Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1848-02-05
Division Of the County.

uutShoHs pI'shff, AMY VII ilS h''''to' w
have no fears for the result. The same
reasons against division, which have here
tofore existed, still exist. Time and again
has the attempt been made by Platteville, to
carve out county for herself, out Of Iowa
and Grant. Her efforts for this purpose are
now repeated, with less prospect Of success,
but with more desperate exertions than ever
before; but old Grant with her river bound
AIRY on three sides, still stands entire, and is
likely for long time to remain so; because
the county is not too large.
Grant county contains fewer square miles
than the majority of counties IN the United
States. If the attempt to divide. results
from the announcement distance Of the coun-
ty seat, how happens il that this inconye-
nience is always felt and complained Of at
Plattcyille, which is only sixteen miles from
the Court house, and never at the extremities
Of the county, Who ever heard of petit
ton for division, originating at Hazel Green,
or Muscoday How happens it, If old
Grant has corns on her toes, that her peri
odical spasms are only such as result from
cramp IN The stomach Convenience is
relative term. In some sense, it would be
convenient to have Court house and conn-
~ organization, in every school district; but
the principle of association forbids this; AS
ISOLATION supposes centre and every CEN
ire must have n sufficient circumference
Nearness 10 the centre, is only one element
of convenience. IL every township in the
county, had separate county organization
and county officers, il would still be very
fnconrenien for the tax payers of each
town, 10 build Court house aud Jail, very
announcement TO occupy them when built, and
still more ineonrenienf to pay the expenses
Of maintaining an efficient county organiza-
ton. II Is often more convenient, for n man
TO walk five miles than to fork five dollars.
Convenience ai,cays consuits The purse. Ii
considers the end to be accomplished aud
the means At command to accomplish that
end. In public affairs, convenience never
loses sight of taxation. Aside from the ln-
creased taxation which would result from
dividing this county by any possible line Of
division, greatly overwhelming any incon-
yenlence of mere distance from the Court
house, il is fact which must not be forgot
ten, that division, and especially a division
by north and south line, illustrates one of
the prime objects and purposes Of county
organization, viz: the construction of bridges
and the extension of roads. IL is now in the
power of the Board of County Commission
ers, to open roads and bridge the streams
which they may cross, from one extremity
of this county to the other. Suppose this
county now TO be divided by the Platte riy-
er, what mutuality, what concurrence in the
opening Of roads running east and west,
what concert in the construction of bridges
across the river, could he expected The
county of Grant is traversed by several
streams, nearly all running south, which
win always require to be hridged, aud which
ought always TO be under the jurisdiction OF
ONE county, and that q srealihy county.
Again, the proposed division is not made
with reference to the convenience of the ex.
IRENE portions Of the county. IL division
were called for, il should he such a division
aswould hiring the remote ends Of the coun-
~, nearest To seats of justice, to compeusat,
in some degree. for their increased burden
of taxation; bu, in this particular, wha, vii
be gained by spliaiering a strip i,reire mile
wide and my miles long, of of the cas-
side of Grant county IL is only TO hid,
the selfi>hness and ridiculous ahsurdity OF
attempting TO make county of such shape
and proportions, that the projectors of this
plan of division, affect TO believe that they
shall obtain strip of Lafayette county to
stitch upon the east side Of the Twelve BY
fifty mile belt which they ask the county OF
Grant fora thing as unreasonable and RI
diculous as IL would be Cor spoiled child
TO ask his mother iar the tape on the border
of her apron, " because he knew where he
could find one of grand-ma's carriers, and
then he would tie them together and make
a long tail foe his kite" II Is 10 conceal the
real shape of the projected new county, ths,
maps are got up and circulated with their
petitions, which diminish re real lsagtA Of
the east side Of Grant county, and eSIead
its width by eneroaehng twelve miles uIon
neighhoring county, placing Pla,teyille