Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-10-04
RAISING THE- sAI.ARIEs


We believe We may offer the opinion, without
being subjected to the charge Of having partisan
purpose in so doing, that the salaries of our State
officers ought to be increased and that considerably
The compensation given Chief Executive is a
disgrace to the State, and smacks of niggardliness
! in our humble judgement There is scarcely Sher-
lit or Clerk of our County Courts, in the State the
emoluments of whose Office does not exceed that OF
the Governor We know it may be urged that the
saness of the salary has not heretofore prevented
| our abest men from Hlling the Governors Chair,
but is that any argument, that because our ablest
men are willing to serve the State, they should be
required to do it at sacrifice of their private
means There courteses, Inequalities expected
of the occupant of the Governors mansion, which
he cannot exercise without drawing on his own
private purse. He must practice the most rigid
economy that would seem to partake of parsmo-
nousness in order to bring his expenses within the
salary allowed him. Justice well the character
of the State demand that his salary should be raised
to something like four thousand dollatsa year.
+ The other officers are equally poorly paid
Where will you lind man capable of filling the
office of State Treasurer, working for as small
sum as 81 800 year? His responsibilities very
great his duties arduous and the labors of his Office
are richly worth $1,000 or 81 800 more than he re-
ceives.
So of the Comptroller and Secretary of State No
one who does not visit these offices can from any
idea of the immense amount labor performed there
The Comptroller's settlement with the Sherifs to-
gether with the preparation of his Report worth
every dollar he receives But these form but 1.-THE
ofthe abors his Office $4,000 should be his pay per
annum by all means. The present venerable Secre-
tary of State has filled that post for half cen
fury, and we venture there is not negro overseer
in the State, that has been sober and industrious,
swho has not saved more money than he. And his
business keeps him all the time employed in his Office,
sometimes day and night. Are not such arduous
services worth $4,000 year? Surely they are.
Now, we are not prompted by any personal or in
terested motives in making these remarks. We are
indebted to of these Officers for any favors-
not one of them is a subscriber to our paper,
nor do we receive any patronage from them of any
description-but decent respect for our native
State, leads to hope that this LttLeness, this IN
justice to public servants be done away with,
and at least something approximang to fair equiv
alent for services rendered be awarded them.
We would be pleased to all our brother EditoIs
express themselves on this subject-whigs and dem
ocrats, literary and religous-assured are that
all must in the scrptural maxim that the la
borer is worthy of his hire. And we fully believe
the Peoplewil sustain the next Legislature in making
equitable advancement in these salaries, and we
hope it will be done.
Spirit Of the Age.
We concur with the Editor of the Age, that the
salaries of State officers are insufficient. No Cover
nor, we presume, has been able to save dollar of
his salary. The Treasurer gives bond for $3.50, OOO
and receives only 81, 500 per annum-no more than
is paid for instance, to the Secretary of one of the
Insurance Companies of this place
Ten years ago these salaries were probably suf-
GENTLY large, for then dollar worth nearly
as much as two dollars now. Nearly every thing
has gone up from fifty to one hundred per cent
Members of the Legislature receive but So per day;
and they will find, after paying their current ex-
penses next session-S rs and 50 per day for board
and lodgngs-that they will have lost money in the
public service.
Since the above was prepared, the Register has
REFER ed to the NATTER and has the following article
We gratfed to see the press in all quarters and
of both parties concurring in the opinion that the
salaries Of our State officers ought to be increased.
"SALARIEs OF STATE OFFICERS Our attention
has been directed to the subject of the raising the
salaries of our State Officers. We have long enter
tained and frequently expressed, the opinion, that
they much too small
As a general thing do not approve of the sal
aries of public officers being high to render
the stations they occupy objects of mercenary COM
petition but, most certainly, the pay should bear
at least respectable proportion to the expenses
connected with those stations. In our own State,
the pitiful salary of Executive hardly enables
the incumbent to dispense the very Inequalities
that appropriately appertan to his mansion, much
less to cover the domestic expenses attached to
every household. To say nothing of the fact, that
many man, who would adorn and dignity the |
station, and who would reflect credit upon the |
State is thus deferred, by considerations of pecu-
mary caution, from giving to the people, when they
ask it. the benefit of his talents and his services,
such a parsimonious policy is not at all calculated
either to exat the Importance of the post, or to
nance whatever reputation the State may enjoy for
a liberal appreciation of official merit Besides, it |
should be taken into consideration, that under the
custom which has prevailed in North Carolina for |
many years pasta custom of most questionable |
Notwithstanding candidates for the Guberna-
toria Chair to the State, the heavy expen-
ses incident to a campaign-make a formidable in
road upon the salary of the Governor, previous to
his installation.
If we not very much mistaken, North Carroll |
ma pays her Governor, and other State Office less
than any State in the Union-Rhode Island and |
Delaware, perhaps excepted. The State of Louisiana,
inferior to own in population and resources,
pays quite three times as large Salaries and even
the Mayer of of our larger cities commands
higher remuneration for his services, and a more
liberal provision for the support of the dignity of
his position.
The duties of our State Officers are accommodating
every day, resources are being expanded
and their salaries should be commensuratey increas
ed. We may not always be so fortunate as to Sc
cure the services of such as some of those who
have already served the State in public capacities
than whom no State can boast prouder array; but
we should not force those to come as doubtless, we
have heretofore done Others to pay for the privilege
IF doing the State some servce!"l
CONVICTION OF REV. P. W. DOWD.
We learn that the trial of the Indictment against
the Rev. P. W. Dowd, which took place last week
in Johnston Superior Court, for assault upon
young lady of this County, resulted in his convic-