Brookville American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1858-1861, 1858-10-01
The Court House CLIQUE.

The Democrat of last week howls over
our expose Of the doings Of the Court
House Clique, like dog with the scald
head, and challenges proof that tho
Clique favored tho proceedings Of the
Commissioners, in their ciandcstine let.
ting Of tho Court House Fence to Mr..
Edwin May. Our neighbor has ster.
eotypcd argument whenever driven TO
tho raU, on which he chiefly relies In
this matter. That argument Is, TO brand
all who oppose him rs "liars." and their
facts "falsehoods." We have bad occa.
to say heretofore, that this kind of ar
guInent Is peculiar 10 cowards and crimi.
mails, and regret TO soc our cotemporary
indulge in their use. We did charge,
and now repeat Il, that the action Of the
County Commissioners must, from tho
nature OF things, have been known to,
and approved by, tho leaders of the
Court House Clique; aud all this shoc of
opposition Is but make believe, to throw
dust into tho peoples eyes until alter
the election in October. There is not
an intelligent man in tho County, who
knows personally Messrs. Hiatt and
Calico, that believe that they would for
a moment think Of assuming such re-.
sponsibiiity, 10 opposition to the pieps
and rishes of their party leaders. The
idea is absurd; the assumption prepos.
ferrous, and he that proclaims it an ar:
rant dcmagogue.
If the Court House Clique are no,c,
and always have been, opposed to secret
lettings, to partisan favorites, of the
County Improvements, why has their
voice reposed in silence, until this act OF
contracting the Court House Fence2
Was there a public letting fthe poor
house farm whom the rich bottom lands
were privately sold to a panisan favor.
lite? Did the Commissioners advertise
for proposals, and ardrd the land to the
highest responsible bidder? 1t is notorious
that they did not. Where, then, were
your Court House Clique, who now
claim to be the exclusive scntinels on
tho watch tower, to guido the public
treasury, and where was their voice in
denunciation of their agents? Echo an
swers, whore? History answers-at
the back Of your Commissioners coun-
selling and advising their course.
When our Poor House was to be
built, did the Commissioners advertise
aud invite proposals, and let to the
forrest responsible bidder? On the con.
trary, as in the case of tho Court House
Fence, they knew of parties who en-.
pected and pished to bid, and thus
knowing, they privately contracted il to
this pet partisan, imported from Indian.
apolis, to meet the viows of this Court
House Cabdl. Did these men then de.
nouncc this course of procedure? Not
in the least; but their stentorian voices,
and vigorous goose quilts, were as silent
as the chambers OF death.
1t is with bad grace at this trying
hour, that they assume to haze been, and
are nop, the opponents of all this ertrav-
dgdnce, and dcnounce those who charge
them with connivipg at it. They have
by their silent approval, and active sur
port Of the County Commissioners,
during all these operations, assumed a
responsibility that the people of the
county will not allow them to throw of.
To this responsibility, citizens of old
Franklin, we urge you to pin them
fast. AT tho ballot box in October,
record your verdict, and let It bo such
as will insure thorough wiping out of
this old nest of officials, that has been
for years, through the Clique, designat-
ing their successors for the various
county offices. Now is the the accepted
time-mark your men, and the result
will be felt in all time to come.