American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1862-10-17
Editor of 1merican Citizen:

In reply to the inquiry of friend Of mine,
why it was that received so small vote at
the late election. one better prepared perhaps
than any other person in the county to give an
answer. replied. that great reason as any
other was that of my having tried to reduce
the usual pay of county officers. Now. dear
sir. as have no kind editor TO pen a few lines
for NV consolation while writhe under the
crushing weight of this most whitening re-
buke of my fellow citizens. ask an humble
place IN yqi1r columns to make some lustihca-
ton of my course. / am of opinion that other
causes contributed to bring about this result.
such, for instance. as my refusing to par ici-
pate in the proceedings of Know nothing
lodges and Democratic caucusses opposing
for Office Democrats and Wings, as / might
feel inclined But I take it for granted that
the reason first above mentioned is the chief
cause Of my most signal failue in my Last effort
for office, and shall therefore attempt to Justify
myself only in regard to that particular thing.
Our officers are men whom / respect, and
against them, as private individuals. have
nothing to say; but in becoming public off
cers they become my agents. as they do of
every citizen of the county and such I
contend that l have perfect right to hold
them to a strict observance of the terms of
agency: in other words. the faG erecting the
Office and the officer. always Gets forth the
powers, duties. liabilities and compensation
ok the latter. The law is but the expression
OIL the VIII Oh tuc people 8tl power dttu. du-
thority rests with them hencs tho exercise OF
any power by an officer Or gent of theirs,
beyond that expressly delegated to them, is
plainly an usurpati0n of power aud an in
fringesaent upon the private rights of every
individual for whom he acts as agent or off
Ger. These being my views as to the relation
the officer suslains to the people for Whom he
acts. and believing. too. that our county Off
GERS have. without any bad motive, I will say,
4 have no doubt. got into the habit Of doing
many things more as they think they should
be done. than as the law requires they shall
be done IL it. ask. strange or at ar unrek-
sonable that / should. say to my fellow 'citi
zens that if elected / would discharge faith
fully the duties Of the Office / sought. and
receive as compensation only the lrgaI salary.
Ehie.. stated. could not exceed seven humid
red dollars per sannJIfn, instead Of fourteen
hundred, usually Paid2 Now. If am right
to this last proposition; if it be SO. that
our Board of Police pay annually to this one
officer seven huodred dollars out Of our money
that we place in their hands for other pur-
poses, and pay it without authority from us,
have I not the right, As an honest tax payer
{thongh very small one. It's true.) to enter
publicly my protest against it, Nov as to
the law in this case. and others shall refer
to, / confess it is not at all impossible that l
may be mistaken ! therefore refer those who
may feel any interest in the matter to the law
itself, and let them be their own judges. As
to Assessors salary. refer to pamphlet acts
of Legislature of Nov. 1858 page f55. Now.
If have had proper understanding OF this
law, il the members of our Board Of Police
wi turn to Revised Code, chapter So, article
81 Ind chap. Ga. art 60. they viii see that by
making unauthorized appropriations they in
cur, if enforced, heavy penalty. While upon
this subiect, will state that the paying Of
the Probate Clerk Eve hundred dollars, and
the Sheriff two hundred and fifty dollars, per
annum, for extra services. is NOT. as think
aathorfxed by lAw.-6ee Revised Code. chap
% articles 10 and u. Xnd If there be any
oilIcers Who knowingly receive for their SER
vices more than the legal pay, they may see
by examining Revised Code. Gath chapter and
18th article. thai onlyza part Of the penalty
incurred il 4 forfeiture of their Offices.
A. z. BEARD.
Sharon. Oct. II. 1852.