White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1860-10-18
THE COUNTY C0MMIssI0NERs.

THE COUNTY C0NH1ssIoHERs. |
We propose this week to call the at
tention Of the voters of Doniphan County |
to the subject of County Commissioners. |
We have heretofore. in speaking Of the
candidates for the different Offices, based
our remarks almost exclusively upon po-
litical grounds; but while there are great
political objections to the Democratic
candidates for Commissioners, we intend
only to address ourself to the pockets Of
the voters. The times. as every ono re-
alizes. are extremely hard and anything
that touches . mans pocket, touches .
tender spot.
Some four years ago, the Free State
men were driven from the polls by hordes
Of Missouri invaders, who took posses.
sion Of the ballot boxes, carried the elec-
tions, and imposed the tyrannicsl Mis-.
souri, code of laws upon the Territory.
The Free State people were disfranchised:
and in order to give expression to their
grievances. they held elections, at which
none but legal votes were received. A
Grand Jury Of Pro. Slavery men in this
County, indicted Free State men who
participated in that election, as violators
of the law and disturbers of the peace.
James r. Whitehead Zone of the Royal
Family Of Whiteheads) was then, as
now, Clerk of the First District Court,
and came in for fees for his official ser.
vices in the indicting business. Although
Carey B. Whitehead, "a near relative. }
as Sheriff of the County, dogged the in
dicted Free State men well, nothing was
made in the operation, and the Clerks
fees remained unpaid. We presume he
had no doubt that the County would re-
main in Pro Slavery hands, and that his
fees were safe. and therefore did not urge
the matter. But in 1857 q Free State
Board Of Commissioners was elected; and
from that time until last Spring the Board
was under Free State control, and of
course those fees could not be reached.
But last Spring genuine Pro.Slsvery
Board was elected, composed of VIM.
Word, Eli Gabbert, and j. II. White.
head, 1.-THE latter likewise near relative
of the Clerk. 1t was now or never for
those fees; and one of the 6rst acts of tho
Board was the allowance of said fees to
James R. Whitehead, for indicting Free
State men for the crime of votingl That
money was taken from the County Trea.
sury; and you. taxpayers, have to bear
the burden!
About that same year 1856. 1--WE do
not know the precise date, } there was set
apart for Doniphan County section of
land in each Township, for school pur-
poses. Seven quarter sections of this
land were sold to settlers. at the Govern.
ment price. amounting to 5000 for each
qusEter section. The Democratic Com.
missioners Of that year distributed this
money among certain Pro. Slavery men
in the County, under the pretense of
cleaning" it out. But there was not .
note nor security taken for any of the
money. and but for the name of the thing,
might as well have been presented to the
borrowers at once. Here are the names
Of the ones who got the money. They
will at once be recognized as Pro. Slave.
ryites of the first water: E. v. B. Roe.
srs. 5000; Samuel Blair, $500; Ebene-
zer Blackiston. 5000; Paris Dunning,
5000; Joel P. Blair. 5000; j. H. Mer-
rill, Urish Griffith, and E. Merrill, 5000;
There is said to be note for this;) Joel
P. Blair and R. Middleton, 5000. Here
are sl4OO belonging to the people of
Doniphan County, to educate their chill
dren' loaned out to hungry partisans,
without note or security. Last year,
the Republican Board brought suits
against tho above persons. for the recov.
cry of this money, which were pending
when the present Democratic Board came
into power; and another of the first acts
Of the latter. was to dismiss the suits.
leaving the County to foot the costs that
had accrued. They virtually gave the
persons permission to keep the money,
unless they were disposed to pay it of
their own free win. Here, taxpayers,
are $14O0 Of your school money given
away BY these honest Democratic Com.
missioners, together with four years. in.
terest on the same. which, at 10 per cent.
per annum, would amount to e460, run.
ming the whole amount. principal and
interest, up to e1.960. Thus. you see
nearly $4,000 of your money gone at al
sweep, and your children need schooling
badly. You must now pay the money
ont Of your own pockets. or permit your
children to run in idleness and ignorance.
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