and clear view of all their various detail and character, was no easy task; and without which, the committee could, by no possibility, present to the public such a view of the whole matter as would or ought to be satisfactory. The committee, therefore, came to the conclusion, that to secure accuracy as well as perspicuity and clearness to their investigation, a full and minute examination in detail, of all these vouchers and accounts were necessary to be followed by such testimony as they might be able to procure, explanatory of, or in illustration of the same. These considerations, therefore, determined them as to the mode of pursuing their investigation. This mode being settled upon for conducting their investigation, as the one best calculated to attain accuracy in the detail of their inquiries, the committee were still anxious to attain another end of equal or perhaps greater importance: that of confidence in the result of their labors; that in framing their report, such a manner should be adopted as to carry with itself its own evidence of correctness-challenge contradiction and silence all cavils, either of a personal or political nature; the committee believing that any report which could be made of deductions and conclusions drawn by them from the facts presented in the progress of their investigation, would be assailed by the animadversions of a personal or partizan character, and thus destroy much of the practical usefulness of their work, the committee resolved, in the manner of reporting, to present to the public the facts themselves, instead of the deductions of the committee from those facts; and to this end, have shaped all their subsequent inquiries, by embodying and systematizing the various items of expenditures in the public service, so as to present a perspicuous and full view of each part, and the whole in the aggregate; at the same time accompanying the different items with such remarks in relation to the manner of the application of the public moneys as the vouchers and other authenticated documents would justify. In execution of their general plan, the committee, on meeting for the dispatch of business, proceeded to the examination. of all the vouchers, other papers and records in the several public offices, examining each item, in all, noting such facts, as to prices, &c., as they deemed necessary to a full understanding, by the public, of the manner in which the public moneys of the state had been disbursed. This course was pursued through all the vouchers and other papers relating to the works of internal improvement; from which are compiled the accompanying tables, presenting, under different heads, the expenditures by the several commissioners, on the various public works. The examination of the mass of materials necessary for the preparation and compiling these tables, required a length of time and application, that cannot be fully appreciated, but by those who have actually performed it. These tables, the committee believe, are, in the main, correct, each voucher and paper having been separately examined, and put under one of the several heads into which the tables are divided, and the accompanying remarks are, in all cases, the committee believe, borne out and fully sustained by the facts presented in the materials from which the same are compiled. It was the intention of the committee, that these tables should present a full and detailed account of all the moneys paid out in the public service, to whom paid, on what work, and on what particular department of the work. Following these, is a tabular statement of the expense of repairs made on the Central railroad, and the expense of running the cars on the same road, under the several commissioners, and other agents having charge of that department, presenting a detailed view of the several sums paid, to whom, and for what ostensible object, without which, in the opinion of the committee, a correct view of the whole matter, could not be acquired. The condensed abstracts that follow these tables, present in a single view, the expense incurred under each of the commissioners who have had charge of the several public works, in the various departments of construction, wages, board, &c., and are referred to at the foot of the detailed tables, of the expenditures and proceedings of the several commissioners, except the first of these condensed abstracts, which shows the amount paid to the Detroit and St. Joseph railroad company, by the state, and some of the items of which said sum was made up. The miscellaneous abstract of expenses for negotiating the five million loan, and of the public moneys loaned by Mr. Hunt and by the board, was deemed proper to be here inserted, being part of the moneys belonging to the internal improvement fund, and in its disbursement, having passed under the direction of the board, or a commissioner. A general abstract is then given, as well of the running of the cars on the Central railroad, as of the expense incurred to the state, by all the works of internal improvement, up to 1st April, 1840, from which, at a glance, the gross amount of the cost of all the public works can be seen, as well as of each particular work; and also, the cost of the various items of wages, board, engineering, traveling expenses, &c., on each work. Next follows the accounts current of the several commissioners, exhibiting, as shown in the various public offices, the amount of money drawn by each commissioner from the treasury; the vouchers returned by them, accounting for its dis bursement, and the true state of their several accounts, with the proper accounting officers of the state, up to the 1st April, 1840. In the accounts designated as the expenses incurred by the several boards of internal improvement, and the accompanying abstracts, is exhibited the amount of money drawn from the treasury for the personal services and travelling expenses of the several commissioners. Still following out the views of the committee, in placing before the people a detailed statement of facts, showing for what purposes the public money has been disbursed. Next follows a tabular statement of the contingent expenses of the board, the amount drawn from the treasury, to whom paid, when, and for what purposes. The account current of A. H. Adams, exhibits the amount of money received by him from the state, in compensation for his services in the several capacities of clerk to the auditor of the board, book keeper and clerk of the board; appended to which, is a statement of moneys received by Mr. Adams, through J. B. Hunt, from