News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1898-11-02
$2,2o5.5I
Total,

received S. for each days service in excess of what the statute
entities him to receive.
Your committee are not able to find that Mr.. Perry, has
made any report to the state officers as required under the
provisions of No. 7 of the Acts of 1896, or under the pro-
visions of the general statute.
The time at the disposal of your committee has not enabled
them to make further examination of the vouchers of the
State officers. The examination of Mr.. Perryis vouchers
were so late that there was no time to call Mr.. Perry before
your committee for any explanation he might be able to make.
Your committee are not able to find any statute authorize
ing the payment of the travelling exspenes, hotel bills, clerk
hire, services of the officer himself during his official term,
gas, assessments of national convention of insurance commits
sioners, or the expenses of the Executive and his staff and in
vied guests within or without the State, herein above mention
ed in the accounts af any State officer or States Attorney, un-
less it is conferred by the following sections of the Vermont
statutes which define the duties of the Auditor.
Section 800. "He shall examine and adjust all claims
against the State, not otherwise specially provided for by law,
in favor of persons acting under the authority of the State, or
of the Executive, including military accounts referred to him
by the governor, and allow such sums as he finds justly due,
and draw orders on the State Treasurer therefor"
~GOHH 0I' AN 'N "H'ON liz Nl"lH N.Y. D"9SN III law
nor draw an order except in pursuance of flaw; and no other
officer shall draw orders on the State Treasurer"
1t will be noticed in the Sections of the statute above quot
ed, which provide salaries for various officers, that in some
cases the necessary expenses are to be paid by the State; in
other and most cases, nothing is said about expenses of the
incumbent of the office.
Your committee see no reason for this distinction unless
the statute excludes the payment of expenses when not specif.
cauy provided for.
Notwithstanding the PROVISION of the constitution, chapter
!, section y that "No money shall be drawn out of the trea-
sury unless first appropriated by act of legislation" and the
fact that no appropriation has been made ''by act of legisla-
ton" for this class of expenditures, a custom has grown up in
this State under which various State officers have expended
money for different purposes which each officer deemed for
the benefit of the State, and charged the same with his per.
sonal expenses to the State, and drawn out of the State treas
ury the mc~ey to pay the same.
The Executive, under this custom, has expended consider.
able sums Of the States money for various social functions
such as are herein above mentioned, including the expenses Of
himself, his staff and invited guests, and on some occa.
sons, a part of the National Guard.
Sometimes this expenditure has been included in an account
made out by the Governor against the State sometimes il
has been included in an account made out in the name of the
Quartermaster General against the State, and sometimes in
an account in the name of the Adiutant and Inspector Gen.
eral against the State; and sometimes it has been carried
into and intermingled with the accounts of the Militia. Ir
whichever form these accounts have been made up, they have
been approved by the Governor and presented to the Audi
tor. When so presented to the Auditor, the Auditor ha,
assumed that the Governors approval was sufficient war
rant for the payment of the account, and has drawn his orde
on the treasury for the same, without question.
Ex-Governors Dillingham;, Page and Grout appeared befor
the committee and each stated that this custom was their au
thority for such expenditures.
This custom Of incurring and method of paying such ex
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