Western courier. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-05-11

public, that have paid money unneccs-
sarily, | shall hope to be pardoned fol
m liking reference to similar expenses an
luaIy incurred in some Of the adjoining
States. This comparative view viii pro-
duce one important result, however liitls
ground it may afford us, in democratic
Ohio, to initiate the example Of surroua-
ding sisters.
"By referring TO the last annual re-
port Of the Comptroller Of Ncw-Yorl, |
find tie expenses Of that Office, for clerk
hire, for tie last fiscal year, to be &G,377,-
81, aud the postaga On Official rtieF8 for
the same year, 81 383,O0. This is sep
arato and distinct from the expenses Of
the Surveyor General, Attorney G. neral.
&c. g., Offices not known IN Ohio
The clerk hire for these different depart
mcnts add several thousand dollars anEu4!-
ly, 10 the sum quoted.
sin Pennsylvania, by the last Auditor
Generals report, now before ME, I still.
greater annual expense is inc.rred, tax
ing the several items of c!cr! hire in the
accountant Office. tn, Land off e, and
S ureyor Generals Office together, il
each one OF which, there is more than a.
average Of twelve hundred dollars per an
mum, paid to CLERKS, beyond he amount
Of payments made in this oficc. TIE
amount Of he three States, (tho first in
the Union for clerk hire in TIE proper
accountant Offices, exclusive OF the Treas
ury, stands thus:
New-York, exclusive of the Surveyor
Genera! Or Alt'y GoaerdB department,
- So 377 81
Pennsylvania, 1880 81
Otio, 2,D39 40
or less than one third of the annual ex-
penses of New-York, and than one fifth
Of those of Pennsylvania, for similar ser
vices; whia our popul tioR is more than
a mo;ety OF that OF Naw-York, and about
three lourths as numcrOusa as that Of Penn
sy!vania.
"Tho only Inference to be drawn from
this statement is, what believe no one
acquainted with the heavy amount Of bu-
siness annually transacted through the
Auditors office, will feel it in his heart
to deny, that most rigid and scrupu!ous
economy has been observed 10 its admin
istrati n, and that no moneys have been
expended but such as necessity actually
required. The allowance to,Ae made for
services performed i'll the subordinate de-
purtments is entirely left TO my discretion,
and | have to rcproach myself for not
raising the salaries Of the clerks to some
thing like fair compensation. The sal
airy of the chief clerk is entirely too low
to afford him a decent support, and it was
psoposed two years since, by many re-
spectacle members Of he Legislature, to
raise it from 600 to 500 per annum; but
the chief clerk was induced at the time,
to decline its being raised, under an im-
preston that when raise |, it should Of
right, be placed $500. Knowing these
facts, | confess could not find it in my
heart, to require small deductions for mere
short p riods Of temporary absence, nor
could /, in justice TO myself, to the State,
to individuals, nor for the credit OF Ohio,
now assuming upon hers If rank among
III, no5ast OF the Stars that dec! the flag
OF our country'y i,recdom: bring myself to
the task OF making such deductions; nor
can | believe it either equitable or just,
that, it should be done. would sooner
throw into the Treasury for every hour
OF my own absence, than take from the
hard earnings OF honest industry, for scr
vices rendered by the clerks, what of
right they should enjoy. If the principle
oil making deductions from salary Offices,
or per dirna allowances, is to prevail, let
the example be made general, from the
Governor down; indeed, from every one
holding official station in the government, |
whether Executive, judicial or Lagisla-
tive"
Again, in remarking upon the amount
Of >alari paid TO clerks in his depart
ment, the Auditor says:
lin the journals OF the Housc,(or 1884
5 from pages $40 to 975 inclusive, it is
most clearly shcwn that in comparison
with the accounts Of my predecessor in OF
acc have succeeded, and shall succeed,
in saving the State several thousad dol
ars ia the amount of the pubic expcndi-
urcs. Even in the article of printing
l.ona, such as deeds, canal blanks, &c, it
5 there c'early demonstrated, by refer
,nce to the vouchers themselves, that Il
argc annual amount has thus been saved;
md at the period alluded to, there was
much less OF this kind OF business done,
in d ed and other blank prin,-
ng, than at the present day. The cor
ingent expenses OF the Office have neces-