The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1854-01-14
THE CECIL WING.
TIE COUNTY FUNDS.
JANUARY M, 1854.

We promised last week TO refer in
this number 10 the per cent commits
sion allowed on the money obtained du-
ling the last year from the Railroad
Company, and to other commissions
heretofore allowed; not as part OF dis
Pute for some time waged in the county
papers tt as a matter Which concerns the
tax-paying public. Still, from the nature
OF the subject, and the parties connect
ed with it, will, necessarily, closely
pertain TO that controversy.
Those who follow with any interest
these articles relative TO the manage.
ment OF the county funds, will observe,
II they please what ale given as facts,
and what as opinions. The facts and
figures given by us may be relied on,
and we invite any and all examinations
to test them. Our opinions the reader
will take for what he may value them.
So TO proceed:
The way this 3 per cent matter came
first IN print is this: Mr.. Scott in the
county papers of October 22nd, last,
gave 10 the Public "Stotement" pro.
Tossing to show how the $4,000 rail-
road money had been appropriated; IN
which statement he summed up SILL
534 as having been paid out by him;
and the balance, $l65, was reserved, he
stated, TO pay toa bridge contractor.
Now, we had learned from sources, in
this cause entitled to belief, that he was
to receive 3 yer cent on that railroad
money; las it SO turned out: and we
kntac Mat the percentage on a sum o
money as part Of Mat money md must
come out Of 1t. So, seeing that in that
statement he had made wrong entry
against us for political effect; which
has elsewhere been fully discussed;l and
seeing at the same time that he told the
public the balance not paid was to 90
to public improvements carefully hi
ding that he got any extra salary, or
per ccntage, We thought proper TO men.
ton the matter in an article written be-
fore the election. After mentioning
that he received for the year $500 sal
airy, we said:
'Il has also b"cn told us that he gets per
cent on the $4,000 railroad money md also on
other monies. We mention this merely
brca e III" people have no other way of know
Ing il, ii seems, AM they ought to know"
The reader will see that at the time
and under the circumstances we could
not properly avoid mentioning the per
cent. 1t was Just and right, all round,
that we should do so. And mark how
mildly how carefully we mentioned
it, so as to compromise the, then, clerk
in the least Objectionable manner posi-
BILE.
In his article, published on the 10Th
OF November, for which, in the opinion
of most persons, there was no occasion
and no excuse, he thus refers to the
subject:
''It seems the former clerk has very recently
learned more Of the duties of said ohce than
he praclscI while in office. How came this
new light to dawn upon him lie never dream
ed that the people sought 70 kror" that he re-
ceived 3 per cent on all the extraordinary FUNDS
placed in his hands for disbursement while
Clerk and Treasurer TO the Commissioners OF
Cecil county. Well, the people shall know,
that for years he did receive such percentage,
and never yet made il known TO the people BY
the levy i.l statement, or otherwise.'
Thus, then, was the per centage ques-
ton brought up, and we have all along
intended to refer to it when time per.
mitted US; and the present appears to be
the time.
The practice Of allowing per centage
on certain sums of money originated be-
fore we were clerk, and that there are
cases in which the practice is just, we
presume, will not be doubted. But we
do not propose TO argue that point. The
amounts on which we received per cent
age during the four years We were clerk,
We're $l,975 levied for bridges and
$3.50 for repairing the Court House and
the walls and the steps of the Court
Hous. yard.
As regards the bridges, We were, in
fact, made a Bridge CoInmiss. oner, and
the money was made to pass through our
hands against our will; some of it was
paid to us as much as 9 years and S
months before we we're ordered to pay
it out, and during whatever stime we
held it, IT was an Inconvenience and an
expense 70 us, for we never used it, but
kept it at our home, then in the country,
and had fromstme to time to hire horses