The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-02-05
u-sEE FIRST. THIRD 4 FOURTH rAGEs.A

SATURDAY, -: FEBRUARY 5, 1859.
s1-sEE FIRST. THIRD 4 FOURTH rAGEs.4L
'sun,y Affairs IA Investigating Committee.
4 petition was in circulation during the
.ar,r part Of this week, for the signature OF
,ur citizens, asking Messrs. THos. OFFICER,
&c. Nrrr and J. P. CAsADY to make an
Examination into the affairs Of this County,
sith a view to exposing all and any malfea-
.ancc, on the part of the officers Of this
county, past or present. At least, VIC so
understood the subject matter Of the petition
xhen VIC affixed our signature to the same.
Bot, it would seem, from the petition that
appears in the Bugle, that we were mistaken,
in ono important particular-the committee
nre not instructed or requested to 60 back
NJ the present incumbent's administration
To such a discrimination we decidedly OBJ
iect not because VIC believe Mr.. SHERMAN
to be moro honest or dishonest than his i'm
mediate predecessors, but because we be-
licvc the interests of the County require
thorough examination of the official acts Of
the immediate predecessors Of the present
incumbent, as we'll. We have been, for
year or more past, and arc still, Of the opln-
ion that the affairs of this County have been
wrongly managed during the past five years.
We believe farther, that large ma ority of
the people of this County, are of the same
opinion. They, at least, evidenced as much
Nv their votes on the first Monday of Aug
ust, 1857. Believing thus, and it being but
TOO pslpably evident that our County officials
will not vouchsafc to enlishten the people
in regard to the manner in which the affairs
Of the County are, and have been managed
in times past, it is not to be wondered at,
that the people should concert plan where
hy to gain some knowledge of the acts Of
their agents. The only wonder to US is, that
they should have delayed action in the prem
ises so long as they have. But, now, that
they have assumed to take the matter in
hand, We very much regret that they did
not resolve to dive deeper into the merits of
the subject. We contend that a much full
or investigation should be had, than is pro-
posed in the petition. Rumors were just as
current in regardto "gross m'smanagement
md corruption,' during the administration
VI the two former County Judges, as they
arc to-day, under the present incumbent;
aud VIC, therefore, can see no good or even
plausible reas IN why the affairs Of the pres
.nt County Judge should be overhauled, and
the two former Judges official acts passed
over in silence. We are, by no manner Of
means, m apologist for the present County
Judgc--wc wish to have his official acts cx-
amined into-but we do protest against his
being made the scapc- goat for his immedi
ate predecessors. Justice in the premises,
il all VIC ask, and that can only be rendered,
hy serving all the County Judges, whose
nets have been the cause of animadversion,
distrust and condemnation, in the same
manner. Nothing less than an investigation
Of that scope should be had, and nothing
less will or should satisfy the people Of this
County. Shall we have it.?
Since writing the above, we received the
correspondence published in another col
umn) between the Committee, on the part
of the people, and JOHN Ii. SHERMAN, Co.
Judge. While we regret the course the
Judge feels constrained to pursue, we can B
not say that, under the same circumstances,
ninety nine out Of every hundred men,
would not have done the same thing. As
will be seen, the proposed investigating
Committee, will not be permitted to cx-
anime into the affairs of the present County
Judge; We, therefore, propose that the
Committee be reconstructed, and instructed !
and requested to make full and thorough
examination Of the affairs of the County,
from its organization down to the present .
time. We do not know that such an cx-
animation would bring to light any evidence
IT corruption or malfeasance in Office, on the
part of past or present officials, for they
may have been, and doubtless were, sharp
enough to provide against such a contin-
scncv, by destroying or removing every
vestnss Of proof that would be likely to
criminnte themselves. Nevertheless, we
say let us have the examination, be the re-
suit what it may. Charges Of corruption
against our county officials, will be rife, so
long as the people are kept in Ignorance of
the official acts of their agents, and the
sooner this matter is siftcd to the bottom,
the better it will be for all concerned. Who
will take the lead in this matter?
- -
The Bottom FaiIiu. Dat.
Under date Of Jan. 18th MIR. C. NrCKoLLs,
q Mills County, writes letter to gentle
NAN Of an enquiring turn of mind, at Burling-
ssn, Iowa, giving some information in regard
IS Quitting points on the Missouri River
which said letter is published in the Daily
Hdwk-cyc There is nothing very singular .
in all this-othcr letters from this region .
have been given to the public through the
same medium but the said letter contains
some statements that are singular enough,
IN themselves, to evoke passing remark
At the commencement Of his letter, Mr.. n. .
has high opinion of the facilities Of his .
town for Quitting miners, and roundly as