LEGIS. S DECEMBER 17, 1840. Read, laid on the table, and ordered to be printed. COMMUNICATION FROM ARCHIBALD JOB ONE OF THE 2d SESSION. STATE HOUSE COMMISSIONERS, SPRINGFIELD: WM. WALTERS, PUBLIC PRINTER. To the Hon. the Senate and House of Representatives: The undersigned, one of the Commissioners of the Board of Public Buildings, asks leave to submit the following statement: It is with unfeigned regret that the undersigned finds it his duty to defend himself against the repeated attacks made upon him, by two of the Commissioners of the Board of Public Buildings. And should he be compelled to speak freely of the official acts and doings of the Board, an apology will be found, for so doing, in their repeated unfavorable allusions to him, in their late report. They profess to regret my refusal to unite with them in the report of 1839 and '40, as well as the report to this Legislature. With what sincerity that profession is made, the honorable Legislature can judge, when they shall have examined into the causes which have led to that refusal, and the unwarrantable, illegal, and tyrannical course, of my colleagues, towards me. My privileges, as a Commissioner, with power co-extensive with theirs, have been, by them, wantonly trampled under foot, and an attempt made, and partially carried into effect, to deprive me of these privileges. Some time in the month last, I introduced a resolution to the consideration of the Board, requiring all money to be deposited with the State Bank of illinois, according to the provisions of the law, which I considered imperative, and designed as a salutary check upon the Board. But contrary to the express provisions of the law, my colleagues thought proper to deposite the funds of the State with Mr. Webster, a relative of one of the Commissioners. This measure, so contrary to the spirit and intention of of the law and so conducive to every description of fraud, together with toher causes, led to a difference between the undersigned and the other Commissioners; and they, in the plenitude of their power, ordained, that A. Job should be excluded from the Board; and in the month of September last, my honorable colleagues ordained that the books, papers, &c., of the Board, should be withheld from my inspection, and since that time I have had no means of knowing whether said books, papers, vouchers, &c., contain a true account of the acts and doings of two of the Board, or not. My reason for not subscribing to the report made to your honorable body, at the session of 1839 and '40, will be cheerfully submitted. I did not deem that report at all satisfactory, or that it contained facts, which should have been submitted. It was not sufficiently comprehensive, to comply with the requisitions under which it was made. The late report to your honorable body, in which they regret my refusal to unite with them, was not submitted to my consideration; and had it have been. I could not have united with them, in subscribing to it; because I have been deprived of the means of judging of its correctness, to some extent, by the unwarrantable conduct of my colleagues, and also, because I could not, with the facts before me, assent to the truth of some of the statements in that report. I would again respectfully call the attention of the Legislature to the manner in which the public money was at one time disbursed. The law requires it to be deposited in the State Bank, and paid out on checks from the Board, endorsed by the payee. This law has been violated, and money has been deposited with Mr. Webster, and disbursed by him, and sometimes those checks have been paid, as I believe, in merchandize, instead of money, and sometimes they were partially paid in what are commonly called shin plasters, or promises to pay, on the part of Mr. Webster and Doctor Henry. This arrangement may not have been productive of any injury to the State; but I thought it contrary to law, and a measure which might reflect suspicion upon the Board, of favoritism and partiality, to particular individuals. I regret that I cannot concur with my colleagues, in their views, in regard to the architect, Mr. Rague. In the late report of a majority of the Board, they state, that I have claimed of the Board seven hundred dollars, on account of salary, and that said claim was not allowed by the Board, on the ground that I had received full and ample compensation for services rendered by me. No such claim was ever presented by me to the Board, either directly or indirectly, though I have received no salary (though still performing the duty of a Commissioner,) for my services, since the 9th of April last, it having been determined by two of the Board, previous to that time, to pay me nothing, though I presume they were liberal towards themselves ot forgetting the old proverb, that charity begins at home. I forbear further comment upon their conduct, hoping that all our acts and doings may be investigated, by a disinterested committee, of your honorably body. There are many things connected with the operations of the Board, that require explanation, and I would respectfully recommend that the law organizing the Board of Commissioners be repealed, and that the duties required of the present Board be performed by some one indivi dual, who has a practical knowledge of mechanics, or who, at least, is a good judge of work, and can devote all his time to its superintendence. One competent Commissioner, with a clerk, can superintend all the operations, and the services of the architect could be dispensed with, which would save a considerable sum to the State. I have long been a public servant, and hope that when my conduct has been investigated by your honorable body, that it will be found that I have faithfully and honestly discharged my duty as a Commissioner. At any rate I feel conscious of so doing. And if I have committed any errors, I trust they will be found errors of the head rather than the heart. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, Your obedient servant, ARCHIBALD JOB, One of the Commissioners. |