The Nevada journal., 1853-08-19

Ed. JouRNAL:-I deem it matter of
Justice to myself briefly to answer certain
charges made by Mr. Newell, the whig can
didate for Attorney General, at whig meet
ing on Tuesday evening last. Among other
assertions equally loose and unsustained by
facts. Mr. Newell charged as | understand
from those who heard him, that certain conu-
tv Auditors in various portions OF TINS state
were in the habit of exacting from indlyid-
uals unacuuainted with the law, the sum OF
two dollars for each license issued. ms
charge as / am informed was not intended 10
apply to me; yet it was certainly maze IN
discriminatory and without any qualification
or exception. So far therefore as am con-
cerned pronounce such an insinuatlon as
unqualifedly false as regards the Auditor OF
this county, and l challenge the proof that L
have ever, either exaCted or received one
cent for my services as Auditor, save the
yearly compensation which | am allowed by
the court of sessions. l am authorized to
say the same in reference to my pre- tecesSor
This is the only compensation which | am
entitled to receive, except that which L am
allowed fer by the statute Of 1853, viz; 40
cts. er folio for making out quarterly reports
to the comptroller, and this item will not
amount to more than $50 or $40. In ma
king this reply have no disposition to in
dulge in partizan feeling but simply to do
that which every man should do when his
reputation either as an officer or a private
citizen is assalled. IF any ore is desrous of
referring to the statutes in reference to this
matter, shall be happy to afford him the
opportunity by his calling at the office OF the
County Recorder w. S. PATTERSON.
In conformity with our invariable prac-
tice of allowing individuals who consider
themselves personally aggrieved to use our
columns, we admit the above. The re-
marks of our correspondent however do
not touch the case Mr.. Newell objected
to that provision of the revenue law that
requires a person selling goods to take out
license quarterly instead of yearly, and
where he also vends liquors take out two
licenses instead of one, as designed to in
crease the perquisites of county officials,
who receive two dollars for each license.
We understand Mr.. Patterson to say he
does not collect these two dollars. He
will not deny that he receives for his labor
as Auditor $1,000 yearly from the court
of sessions. The law requires that body
to pay to the auditor salary for such ser
vices as are not otherwise provided for
If the auditor does not consider he is enti-
tied to fees from the individual by law, the
paw for so doing comes to him from the
county, and the co~st must give him eight
times as much for issuing eight licenses as it
would for issuing one. Under the statute
repealed, the county clerk, which in this
county is the same individual as the audi
tor, received for issuing certain licences,
as those of pedlars, two dollars. The
court would naturally take standard once
fixed by law and never altered, as basis
for compensation, and thus the legislature
by needlessly increasing four-fold the mum
Der of licenses and the work of auditors
made room for an increase Of perquisites
But the direct charge of two dollars tC
the individual is made in some counties
instead Of getting pay from the court o.
sessions, and some lawyers hold it to bt
correct. But the way the pay is received
does not alter the principle of the law, nol
clear it of the charges made by Mr.. Newell
The :" other assertions equally loose" we
will notice when Mr. Patterson states
what they are.