, 1840-03-14
Iron THE SALT RIVER JOURNAL.

week, entire; "JuvenIS' Is Under GfvISSD1eaf {.
iron THE SALT RIVER JOURNAL.
Mr.. Editor have bern waiting for some
one NOR. capable than myself, TO say some
thing more in your paper in relation to the
building Of 4 Court House, and the public eX-
penditures of the county. Some Of your
correspondents. in writing upon the former
subject, seemed to strike upon the latter IN
cidentally. and | had some hope that the
County Court at its late session would have
given their masters. the voters OF Pike, some
information in relation TO the FINANCIAL condl-
ton of the county; in order that the people,
might know whether it would a; this time be
prudent, or advisable to build aCourt House
and at the same time that they might be able
of correctly Judging of the fitness of the
present Justices of the county court, for the
responsible and important station they hold;
| nave been disappointed in this. and | have
therefore taken up my pen, TO give you my
thoughts on the subject.
| hold that the people in a government like
ours, when the public officer is considered as
their servant, have a right to know in what
manner their affairs are conducted; and that
i. is c,,o-ed - he spirit of orr institutions,
I tlgl inc SeIk llI Mill ltiusC ~ ~ bAiC'i aHf
information or this subject they may desire:
all parties YELL their assent to this PROPOSE
ton.
ri nation :. Ids the officers OF the Gen
eral Government TO 4 strict accountability,
and ", ey,ec. every two years TO see a
statement of ...e condition Of or State
Treasury from those Wild are by law en-,
trusted with its management. Why should
not this principle be extendsi to che affairs
of each county, why should not tie AGENTS
10 whom we have entrusted the superl1ten-
Idcnce Of our aT,irS be required TO rendei
a statement Of the pecuhiary condition o!
the COUNTY OF Pike, The people have a
right - know what is done with their mo-
ney; they have i right TO see 10 what pur-
pose the revenur is applied. They see Moth
in- of a public character upon which it has
been expended we have no roads; We
have built bu, o,a bridge in the last lOyears
We <iayo.r ~ poor-what then becomes
OF LIE large revenue Of our county. This Is
IN enquiry | have heard made frequently
within the last three or four wseks, by some
CT the best men in the county. They have
understood that the county revenue OF "Old
Pike" amounts to beyond $4,000 this year.
exclusive of the Tux pad by merchants and
~grocers; and they are at a loss TO find out
where it goes to. Does it take this amount
for two or three years to pay for the Jail, and
vet the county has borrowed money, and is
now in debt for that binding. Whose peck
cts arc filed with our revenue-who Is the
fortunate recipient Of the bounty, Of the
County court?
The Justices owe it to themselves 10
let their constituents know where their mo-
ney goes 10. q. if at any time thisi is important
for them, it is peculiarly so now. And beg
them not to suppose that | or any body be-
i~iieyes that, they have been lingering what is
not theirs. Their standing forbid such an
imputa,ion. But rumor has of late been
busy in circulating reports OF their doinSs,
at the last February term; much 10 the pre-
indice OF some of the officers OF the Court
And among other things it has been said that
EXTRA PAY, has been given quite liber.
ally for eroHfcio se;vicss-that "secret ses.
sions' have been held-that exhorbi,an,
fees have been allowed; and that in this
way the funds Of "Old Pike" have been
squandered year after year Now whether
these things be true, | am unable to say.
But we have some interest IN knowing; and
|, for one, claim to have Il right to know, and
il is certainly but just to themselves thai
they should come out and let u, know, wheth'
er there is any truth in the thousand rumors,
that are afoat in relation to themselves and
others: as the matter stands it must operate
much to the prejudice Of the Court whether
it be true or false. | shall therefore hope
that the County Court will give such expo
sition of their official conduct in this matter
as we'll satisfy the public mind circumstan
ces may induce me to trouble you again a
some future time
ASHLEY.