Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-08-01
TO THE VOTERS OF MADISON
COUNTY.

CITIZENS,
In compliance with the wishes of ma
ny ofmy friends, l have consented to be-
come a candidate for your suffrages to
represent you in the next General As
sembly of this state.
In doing this, it is duty l owe you,
to give you my opinion ON few subjects
before the election. Whether my OPT
mons are expressed to you verbally, or
by means of a newspaper, is matter of
no consequence. l take the latter me-
thod, owing to my hurry in business.
/ have always considered division of
this county as the greatest evil that could
be inflicted on US, in our county capacity.
l mean division line running north and
south. l consider the public faith of the
county pledged to continue the county
limits, SO as to render permanent and Sc
cure, the county seat of justice to those
who have improved the same to the ad-
vantage of the whole county. 1t is the
duty of each member of society to OBJ
serve good faith towards each other; but,
for the county to violate that faith, once
held out, is corruption, which is not the
province of the people of Madison coun-
ty. When commissioners are authoriz-
ed by law to locate the county seat of
justice, and have done it accordingly
and the public have sanctioned for the
term ofseven or eight years that location,
| do deem it breach of common honesty
to divide the county, so as to ruin those
people who have chosen to live at the
county seat But, for many other rea-
sons, ] know it to be public evil. A
small county, in money matters, is al
ways in state of bankruptcy. There
are almost as many county officers in a
small, as in a large county. The same
fees are commonly allowed to the Off
GERS ofsuch county, butthe means of pay
ing them are not thes same; consequently,
the taxes must be more heavy in small
county, which is an evil that may be
avoided by the county remaining as it is.
A small county in state politics has not
so much influence as large one, which
is disadvantage of no small conse-
quence to the inferior county. On this
subject / might shew many reasons to
influence me against division; but suf-
fee it to say, l do assure you, if honored
with seat in the legislature, l will use
my best abilities for the county to re-
main as it is, as to the old county of Ma
Olson. On the north there must neces-
sarily be made new counties. / should
suppose there ought to be two or three /;
but on the subject of size and number OF
counties on the north of this county, the
Legislature must be governed by the cir
cumstances of the county, at the time of
making them.
There has been much said and written
on the defects and imperfections in our
statute laws. There is perhaps some
reason for all this; but let it be recol-
lected that man or his works are not per-
feet. No reasonable man will expect
that one or two legislatures can make a
complete system of statute laws: expe'
rience is necessary to the perfection Of
the same. On this subject, the revisa
of our present statutes shall be my pri
mary object, if elected, in all cases no
violating the constitution.
The will of the people ought to be the
supreme law of the land. This is self
evident principle in our republican form
of government. Consequently, on al
subjects in which the united wishes o
the people are expressed, or made know
to me, if elected, shall consider my
self bound to support according to thei
Imerits. And next to q conscientious