Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-08-01
TO THE ELECTORS OF MADI-
SON COUNTY.
FELLOW CITIZENS,

FELLOW CITIZENS,
have thought proper to offer myself
to you as a candidate for yoursuff RACES,
Tor the office of County Commissioner
OF the County of Madison.
1t will be presume sufficient for me,
to observe, that the prominent motives
which has induced me to adopt this
course is a desire to be useful to my
fellow citizens. The situation of the
county Tor a long time past and to the
present moment with regard to its revi-
nue. Is deplorable,--it need only be
stated that the county is in debt, notwith-
standing the large taxes which have been
imposed and collected from you, to per-
celve that your burthens must be in
creased; whether this has become ne
cessary from a want of economy in the
disposition OF the peoples money, or an
lnattention and want of righteousness in
the creation of the objects causing the
expenditure, incompatible with that cor.
rect and careful discharge of the duties
attached to the office, and which the peo-
pie have not only right to expect but
to demand, am not prepared to say
l am far from wishing to cast censure
upon those who have administered the
office, and there is much in their conduct
to applaud. They have doubtless dis
charged their duties according to the
honest conviction of their judgments.
And have only to add that this branch
of the duties of the office should be ey-
ercised with the utmost care and circum-
spection, with the single eye to the
general good of the whole country, and
partial and useless expenditures eau
tiously avoided.
J. have also deemed it proper to state
to you my opinion on a question which
has been lately much agitatcd. 1t is
we'll known TO you that offers have late
ly been made, by several individuals to
erect the public buildings, and to make
them, with large quantity of land,
donation to the county-accompanied
with an offer of abundant security to
carry their propositions into complete
effect Believing as do from the
liberality of the offers, that great advan-
tages must necessarily result to the
county from the acceptance, and that
the buildings may in this way be legally
erected, l should certainly be in favor of
erecting the public buildings by dona-
ton instead of taxation, if honored by
you with your choice; because | should
consider such choice as an evidence of
the expression of your wishes on this
subject. And if l were to enumerate
the single exemption Of taxes which,
without a donation, must inevitably be
levied on you to erect these buildings, il
would form with you not only the strong
est inducement to desire to elect those
who would accept donation, but those
in favor of taxation must see in your
course complete and entire iustifca-
ton, and the more so when it is known
that in SO doing no breach ofpublic faith
can be alledged.
Having thus given you my opinion
and feelings with every degree of sin
cerity, l can only add that / shall, i'll
elected, endeayor to discharge the du-
ties with faithfu!ness, promptness, and
impartiality. Many might serve you
with more abilities, but none with more
zeal, than your fellow citizen,
WILLIAM L. MAY.
Ed7uardSUiUe, lulu IL, 1920.