Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-08-05
COMMUNICATIONS.
To the Editor Of he Gazette

Z fafeTS, u strange pfOIuAtt11. hSss~r ~;
because find, to my grea, surprise, highly
4 respectable gentleman and Magistrate Of the
I County addressing somewhat threatening
I a.lnsion to the Court, when he talks Of "tame
Submission to its action, and employing that
word "1ar" OF potent spell, which men, very
unlike him, mischievousiy juggle with, to in
fiuence, extra judicialy, the body Of which he
is member.
lf were not aware who its author is,
should have supposed him 10 be some factlous
person, who advocates or opposes measures
as they may suit his wayward waims. III
did not know him TO be an enterprisiug and
public spirited citizen, might have taken him
10 be one, whose vision cannot extend beyond
the horizon Of his own ueighborhood interests,
or who has some individual object TO accom-
plish. or some pique TO crafty. If | did not
know, that he is apprised Of all the facts in re-
lation TO it, | should have thought il possible
that he mistook mere preference, altogether
natural, of few persons, for terminus Of
the Road he refers to, at the western base Of
the Mountain, further South because more
convenient TO them, for the opposition Of ''even
some OF those who are to be benefited by it,"
If ! did not know, that, as Public Officer, he
has dispensed the County funds with free
hand--nay, even, as many have sometimes
! thought, in the excess Of his zeal, lavished
( them upon inludicious schemes should,
possibly, have regarded him as some close.
listed person, who would hold the purse
strings tight and never give, save grudgingy,
dollar for the improvement OF the County.
| If it were not known to me, that he was and,
| learn, still avows himself to be, decidedly in
( favor of the Road, voted for it on the Bench
and wrote himself in part the Order of August
Term, 1876, which pledged the Court to COM
plete it sat The earliest possible Moment" ]
should have. necessarily, concluded, when he
speaks Of .as being stor he accommodation Of
a tew citizens" that the Article was written by
an opponent not friend Of the Road.
/ The solution of the matter | will give
! An improvement, admitted on all hands to be
1 of paramount importance TO the County. pro-
/ jected twenty years ago and at various times
during that period unsuccessfully attempted,
was commenced, after encountering the OBJ
stace of another enterprise for the construc-
| tioE of Road across Parks Gap, of less gen
eral necessity or prospective benefit and pro-
posed subsequently to it When half finish
ed and there being in the County Treasury
] a., ~ -,
cessary for the purpose, an effort is made to
delay its completion by different application
of the funds, viz: the purchase of a farm for
/ the Poor. This delay would be tantamount TO
1 defeat.
| Whether it be advisable to incur the expen-
| diture of many thousand dollars, in buying
farm, erecting buildings, sc. &c., for the Poor,
am unable to express an opinion. What
number of acres should be purchased--what
force among the Poor could be employed upon
it-how the system works elsewhere-wheh-
er there would be the proper management
and supervision of ii, IN this County, even If
it be found economical elsewhere-to whom
the land could, legally, be conveyed, whether
to the County or the Overseers ofthe Poor, (if,
indeed, to either, as is very doubtful, without
special Legislation -ale subjects, in connec-
ton with others, that deserve the closest scru-
tiny. Such has not been gipen to ii. A Com
miilee appointed by the Court and composed
Of men who have not, as yet, formed an opn-
ION, should give the subject the most careful
consideration.
| But, admitting that there is no necessity for
further examination to show the policy OF the
scheme, ii should be, at least, properly author
lied. IL has not beeea so authorised At the
June Term, 40, the first appropriation was
made. BY the County Lery Law, Vol:
Rev: Code, page 63, it is declared TO be il
legal ''to lay any lery OR make any order JtoA
the payment Of money!" unless a majority of
the Justices be present or unless the Court
''shall have signfed its intention of transac-
ting such business, at least one month pre-
vious, and shall have caused the same to be
entered Of record" with direction to the Sher-
if to summon the Justices to the next Term
for the purpose. AT the MAY term, '46, they
were summoned $50 iqy The County Lery'-
not to consider the project OF purchasing farm
for the Poor. The two subjects are entirely
distinct, under the provisions of the Law. and
it is all important that they should be kept dis
I tinct. Otherwise five or six Magistrates may,
at June Term, under mere summons "to
lay the Levy" authorize appropriations, ne
yer dreamed of by the people Of The County
or by the body of the Justices. And so il oc-
CURED, that fire on str did appropriate the mo-
ney. AT subsequent, Term, the Magistrates
We're summoned to consider the propriety of
resembling the appropriation and, there being
tie vote, II was, mos; enormously, coaclu
ded, that the cider of June, utterly illegal and
wrong, remained valid. In this way any mea-
sure may be authorized, ,cithom The sanction Of
a majority otd Court legally empowered 10 act.
I True, it is the usage of the Court, without
summons of the Justices, to make appropria-
/ tons, when no question is made as TO the I'M
/ portance Of the object. or when it is not an
Original! measure, and money is needed mere
/ ly 10 complete work previously embarked
/ in. Without such usage the action of the