Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1854-06-10
The MAYORS Salary.

A short time before the term of the last
Board of Selectmen expired, a resolution was
passed, giving the incoming Mayor $500 pc,
annum for his services. This precedent was
established three or four years since. On the
year subsequent TO that precedent, Capt. DALEs
was elected Mayor, principally if not mainly
upon the merit Of his public declaration that
the salary of $500 appropriated for the Mayor,
should be given to the widows and orphans of
Plaquemine, and Of course, so high-minded a
gentleman and Democrat as he was, the money
was thus appropriated, if it was received at all.
This gentleman left, however, before his term
expired, and during the temporary period which
his successor served, a resolution was passed
abrogating this fixed salary I; consequently, Mr..
MARTIN, who was elected for the following
year, received no salary whatever, which was
previously the usage. Now, Mr.. TALBOT has
been elected for the year following the regular
term for which Mr.. MARTIN was elected. and
the question now arises, will he accept a salary
for services Of a mere nominal character which
was not received by or bestowed upon his pre-
decessor? We have heard this question made
upon the streets almost in this very shane,
which is the principal cause of this article, and
we take upon ourself the liberty of saying
that Mr.. TALBOT will not accept the salary or
appropriate it TO his individual use. He was
first brought out and nominated for Mayor by
this paper, and it is Of course expected Of US
that we will support his administration and
his conduct as o public officer. Selected for
his known liberal and generous sentiments, for
his reputation as being always willing to serve
the people without the influence of a few sor-
did dollars, it cannot be expected for a moment
that he will touch a dollar of the three HIM
dred which a previous council, too hastily per-
haps' appropriated to pay the Mayor of this
year, and therefore we trust that no fnrtber
illusions will be made to this subject. 1t would
be strange indeed to believe, from Mr.. TAI
BOTS elevated position in society, his distin.
guished character as a member of the Plaoua.
mine bar, and the very exalted pinnacle Of be-
ing the soul and embodiement Of the Demo.
cratic party---whosew atchwords are "economv
and Justce!"-we say, it would be stranoa II.
deed, for these reasons and others tb.t ~.
have urged, if he allows the imputation to 90
forth to the world that he accepted the Office
OF Mayor for the small pittance of $500! Our
Impoverished treasury and the fact that an
humble but honorable and worthy citizen like
Mr.. MARTIN did NOT receive any salary. wonld
DO a sufficient reason for a much less public
and distinguished individual than our nreser,
Mayor, to refuse with scorn such an emOlu.
ment.
1t devolves upon the Council to pass a re.o.
luton making null and void the previous one
creating this $500 salary; otherwise il il
bound, in justice, to pass an ordinance oiy;no
that sum to Mayors MARTIN and Manor.
sEAux Of last year, the latter serving ont the
unexplred term of the former. We take il
upon ourself to say that Mr.. TALBOT will s;on
'nstanter the act nullifying the $500 salarv'e
We intimate above, he was nominated bv
US through our appreciation Of his private
and public worth, and we undertake to saw
hat ne viii never be guilty Of an act that will
induce US TO change tn. opinion we have form.
ID of him!