Letter from S. L. Hussey to Mississippi Governor Charles Clark with enclosure; February 13, 1865

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Letter from S. L. Hussey to Mississippi Governor Charles Clark with enclosure; February 13, 1865

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People

Clark, Charles, 1811-1877 Dilworth, Andrew Boyd Echols, John, 1823-1896 Haynes, William E. (William Elisha), 1829-1914 Hussey, S. L.

Events

Crime Crime--Destruction of property

Military Units

United States. Army

Organizations

Confederate States of America--Treasury Department Mississippi--Department of State

Businesses

Railroads and Railroad Companies

Occupations

Auditors Law Enforcement Law Enforcement--Sheriffs Treasurers

Places

Mississippi--Hinds County. Jackson Mississippi--Noxubee County. Macon Mississippi--Rankin County

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[seal]

Home—Rankin Co.

State of Mississippi.
~~To the Sheriff of the County of~~ [gap] Feby 13^th 1865
~~State of Mississippi, GREETING:~~

Cha^s_,, Clarke Gov. of Miss.

Dear Sir—

I send you what I believe to be a true statement of the account between myself and the State of Mississippi.

On being told by the committee that Col Haynes had not carried my vouchers with him to Macon, I returned to Jackson to seek for them. As I have already stated to you, I had left them in the vault, in two cigar boxes, together with a statement of my last transactions & final settlement with the State. I pointed them out to Col Haynes, when I gave him the kegs, and explained to him their contents, at the same time that I explained to him the contents of other boxes, & pointed out other objects in the vault.

On examination, I found no papers in the vault. But in one corner of the office I found a large box filled with loose papers. There were also some on the floor. There were also some papers on some shelves with glass sliding doors. Among these last I found one of my pay warrants. I was told by one of our officers that when our people retook possession, after the retreat of the Yankees, they found the floor covered with loose papers. I was also told that our people were in the habit of using those papers—

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supposing, doubtless, that they were worthless.

I went over this mass of papers, handful by handful. I found only one of my receipt warrants. Of my pay warrants I found very few—not twenty thousand dollars. What I did find, I found scattered through the mass—sometimes one, sometimes two or three in a place. I left those I found with the committee.

—I kept a book in which were set down all my calculations, and all my settlements with sheriff, rail road land buyers &c. If they paid so much in cash, it was noted—if in warrants, the No^s & amounts were taken down. That book can not be found. It would identify a large portion of the warrants—payments into the treasury having been largely made with pay warrants.

—I can actually identify but two of the warrants that were among my vouchers; No^s 919 & 920 issued on the 3^rd Jany 1860. Dilworth left Jackson a few days before the 1^st—at which time his & my last quarters were due. I paid him the money on it, & took his voucher. On the 3^rd of Jany 1860, I drew for both. These warrants I pla-ced among my vouchers, to "make assu-rance doubly sure," that my account should balance—not expecting that an examination would be postponed so long. You will see from the treasurers disburse-ment book that these warrants are not

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marked paid.

The committee have erred I think in their estimate of the receipts. They go by the auditors ledger, which is unreliable as to me, because it may overlap as to time. There is no difficulty as to the receipts by warrants. The doubt is in regard to the receipts from the Sec of states office—as to Internal Im. fund & as to code money, swamp land fund &c. As to the latter, I examined my receipts to Dilworth—surely the highest source of testimony—with Mr Echols, and I make these receipts, (for Code Excess &c.) during the months of Nov & Dec 1859, and up to Nov 1^st 1858 to be only $1338.06—as stated in the annxed account.

I claim credit for all the issues of Nov & Dec 1859, & the outstanding warrants on the 31^st Oct 1859, that were not paid by Haynes. The best evidence would be the warrants in my hands. The next best evidence is the absence of those warrants. The presumption is that if they had been outstanding & unpaid in the hands of bona fide holders, they would have been presented for payment before this, as more than five years have elapsed since their issuance. You will recollect the rule of law: "De non existentibus, et non apparentibus, eadem est ratio." The same rule holds as to things not appearing, as to things not existing.

In accordance with your suggestion I send

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you the draft of a law which might be deemed expedient. Would you think the second section too stringent? I think not, under the peculiar circumstances of the case. It was my habit to mark on every warrant paid, the time when, & the person to whom paid; but this might have been omitted or overlooked in some cases—and those warrants might get, or might have got, into circulation not bona fide. Besides, the time that has elapsed since issuance, without presentment, would, of itself, justify the demand for explanation.

I am, with the highest respect,
Your Friend

S. L. Hussey.

Gov Cha^s Clarke

~~N. B Ought there to be a section in the above act giving notice by publi-cation?~~

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Statement of the account between the State of Mississippi and S. L. Hussey, late State Treasurer.

Cash on hand Oct. 31^st 1859, see his Report for 1859	$54,006,23
Receipts by warrant for Nov & Dec 1859, (See Aud^s Books.)	25,462,15
In. Imp. fund for Nov & Dec 1859, taken from Aud^r, & Exam^g Com^ee	4,954,43
Code, Excess, & Swamp Land fund &c, for Nov & Dec 1859, & back to Nov 1^st 1858, as taken from my receipts to Col. Dilworth—	1,338,06

Total Receipts— —Per Contra—	$85,760,87
Issues from Aud^s office Nov. 1859—	$61,556,85
Do [gap] Do [gap] Dec ,,	83,577,55
	$145,134,40

Outstanding warrants on 31^st of Oct. 1859—See Report for 1859—	10,359,28
Total pay War^s outstanding Jan 1^st 1860.	$155,493 68
Deduct War^s Nos 555, 750, 774, & 780, paid partly by Haynes & partly by me $2,491,30	2,491,30
	$153,002,38

War^s paid by Haynes—(figures of Exam^g Com.)	68,986,06
Leaving, as paid by me,—	$84,016,32
Add, of the war^s above, paid by me—$1,642,09—	1,642,09
Add War^s Nos 919 & 920, issued 3^rd Jan 1860—$1075.00—	1,075,00
(Carried forward)—	$86,733,41

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Brought forward—	$86,733,41
Deduct Receipts—	85,760,87
Due me from the State, according to the data assumed.	$972,54

I claim credit for all the issues of Nov & Dec '59 & the outstanding warrants on 31^st Oct '59, that were not paid by Haynes. Because I believe I paid them. Their being destroyed by the enemy, or some casualty unknown, ought not to prejudice me.

The warrants No^s 919 & 920 for $1075, (see my letter to Gov Clarke,) were placed with my vouchers to make sure that I should have enough. They will be found on Haynes Disbursement book, in blank, not marked paid.

S. L. Hussey.Late State Treasurer