Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1857-08-28

paid them! The attorneys bills were as
(. follows:
VIM. NJ Meredith Sl,On0
! C.R Btckalew $50
VIM. l.. Hrst $50
James H. Walton 300
The Auditor General (Jacob Fry) at
first declined paying them, on the very
proper ground that they had not been en-
ployed by the Commonwealth, and that
there was no appropriation for any such
I purpose. He was induced, however, (by
the Democratic party leaders, to recon-
slider his decision, and he finally dl,o,ced
the claims, aud the State Treasurer prompt
ly paid them
This is one of the most unjustifable,
glaring violations Of public duty on the part
of the officers of the Commonwealth, we
have ever heard of. The suits uere not
brought by the Commonwealth, and the at
torneys ,cere not employed Iy her. The
case was between the Pennsylvania Rail
road Company ,and Mr.. Mott and his allies.
So far as the State was concerned in the
matter, her interests were defended By the
4ud,tor General, whose compensation is
provided for by law. There is no provi-
sion, anywhere, for the payment of such
claims as these attorneys presented but,
on the contrary, they arc strictly prohibited
by the law passed at the last session of the
Legislature in relation to the duties Of the
Attorney General. Undor the old laws,
the Auditor General, State Treasurer, &c,
were authorized, in cases in which the
Commonwealth was . party, to employ
counsel to defend her or advocate her claims.
This privilege was greatly abused BY pay.
ing unreasonable and enormous fees. For
instance, last year the Commonwealth paid
to various lawyers for these kind of scrvi-
ces, 81 OLA Sc, and in 1855 she paid $lO,-
734 72. These abuses were carried to
such an extent that tho last Legislature
saw the necessity Of stopping the plumber
ing Of tho Treasury in this way, and tying
the hands Of tho officers who wcro thus
abusing their trust. With this view, Mr..
Jordan introduced bill defining the duties
and compensation of the Attorney General,
which was so eminently proper that it
passed both branches by unanimous assent,
and received the approval Of the Governor.
From this law We 1uoto the following son-
tious, as bearing on the report:
FEC. 6. That the salary Of the Attorney Gen.
eral shall be $4,000 per annum, payable quar-
tery, which salary shall be in full tor serrices
in all cases in the Supreme Court rherein the
Commonwealth is0party, for all legal opinions
on questions of law submitted TO him by the
Governor, the Auditor General, State Tresu-
rer, Surveyor General. or Canal Commission
crs, and in full far oil fees and professional ser
rises ,chatso.per TO be paid By the Commonwealth
SIC. 9. That the tenth section Of the act Of
March l3, 1911. and the first section of the act
Of March 90, lsl3 relating 10 the employment
and pay of attorneys by the State Treasurer
and Auditor General and all other acts OF paris
of acts Inconsistent herewith, or which,hy the
provisions of this act, are altered or supplied,
are hereby repealed.
These sections Of the law are conclusive.
The object was to prevent the abuses which
had prevailed in cases like the present, and
it would do it, efectually, if the law was
regarded. The transaction is an outrageous
Que, and can not be justified. The parties
deserve to be held up to public reproba-
tion, and the Legislature next winter
should compel them to disgOrge their ILL.,
gotten plundcr.
This is the latest specimen Of Dcmocra-
tic plundering. Let the people reflect
upon it, before consenting to perpetuate
and approve such knavery by elccting
Legislature and Governor who will white
wash this mean apd dishonest transaction.
-UarrisJurg Telegraph.