The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-03-12
Condition OF our County Affairs.

We publish to day the Report of the Com
mittee Of Investigation. This Report was
made last Saturday, when but q limited ex-
animation had been made, but yet it contains
statements of the grossest maladministra-
ton in Office on the part of the present Coun-
ty Judge, the bare contemplation of which
would induce less impudent, brazenfaced
and unprineipled knave, than JOHN II. SHER-
MAX, to fee his country for his country's
good, even If other more potent induce
ments, as in this instance, were totally dis
regarded. If any right-mindcd person can
read that Report, and then hold the County
Judge gultless Of the grossest POPULATION
and malfeasance in Office, he must be either
totally blinded by partizau zeal, Or his mind
must be as mperyious to the logic of facts
md figures as an adamantinc rock.
A glossary Of the official acts of the pres
ent County Judge cannot we'll be made I'M
til the Committee have finished their labors,
and we are in the undisputed possession of
all the data. Therefore, we bide the good
time coming" ere we attempt canvass of
the matter on its merits. But, from the Re-
port, and from cony ersa:ions with one of the
members of the Committee, it appears to
our mind but too evident that the said JOHN
II. SHERMAN is playing the most delightful
ly fantastic tricks, in desperate endeav or
to thwart the most vital objects of the Com.
mission. All the books, papers and vouch-
crs(?) pertaining to the County Judges Of
fee, have not yet been placed in the hands
of the Committee, nor is there much pros
pect that they ever will be voluntarily sur
rendered into their possession. With apor
ton of the papers withhcld-and those, I'M
doubtedlv, of the most eliminating charac-
tcr-we cannot know the extent to which
the said SHERMAN has prostituted his Office,
in a reckless endeavor to subscrve his own
personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, and that Of his
friends.
If We have been correctly informed, Judge
SHERMAN pledged his 6 sacred word and
honor" bah y TO resign his Office if any ev-
licences Of administration in Office were
brought to light by this Committee. The
meagre Report in question furnishes the
most direct and indubitable evidence Of the
grossest maladministraton in Office, on the
part of the present County Judge. That
there may be no quibbling, on Judge SnER-
MANS part, in regard to the literal signi6-
canoe of that word maladninistrdtioe.
we quote from Webster's Unabridged, as fol-
lows:
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., n. Isee NAL and ADM1s-
IsTER.I
Bad management Of public Affairs; vicious or lefec-
tive conduct in administration the performance OF Of
fetal duties, particularly Of executive and ministerial
duties prescribed by law.
Can any one read even an iota Of this
skeleton Report Of the Committee of Invcs
tisdtion, without Involuntary coming to
the conclusion, that there has been "bad
managem mt Of public AFFAIRS in this county;
that JUDGE SHERMAN has been guilty of both
"vcous" y and defective conduct in the
performance of official duties, as prescribed
by law? We believe not. Therefore, as
Mr.. SHERMAN pridos himself on being Il man
of unimpcachable probity ana honor, we
hope he will at once appreciate the ncces
s'fy of vacating an office he has so long out
ragged, desccrated and disgraced. But,
should he persist in retaining the Office, and
in Withholding from the Committee the |
hooks and papers he so sacredly promised
them, we hope the " Committee Of twenty
five" will have recourse to such measures,
MS shall place them in the "possession of
oN books, papers, etc., belonging to the
Office of County Judge" in accordance with
the resolutions adopted in mass meeting, on /
the 26th Of February.