Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1891-10-02
A Political Sensation.

On Saturday last Gov. Pattison issued
the following proclamation.
ain the name and BY the authority oJ the
| Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania;
PROCLAMATION.
| sewhersas, The Constitution provides In
Article vi, Section 4, 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 thirds of the Senate;
"whsreas, Grave charges have been pre-
| ferred, involving the Auditor General ard
| State Treasurer and most seriously reflect
| ing upon the manner in which their official
duties have been performed;
''Whereas, 1t is proper that diligent in
| quiry should be made to ascertain whether
or not reasonable cause does exist for
their removal;
'ewhereas, There is in the public mind
profound conviction that the officials re-
| ferred to and some of their subordinates
have been grossly inefficient, shamefully
negligent and entirely wanting in due fdel-
| ity.
"Whereas, 1t is the prevailing opinion
that some of the officials connected with
these offices have been guilty of absolute
faithlessness and downright dishonesty, in
IL x.f h~,r oofh he IF nffiaa and 0f Tna
criminal laws of the Commonwealth;
whereas, If any one of the charges SO
made should be established, appropriate
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 Philadelphia,
ia now q convict in the Eastern Peniten-
tiary for embezzlement and misuse ofpublic
m oney, large portion of which would
have been in the State Treasury long prior
to an exposure of his transactions had those
charged with the administration of the
duties of Auditor General and State Treas
urer performed them with due fidelity;
s'Whereas, John Bcrdsley's stubborn re-
fusal to disclose any information whatever
as TO the conduct of these officials has COM
PEELED the abandonment of proposed crimi-
nal prosecutions at least for time;
"Whersas, A proper inquiry BY the Sen
ate may develop evidence sufficient to
satisfy its m members that reasonable cause
exists for the removal of the Auditor
Ge neral and State Treasurer, and
"Whereas, Under the Constitution the
duty and responsibility of making diligent
inquiry and of taking appropriate 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, !, Robert Z. Pattison,
Governor of the said Commonwealth, in
the discharge of what conceive to be my
duty to take care that the laws be faith
fully executed and by virtue of the power
vested in me by the Constitution to con-
vene the Senate in extraordinary session
by proclamation for the transaction ofexec
utive business, 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 Harrisburg,
this twenty sixth day of September, in the
year of our Lord one thousand eight hun
dred and ninety -one and of the Common
wealth the one hundred and sixteenth.
''By the Governor:
"RoBERT T. PATTIsoN.
"WILLIAM E. HARRITY, Secretary of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania"
Executive Chamber, Harrisburg Sept. 26, |
1891.
THE COMMITTEE OF INVESTIGATION.
On the same day, Gov. Pattison address |
ed the following letter to Senator G. Ii. |
Smith of Philadelphia, Chairman of the |
joint committee of the two houses of the |
Legislature to investigate the accounts of |
the Auditor General and State Treasurer. |
DEAR SIR: Recent disclosures effecting |
the administration of the duties of the |
Offices of Auditor General and State Treas |
urer, particularly the letters and other |
documentary evidence recently produced |
in the Court of Quarter Sessions of the |
county of Philadelphia, and subsequently |
made public, justify me in asking that you |
permit the Attorney General of the Com
monwealth to assist in the investigation |
directed to be made by your committee
under the terms of the joint resolutions |
approved January 26, 1891, and May 81,
1891, by the examination of such witnesses |
a. may appear or be deemed proper to pro
duce before your committee.
GAS the evidence already made public |
seriously involves officials charged with the
faithful and efficient administration OF two |
Of the principal Offices of the executive de- |
partment of the State Government, and as
it is my constitutional duty to take care
that the laws be faithfully executed
deem IL proper 10 AID IN the inquiry con- |
templated by the terms of the joint reso-
luton under which you and your colleagues |
are proceeding.
II have requested the Attorney General
to appear at the next meeting of your com |
mittee, which AMI informed will be held |
on the 2Sth instant, and trust and believe
that every facility will be afforded him.
He will, I am sure, be prepared to attend |
tie sessions of your committee from day to !
day until thorough and systematic in
vesigation of the offices which are the sub |
ject of inquiry is completed.
"Yours respectfully,
"RoBERr E. PATTIsoN"
The letters of Auditor General Nc |
Camant, and State Treasurer Livsey to |
j ohm RaYdskav TrAa nf pbil.dalDb;o