The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1831-06-22
WORCESTER:
WEDNESDAY. JUNE s2. 1881.

THE MILLBURY PLEBEIAN. On the re-
turn of the Editor of this paper from Jour-
ney, after an absence of near fortnight, he
found, in the Millbnry Pebeian, a long
comment on the article in the Spy of week
before last, on the subject of Representa-
ton, which claims from him something more
than a passing notice. The short time
which interviewed between his return and
the publication of this paper, his continued
i'll health, and the necessity of his constant
attendance at Court, will prevent at this
time, such an examination of the subject as
he would wish. He would, however, now
remark, that the assumption that his former
remarks were aimed at the Pleheian, and
the remark that " this is not the first under
handed and ungentlemanly thrust Of the
kind which the Spy has aimed at the Pie
beian," are not only gratuitous, but entire
ly unfounded in fact. At the time we wrote
the article above alluded to, we were not
conscious of its application to that paper,
nor have we any recollection OF ever PEN
ming an article, aimed at it, in which its
name was not used. If any general remarks
of ours, either on this Or any other occasion,
have been susceptible of application to the
Plebeian, we are not responsible for the di-
rection which may have been given them,
either by the Editors or others, nor is there
any thing in making such remarks, which
can be characterised as underhandedp or
ungentlemanly." e y@E2si'
The Editors of the Plebeian admit that
they shave repeatedly stated" that "the
State expenditures of Massachusetts exceed
the collective expenditures Of the other five
New England States, by an excess OF near
ly $4,000" This admission alone would
justify any severity of remark which we
have made on the subject, even If they had
been directed at that paper, for the fact as
serted is not true, in the plain and obvious
acceptation of the terms IN which 1t is stat
ed, and in the manner in which it would be
universally understood. To make up the
amount of the State expenditures Of Massa-
chusetts, from $4,000 to $4,000 paid for
the support of State paupers is included, as
well as the salaries of the Judges of the sew
eral courts and of the Probate officers, the
amount paid to Agricultural Societies, and
several other items of expenditure, some
of which are entirely omitted, and others, in
part, in making up the aggregates of the
other New England States, and in this way
arises the great apparent disproportion of
expenditure, asserted to exis: by the Plebe-
ian. 1t is true that in the States where the
items above named are omitted, the expen-
ditures are not paid from the State treasury.
They are, nevertheless, paid in some other
way by the people of the State, and are as
much public burthen as if paid from the
treasures of the States, and, in this State,
would be more felt by the people, if paid as
they are in other States, than they are I'M
der the present system.
1t has long been the policy Of this State,
TO change the mode of paying public Off
GERS for their services, from compensation
by fees to fixed salary, and, as far as is
practicable, to make those expenditures
chargeable on the State, which, elsewhere
are paid by counties, or in other modes.
The object OF this, is, to reduce and eqa1ttzc
the pablo burdens, while, at the same time,
it greatly increases the nominal amount of
State expenditure. A good illustration of
the operation of this system may be found
the recent alteration Of the laws in relation
TO Sheriffs and Clerks Of the Courts. By
those laws, $4,000, the amount Of their sal
aries, is added to the aggregate Of County
expenditures in Worcester County, and
thus, on the principle adopted by our pseudo
patriots, the change is a fit subject Of
abuse and denunciation. The practical eff
feet, however, of these laws, is, to make g
saving to the public, Notwithstanding the
nominal increase of the County expendi-
lures, because the fees which these officers
heretofore received us compensation, are
now paid into the Treasury, and will proba-
bly, amount to sum greater than is paid fol
their salaries. The same principle applies
to many of the items which go to make up
the aggregate of our State expenditures.
We are the decided friends of every real
reform, and of every reduction Of erperadi-
ture which is consistent with the best in
terests of the tOhole people. And we be-
lieve that such objects are best attained by
fair statement of the naked truth. A good
cause is never promoted by fraud and de-
ception, and we desire not to be ranked
among those who would seek to mislead
the public, and infame the minds of the
people, in order to magnify their own labors
in the work of reform. If a continued re-
gard to the immutable obligation which we
feel to speak the truth only, should bring
with it repetition Of the attempts which il
has already produced, in certain quarters
to throw obloquy upon us, so be it; we trus
that we can abide the shock unscathed, and
in the end, feel satisfaction in reviewing
our course, for the want of which, the graf
iication of present triumph wodd be nc
equivalent. ara
0F1Deeming the acts of public officer:
and of candidates for office, at all times, &
fair subject Of public investigation and re-
mark, if done in temperate manner, we
have not hesitated to publish the following
article, which we do on the responsibility o
the author whose name is left with US, with
out considering ourselves as becoming ir
any way involved in the subject. which il
one on which our feelings have not beer
enlisted, either on one side or the other.
FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS, SPY.
We are by no means disposed to exercise tn
right which the public have to canvass the con
duct of their officers, any farther than sens
of duty shall seem to dictate. But the cours
Nursnad hv fha SheriH ofthis Countv IS l., .