The Richmond palladium., 1860-07-19

March and the 1e,h day of August 1857.
(the day on which Mr.. Merkle's term OF of
fee as Treasurer legally expired, } that Mr.
Merkle issued certificates for the sale OF
Swamp Lands to the amount OF Sl39.229-
90. A portion of these certificates, TO the
amount Of something over $4,000. were
afterwards, for various reasons, when are
mostly explained in the report OF the swamp
Land Committee, before referred to,) set
aside; but as will be seen by the sworn evi.
dence OF our present County Treasurer be-
fore the Swamp Land Committee OF the last
Legislature, seq report. P. 4o') the amount
of valid certificates issued by Mr.. Msrkle
within the time above named. was. IN round
numbers, $4,000. This large amount OF
sales aud great issue Of certificates. took
place several months after Mr.. Merkle had
passed under the hands Of his modern DEM
ocratic supervisors. at the head OF whom
stands his Exceleucy. And at the time
Mr.. Merkle's legal term as County and
Swamp Land Treasurer expired, August
18th, 1857. there had not been ditching
done upon the contracts upon which these
lands were sold, to the amount of $4,000.
The balance OF the III 900, according to
Sec 3, o. ia, of Acts of 1857, should have
been in our County Treasury, and have
been paid over By Mr.. Merkle to his success
sor, but not one cent Of it was paid over
then what has become Of il? Echo answers,
WHAT The contractors who bought these
lands have long since obtained patents tor
the same, signed by his Excellency, A. r.
Willard. and have been hawking them about
for sale in nearly all parts OF the United
States. But q small amount OF the dltching
has been done upon the contracts upon
which thess lands were obtained The late
Swamp Land Commissioner, Mr.. Merkle,
has been removed by his Exceilency, the
vacancy not filed. and no work done on
bitches for over six months. In this way
Swamp Land matters have been supervised
10 an end in this county under the admins
tra,ion Of his Excellency.
The fact that his .xcellency found MIR.
Merkle involved in law suit instituted BY
his ''Republcan supervisors, from which
he swiftly relieved him, taken in connection
with the fac, that he has caused no suit to
be Instituted against him on bis official
bond. which is perfectly good for 81 1000.
TO recover that much of the S25, 1898 50.
which he still owes the State. according to
the statement of his ExceIiency, is thing
which he canpot explain satisfactorily-even
to his own party.
~
shown by his excellency, where, in his
spec ch he says: Il have yet to learn. though
perhaps Col. Lane. who aspires TO be Gov
ernor. may be better informed than am.
that there is single County Commissioner
in all this State 30 poor lawyer, SO igno-
rant a man, as not to know that the Cover
nor has no power to either remove a Cocn-
ty Treasurer, or in case of vacancy created
by death or otherwise, make an appoint
meut." The Governor was aware that Col.
Lane was speaking Of Mr.. Mersle as Treas
urer or Agent tor the sale Of Swamp Lands
in Jasper county, and that the Swamp Land
Act of 1852 (see lst r. S. p. 471,) does
place such an officer apparently under the
control of the Governor-that Gov. Wright
construed the law to give him such control.
and therefore in 1855 removed Mr.. Merkle
from the office as Swamp Land Treasurer.
not as County Treasurer.
Governor Wright removed Mr.. Merkle as
Swamp Land Treasurer, aud Col Lane ap-
proves the act. But Gov. Willard seems TO
think it was an act of great stupidity and
ignorance. Well. perhaps Gov. Willard
has no confidence in Ex-Governor Wrigh:'s
Swamp Land acts; but we venture the opin-
ion that even the Democratic party, after
An exhibition of Gov. Wizards skill in
managing Swamp Land matters, would pre-
fer ex Governor Wright's "supervisorship'
in connection with Republicans; yet i. must
be confessed that Ex-Governor Wright
would hardly have ingenuity sufficient to
save $4,000 to the county Of Jssper. with
out the people of this county knowing where
The money was! Let the people remem Der
that ex Governor Wright was Mr. Merkle's
ch eff supervisor. and his Excelency, Gov.
Willard, took him in hand, and that what,
ever bad treatment Mr.. Merkle received
from Republican State officers was approved
of by Gov. Wright.
In answer to his Excelencys justi6ca.
ton for his appointment of Mr.. Mertle to
the office OF Swamp Land Commissioners
and to his allegation that it was "a wise ap-
po:ntment," l quote the following from the
oh page of the Report of the Swamp Land
| Committee. before referred TO. viz:
| From the evidence in the possession of
| your Committee, they cannot but express
/ their sul prise that Governor Willard should
have appointed jacob Merkle to the respon-
/ Of Jasper county. soon after the expi: alton
of his term of office as Treasurer of said
! county; notwithstanding il was known to
!
sued on his ofhcisl bond as defaul.er to the
Swamp Land Fund in 1855. which suit he
had compromised by giving his notes with
surety for the sum of S23. 400 so; thus ac-
knowlsiging his oefalca,ion. and that the
greater part of these notes. though due.
!; were still outstanding and unpaid aud not.
withssandiny il was known to his ExcelIen.
cy that said Aerkle had again been sued in
ls56. upon his official bond as Swamp Land
Treasurer, for . further defalcasion of Sl4..
600 to the Swamp Land Fund, As certified
BY the Auditor of Sta,e; and that in 1851
Judgment was obtained against him 10 an.
other suit upon his official bond as Coun,y
Treasurer 10 the amount OF $1,000 fol
State revenue; and tha, there was then, anc
} still is. pending against him. sui, upon hi.
J official bond for . defalca:ion of county rev
enue; and that he had not at the date of hi.
; appointment as said Commissioner. and still
! has not. settled with the Auditor and Treas
urer ef State op C.,uafu Eo.,u,.S;-.a. L..