The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-12-13
Official Favoritism.

OhcIa1 teaVOrlJNsms
The Indianapolis Journal has the follow
ing comments on the liberality with which
the accounts of certain political favorites
are audited at the State Treasury.
AT the time when young Mullenix was
respited by the Governor last year, our read
ers will remember a correspondent told US
that the Executive mercy was transmitted
through the Democratic cherub, General
Achey. He did not tell US, however, be-
cause he didn't know, nor did anybody else
but the Governor, that this angel of mercy
was paid fifty daILars for his trip. But so
it is. In the archives of the State lies the
record. Fifty dollars for days journey to
Greencastle and back 1t is forty miles to
Greencastle, and the railroad charge is about
ST %. Going and coming, would therefore,
make an outlay of 81 so. Allowing that
he stayed one day-and that would be
enough to deliver to the proper officer the
document certifying the Governors merci-
full wish in the case-the cost thereof will
be put at So, we have 81 so as the entire
necessary expense of such an expenditure.
1t needn't have cost one copper more. 1t ought
not to have been one cent over S., for the
sum is liberal allowance. But Mr.. Achey
is paid $50. We don't blame him for taking
it, for he is a Democrat. But we can't help
thinking that it was g strong pull" on a
treasury in the condition ours was for the
Governor to allow it. We put out of the
question all assistance in the duty, because
we really think, as will everybody else, that
man who weighs about two hundred
pounds can carry half sheet of foolscap
forty miles in a railroad car without any
help.
But the Governors iberality, as might
be expected, does not exclude himself
When he went to Jacksonville he charged
$50 for the journey. 1t didn't cost him
over $40, and he was probably " dead head
ed on the railroad, and thus saved about
| Sc Of the SO. He can estimate as literally
for his own expenses, as he does for his
| privy councillors when he sends them on
expeditions.
| The most touching feature, however, of all
these pleasant little Democratic enjoyments
of the States money is the payment of 5000
to James Hughes for attending to law
suit for the State, and the payment to Lieut..
Gov Hammond of $500 for similar SER
vice. Standing alone, these facts would be
| likely to suggest no other reflection than
that the gentlemen were pretty good lawyers
to earn such big fees, but taken in connec-
ton with another fact, they suggest the
propriety of abolishing an expensive office
and saving the people the money that pays
its salary, and the trouble of electing an in
cambent for it, That other fact is the ex-
istence of an officer called the "Attorney
General" whose duty, if he has any at all,
is to protect the States interest in all legal
controversies or difficulties that may arise
during his term of Office. If that is not his
duty, we don't want him. He has nothing
to do. He would have very little to do any
how, but without that he has nothing at all.
Yet it seems our judidious officers let Mr.
Attorney General Mcdonald draw 81, 500 a
year, and pay Judge Hughes and Judge
Hammond 81, 100 for doing part of his
work. Probably as much more has been
paid to other lawyers for attending to other
portions of his duty. Really, if we have to
pay swinging fees to lawyers to attend to
lawsuits that we elect an officer on purpose
to attend to, we may as well dismiss the
officer We shall save salary by it, at all
events. The fact is, in all sincerity, that
the Attorney Genef ais Office is a sir1ccurc
1t is humbug. We did just as well with
out it, before it was established as we hav e
done with it since. No man can see any
difference. We paid lawyers to attend to
suits in which the State was interested be-
fore, and we do exactly the same thing now
Either we should do without the officer, or
do without the lawyers. We don't need
both. -+