10-03

Executive Observation-Disclosures
tion:
Whereas the Constitution provides in
Article VI, Section A, that "All officers
elected by the people, except Governor,
Lieutenant Governor, members of the
General Assembly, and Judges of the
Courts of Record, learned in the law,
shall be removed by the Governor for
reasonable cause, after due notice and
full hearing, on the address of two
thirds of the Senate;"
Whereas grave charges have been
preferred, involving the Auditor Cen
eral and State Treasurer, and most
seriously rejecting upon the manner
in which their official duties have been
performed;
Whereas it is proper that diligent in
quiry should be made to ascertain
whether or not reasonable cause" does
exist for their removal;
Whereas there is in the public mind
a profound conviction that the officials
referred to and some of their subordi-
mates have been grossly inefficient,
shamefully negligent and entirely
wanting in due fidelity;
Whereas it is the prevailing opinion
that some of the officials connected
with these offices have been guilty of
absolute faithlessness and downright
dishonesty, in violation of their oaths
of office and of the criminal laws of the
Commonwealth;
Whereas if any one of the charge so
made should be established, appropri-
ate action looking to the removal of the
officials involved should be taken by
the Senate of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, as a duty to the people
of the State, whose good name has
been dishonored and whose money has
been stolen, squandered and lost;
Whereas John Bardsley, late Treas
urer of the city and county of Phila-
delphia, is now a convict in the Eastern
Penitentiary for embezzlement and
misuse of public moneys, large por-
ton of which would have been in the
State Treasury long prior to an expos
ure of his transactions had those
charged with the administration OF the
duties of Auditor General and State
Treasurer performed them with due
fidelity;
Whereas John Bardsley's stubborn
refusal to disclose any information
whatever as to the conduct of these Of
ficials has compelled the abandonment
of proposed criminal prosecutions, at
least for time;
Whereas a proper inquiry by the
Senate may develope evidence sufficient
to satisfy it's members that treason
able cause" exists for the removal of
the Auditor General and State Treas
urer;
Whereas under the Constitution the
duty and responsibility of making dill
gent inquiry and of taking appropri-
ate action in the premises are devolved
upon the Senate and the power vested
in the Executive to give the Senate the
opportunity to act;
Now, therefore, I, Robert b. Pattison,
Governor of the said Commonwealth.
in the discharge of what l conceive to
be my duty to 'take care that the laws
be faithfully executed" and by virtue
of the power vested in me by the Con
stitution "to convene the Senate in eX-
traordinary session by proclamation
for the transaction of executive busi-
ness" hereby convene the Senate of
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in
extraordinary session, on Tuesday, the
thirteenth day of October, Ammo
Domini one thousand eight hundred
and ninety-one.
Given under my hand and the great
seal of the State, at the city of Harris
burg, this twenty sixth day of Septem-
ber, in the year of our Lord one thous-
and eight hundred and ninety-one and
of the Commonwealth the one hundred
and sixteenth.
By the Governor:
ROBERT E. PATTIsoN.
| WILLIAM II. HARRITY,
4 - III,
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO TAKE A HAND
The Governors request that Attorney
General Hensel be allowed to take part
in the legislative investigation now in
progress is as follows
HARRIsBURG, Sept. 26, 1891. - Hon
George Handy Smith, Chairman OF
Joint Committee to Investigate the
Offices of Auditor General and State
Treasurer, etc, Harrisburg, Pa.-DeaI
Sir: Recent disclosures affecting the
administration of the duties of the
offices of Auditor General and State
Treasurer, particularly the letters and
other documentary evidence recently
produced in the court of Quarter Ses
sions of the county of Philadelphia and
subsequently, made public, justify me
in asking that you permit the Attorney
General of the Commonwealth to as
sist in the investigation directed to be
made by your committee under the
terms of the joint resolutions approved
January 26, 1891, and May 27, 1891, by
the examination of such witnesses as
may appear or be deemed proper tC
produce before your committee.
AS the evidence already made public
seriously involves officials charged
with the faithful and efficient admins
tration of two of the principal offices
of the Executive Department of the
State Government, and as it is my con
stitutional duty to stake care that the
laws be faithfully executed" deem il
proper to aid in the inquiry contem
lplated by the terms of the joint reso
luton under which you and your col
leagues are proceeding. have request
ed the Attorney General to appear a.
the next meeting of your committee
which l am informed will be held OF
the 28th instant; and ] trust and believe
that every facility will be afforded him
He will, am sure, be prepared to at
tend the session of your committe,
from day to day until thorough anC
systematic investigation of the offices
which ethe subject of inquiry is com
pleted. Yours respectfully,
(Signed) ROBERT 10. PATEIsON
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