Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-03-06
Letter from Columbus.
Correspondence Of the Belmont Chronicle.

Correspondence Of the Beluon, Chronicle.
CoLUMBus, March /, 1862.
Mn. EDfroR: In my last letter / alluded
to the case. of the FrankliA County Treas
urer pending In the Supreme Court. The
case was decided on Monday last, and is as
follows
No. 1l3. John G.. Thompson, Treasurer
of Franklin County, Relator, v. John
Phillips. Auditor of said County.
The Rclator is Treasurer of franklin
County. His term of office commenced on
the first Monday of September. 1860, and
| will continue TO the first Monday of Sep
TENDER, 1852. IS c. 1870, Sec. Nv.
| lie is making the semi-annual settlement
with the defendant, who is auditor of the
| County, required by the statute. 2 s. e.
C. l47T, Sec. VIII. Upon this settlement
il is the duty of the Auditor to allow him
the compensation TO which he is entitled by
law for his services as Treasurer. Sec. VIII
supra. The Auditor offers to allow him the
compensation prescribed by the let of April
0, lSel (5S D. l.. 10 J and, under in
structions from the State Auditor, refuses
to allow him any more-the sole ground of
this refusal being, that, in the opinion of
the Auditors, his compensation is governed
by that act. The Rclator insists that he is
entitled to tho compensation prescribed by
the laws in force on the first Monday Of
September, 1850. when his term of Office
commenced, tabout $500 more than that
offered by the Auditor, and he prays for n
peremptory mandamus to compel the de-
PENDANT to allow him that compensation.
BY TIE Court.
The Relntnr to show that he is not affect.
cd by the act Of April g., 1861, relies on the
following section of tie constitution ~
1.-The General Assembly, in cases not pro-
vided for in this Constitution, shall fix the
term Of Office, and The compensation Of all
officers but no change therein shall affec,
the sdtory of any officer during his existing
term, unless the office be abolished" Sec
20, Art. 2. oi ..nl l'L b. a.'|
1t is manifest, from the change of expires
sion in the two clauses of the section tina
, the word SALARY" was not used in a genera
sense, embracing any compensation fixed
! for an officer, but in its limited sense, of az
annual or periodical payment for services
r u payment dependent on the time, and no
on the amount of the service rendered.
r Where the compensation, rs in this case, i
! to be ascertained by a percentage on thu
amount Of money received and disbursed
: we think it il not a salary within the mean
ing of the section of the constitution.
Percmptory Mandamus refused.
BY this decision it will be seen that tn
compensation Of most of the county officers
including incumbonts in office, is open 70
investigation, and If need be rstrenchment
! The public very evidently demands the mos
. searching scrutiny into and the mos
thorough system of rstrenchment on thi
subject. The times demand it. True pa
triotism demsnds it; and yet it is the mos
difficult subject for a legislator to approach
with any fair prospect of accomplishing hi
purpose. If salaries could be reduced with
out e~fecting the personal interest of the oil
ficer, it would be an easy and pleasant ta,i
to accomplish. But this cannot be done
and the Legislature may expect a host o
interested srties as usual, working in til
lobby and through the local press to defea
any measure for the reduction of salaries
The Senate Committee on Judiciary RI
ported in favor of the claim Of Harriso
, county to certain monies in the Stat
Treasury, collected as taxes from the Ha
rison Branch of the State Bank of Ohio f
1859 and 1860. The money claimed is f
" that portion of taxes which arose from a
I sessments for local purposes only, amour
ing to So, 547 AZ. The report was accom-
!. panied with a bill requiring the State Trea
urer to refund.
Belmont county holds a claim, which
understood to be identical, both in point
" law and equity, with the Harrison count
claim, for local taxes arising from the BE
:, mont Branch. This claim will u~ndoubtedl
. be attended to.
By a recent act Ohio gets 10 members
Congress, instead Of Is, as was announce
last spring as the result Of the apportioI
ment. The Committee on districting I'll
:. State will now go to work.
" A large number Of prisoners arrived her
this morning, from Fort Donelson. The
go into quarters for safe keeping at Cam
to Chase.
The question of the election Of q U.
Senator was discussed in The Senate Q
Friday, which resulted in a postponemei
70 Of the subject until Thursday next, at whic
Of time a day will probably be agreed upon e
an election. There is no concentration &
any ono man which would seem to indicat,
very clearly, his election. Mr.. Wade W
probably have a plurality Of votes in cauc,
n on the first ballotings, but may never reaC
IN a majority. Gen. Delano stands porhar
ne equally prominent with Mr.. Wade. I wi
at no, venture any prediction on the fnal n
n suit; l have no doubt but a good man VI
rs be nominated and elected, from the maj
no who seem willing to serve their country
n that capacity.
/ Quarterly Report Of the Ladies' Al
Society.
III ST. ~CLAIRsvILLE, o., Feb. IS.
"