the state, as clerk to Mr. Hunt, while acting commissioner. Next follows abstracts of various articles of live stock, dried apples, &c., bought and sold by D. C. McKinstry and J. B. Hunt, embraced in their general account, but being of somewhat a peculiar character, the committee thought them worthy of special remark. From their general accounts, are prepared the tabular statements of the balance due the state on the books of the proper accounting officer, by the several commissioners, at the end of each year, up to the 1st of April, A. D. 1840, together with the amount of their salaries, per diem allowances, traveling expenses, and the several times of their appointment and reappointment. The account current of L. S. Humphrey, with the state, as agent for the purchase of iron, is compiled from the accounts. as rendered by the several persons contracted with, concerning iron, and vouchers furnished to the committee by the officers of the state, and from New York, together with the moneys drawn from the treasury in favor of said agent. The general account of the state with the various works of internal improvement, was by the committee deemed necessary, in order to present at one view, the entire expense of the public works, the sources from which the same has been drawn, and the balances unaccounted for by the agents having the supervision of such works. After completing the examination of all the mass of materials from which the foregoing tables and abstracts are compiled, and after a careful review of the results of this part of their labors, to prevent, as far as possible, the introduction of any mistake or error, the committee proceeded to different points on the public works, to take testimony in relation to the [H. R.] Vol. II. 6 matters submitted to their investigation; and in this again, following out the same general plan, of presenting to the public, facts instead of deductions from those facts, the committee herewith submit the testimony taken without comment. In the selection of such witnesses as were called before them, the committee had of course, mainly to rely on the statements and representations of those acquainted with the witnesses, whose testimony might be supposed to throw light on the transactions of the board, or separate commissioner, which report and public opinion represented as being of an equivocal and doubtful character. The witnesses, in many cases, failed to state that which they were supposed to know; therefore, portions of the testimony is really irrelevant, and would, by the committee, have been omitted, had they not believed that the whole would be more satisfactory to the public, as well as those who would be implicated by the facts, the witnesses were called upon to prove; the whole, therefore, is submitted as taken from the witnesses. To avoid the imputation of partiality or the appearance of an ex parte proceeding in the operation of the committee, or their report, they, from the first, have allowed the commissioner, in relation to whose proceedings testimony has been taken, to be present, and by himself or counsel, cross examine all witnesses summoned before them. Nor, in their desire to do equal justice, have they stopped here; but have, when requested, uniformly extended to such commissioner the full benefit of process to compel the attendance of witness on his part, and when produced, have taken down the examination of such witnesses in the same manner as in the case of those produced at the instance of the committee. Of this equal course of proceeding, Gen. Humphrey has availed himself in relation to the southern railroad, and the testimony taken at his instance, is also herewith submitted. And the committee would further remark, that such of the late commissioners as desired it, have at all times, under the inspection of the committee or their clerk, had free access to the accompanying tabular statements and abstracts, embracing the accounts of public moneys received or disbursed by them, with full permission, after a satisfactory inspection and examination, to make, under oath, such explanation to the matters therein contained, as they might think justice to themselves required. Of this privilege, Messrs. Thompson and Humphrey have availed themselves, and their statements are herewith submitted. Some others of the commissioners have examined the statements and exhibits made by the committee, and all such, as far as the committee are advised, have expressed themselves satisfied of their general correctness, except Mr. Hunt; who, as the committee have been informed by their clerk, on discovering some remarks which he deemed incorrect, in a manner no way creditable to himself or respectful to the committee, abandoned any further examination of the statement of his affairs, without either informing the committee of the existence of any such supposed error, or asking of them its correction; which, if an error, would have been most cheerfully corrected. The committee cannot conclude without expressing their high gratification at the general courtesy of deportment and ready zeal manifested by all the public officers, to whose departments the committee have had frequent occasion to apply, to aid in the prosecution of the protracted and arduous duties, they have been called upon to discharge. And the committee would finally remark, that their labors have been protracted much beyond the period they had supposed in the onset would be necessary. In this they have been disappointed; more time has been consumed and expense incurred than they had, at first, anticipated. But, nevertheless, justice to themselves, and a proper regard for the manifest will of the representatives of the people who appointed them, both equally forbade desisting until the work was made thorough, and the whole matter probed to the bottom; at least as far as the circumstances of the case would permit. That errors may have intervened, (and in the nature of things, some must,) the committee do not pretend to deny; but at the same time, they have the consolation to believe that, in all their proceedings in this protracted and arduous undertaking, they have acted with a due regard to the just rights of the citizen, aud with fidelity to the state. All of which is respectfully submitted. H. T. BACKUS, JOHN STOCKTON, T. P. TUCKER, Committee. [No. 23.] Report of the committee on elections, to whom was referred the statement of the board of canvassers for Wayne county. The committee on elections, to whom was referred the statement of the board of canvassers for the county of Wayne, |