The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-07-28
RrrupIlcAx STATE CONVENTION


We again suunH the auc>uoN W the pun
he II il i not about time 10 elect a success
COZ to our present Sheriff, who has been in
ofEcc ten years, SO that the people may have
A general settlement with him How do
we know the condition Of his official affairs
How can we know without the election Of a
successor Probably state Of things ex-
list. at this time in las official business,
which If known to the public would proven,
him getting one hundred votes in his own
county II there is any greater absurdit,
than the Law which permits Sheriff to hola
his Office dozen or twenty years success
lively, il he can get elected, it is the absur-
dity Of a man who has held the Office ten
gears or five consecutive terms, asking 10 be
elected two years longer Good heavens, !
y there no other man in Scott county
qualified 10 hold the Office of Sheriff. bn,
Harvey Leonard Is he the only man in
the Democratic party, who is considered de-
serving Of this perpetual grab at .'the spoils. !"
By what right Of mental or moral .upcriori-
~ to his fellow citizens, does he claim this
oflice for life
In some II the States no man can be elect
cd two consecutive terms to the Office Of
Sheriff. He may miss one term and be elect
ell the third, but not two together. Why
is this 2 Because il is an Office Of heavy re-
sponsibilities, and multifarious duties, af-
icctins the highest rs we'll as the loves,
property interests Of the county, Of import
ant details Of business which all citizens
srs interested in being correctly cared for
IN ONCE the affairs Of which should be bal
anced frequently As possible for the safet,
Of the people. In some States no man can
be elected Sheriff two terms Of two year.
sach-but any ct Of Legislators or consti-
tuition maksn who would extend this time,
Or not fix exact limits to tho time of holdinl
the Office Of Sheriff, must either be unac-
quaintsd with the importance Of frcquen,
ssttlements Of Shsritis with the people, .,
oct upon the understanding that no mar
will have the face to ask to be candidate
Tor more than two terms consecutivcl,.
Probably in this Iowa case, our Legislators
had corrsctiy anticipated that ono Of the
most populous and progressive counties il
the State, In the good tunes TO come woulo
only have one man III to hold tue office, wAo
must thsrsfore Gil i, for lie. But we ar.
convinced, from an acquaintance Of man,
year., tust the present Sheriff. opponen,
would maze ss.st = good Shcrifi a. him
sslf and give thorough satisfaction to the
people. We ore also convinced that ten
years u qsit< - long . any Sheriff should
OK 70 defer IN adjustment Of the Affairs oi
his of8cs. We srs convinced, too, the poo
pie have rteA to demand Of Harvey Leo
nard that he should retire into private life
long enough to permit settlement, then il
b insists upon being Sheriff Of Scott county
iOs the rsmainder Of his life, We shall =,
lsast know upon ssAa, his extraordinary de-
mand u claimed. II the people Of other
places are right in demanding that their
Sheriff. shall retire after the expiration OF
one term, or 1t tue most two terms, so that
their official affairs may undergo investiea-
ton, certainly we are not anyway imper-
tinent in asking that our present Sheriff
shall be- permitted TO retire at the expira-
ton u ten years, or five consecutive terms,
tur the same purpose. We do not think
that be or his friend. have a right TO com
plain Of us for demanding this TN the con
trary, - they are such careful guardians Of
the interests Of the people, We think they
are particularly persistent, il not peculiarly
impudent, in asking that Mr.. Leonard shall
have this Office two years longer. What do
our people think !