The Placer herald., 1858-01-02
The Old and the New Year.


when nature was wrapped in dreamy repose,
and the god of day had pillowed his head in
slumber upon the crested waves of the broad
Pacific. 1t fingered but moment to wave
an adieu to its successor in the line of ages,
and then vanished in the gloom Of night.
Though gone, its traces are left, only to be
effaced as the mou.dering tooth of time slowly
but surely does its work Of destruction, in
the gradual decay Of the creations Of man,
and the crumbing of the works of nature it.
SELF
The old year would have been welcome
guest yet longer; for there were memories
clinging around it's ancient form that are
hallowed in the past-memories bright and
beautiful-memories sad and tearful-the
Joy Of the marriage feast-the funeral knell-
high hopes and lofty aspirations, that kept
pace with its steady march cen to the
close.
But why repine' The New Year comes
to us with smiles Of promise. Day is
breaking in the glorious East, the spirit of
hope is exutant, and the vail of the future
casts no gloom on our pathway. Then let
us be glad. Nature smies-so may we;
and while renewing with genial warmth the
pledge Of old friendships, lets us welcome,
thrice welcome, the Happy New Year.
V-s- Tho lost rrr,hor of tho DI,.o. Droso
inflicted long article upon its readers, the
chief intent of which appeared to be to eulo-
gize the late Sheriff, and present him to the
people of Placer county as a gentleman who
had performed the duties of his office, in the
collection of property tax, to the injury of
his pocket Following up the strain the edi-
tor enlarges upon the loss the people have
sustained in the change of officers, and sees
in it the curse of party influence.
A few words will be suffice in answer to
this fanfaronade of the Press. If the colec-
ton of the property tax entailed a loss upon
the Sheriff, why was it that two Assessors
and from two to three Collector were so un-
usually active in assessing and collecting just
before the expiration of the terms Of the late
county officials? The law did not make it
obligatory upon the Assessor and collector
to assess and collect certain amount of tax
before the lst day of June, 1857; and if the
Sheriff found the collection was losing ope-
ration he need not have made any extra ef-
fort, but merely had collector in company
with the Assessor to receive the taxes in case
those assessed were ready to pay.
The article of the Press contains con-
tradction that destroys much Of tie force
of the eulogy upon Mr. Henson. 1t says,
and correctly too, that the law required the
Sheriff to send collector with the Assessor
to demand the tax on all property, and COL
lect on personal property.
In a subsequent paragraph it says the
Sheriff might have neglected the collection
Of the personal property, and let the work
pass to his successor, and thereby saved
money to his own pocket. From this he
would have us infer that the Sheriff purely
out ofregard for the county, and with ex-
pense to himself carried on this collection,
for which he deserves great praise. The
fact is, Mr. Henson was but travelling in the
path of his duties, as prescribed by law; and
had he failed to have a collector in company
with the Assessor, he would have been guilty
Of misdemeanor.
We imagine that no man in the county
will be more surprised than the late Sheriff
himself to hear laudations on the grounds
named by the Press.
The Sheriff found it to his interest to COL
lect the taxes as far as possible, before the
expiration of his term of office. He had a
right SO to do; and ifhe fulfilled the require
ments Of the law, he cannot be blamed. But
to praise him for the reason, as given by the
Press, is simply ridiculous.
AS to the loss the county has sustained in
the change of Sheriffs, that is matter of
opinion. The late incumbent is pleasant
gentleman good citizen, and of integrity
unImpeacnaOle; Dut we Delleve more efnclen-
cy is found in the office under the admins
tration of his successor.
Query.-ls not the Press trotting out its
candidates for S59 rather early?
ATTENTION THE COURT HousE!-Why do not
some OF our county officers do magnanimous
thing in the performance of their duty, that they
may receive favorable newspaper notice? Is the
Placer Press to monopolze the putting business?
ES- The weather of the past week has been de-
lightful: the days clear, cool, and bracing, and
the nights glorious with the etfulgenoe of noon