The evening Argus., 1865-12-15
GIVING AWAY THE PEOPLES MONEY
Lack of Back Bone in Attending 10
the Peoples Business.

ing away the money OF the people, inie
conntv owes enough, and the people have
hard enough time to get along, without max
ing presents to county officers VINO are GET
ting rich out of their Offices
Bv reference to the proceedings of the
hoard of supervisors, in this paper, 1t will be
found that Sheriff Merrill charged the coun-
ty some seventy odd dollars extra. in his bill,
to make up the shave he would have to stand
ON his county orders to convert them into
money The board, by yeas and nays, refus,
ed to paw this extra charge-and then turned
around, on motion of Sup'r Atkinson, and
coted Mr.. Sheriff Merrill present Of eractty
le same amount, 1t seems to us to be
very queer proceeding, and we think 1t Will
look so to the people. Are the supervisors
afraid of the court house clique that they
thus stultify themselves ? In one breath
thew yery properly refused to allow bill for
which there is no lawful authority, and Tor
which no sort of consideration had been rem
dered-and in the very next breath they
made haste to appease the anger OF the court
house managers by swallowing their own
words and allowing the very same bill.
We do not alluda to this matter out OF any
unkindness to Mr.. Merrill, for, personally,
we like him,-but we feel 1t our duty 10 say
that. when he solicited the people to vote for
him. he knew just exactly what the perquis-
ties of the office were-just exactly what :he
law allowed him for every item he could
charge the county - and he solicited the of
fce knowing these facts: he wan ted the Of
fee, and wanted ii at the fees allowed by
law. He had been sheriff before, and he
knew all about it. He cannot complain that
he was ignorant of the facts. or that he was
forced to take the position-hs wanted and
solicited the people to elect him, knowing ell
the chances to make money out of 1t. lie
took the contract, and is bound, In honor and
in law, to fulGll it-even If he got hard bar
gain. But he has not got hard bargain.-
It is good thing" at the prices allowed
by law, and there are plenty of good, respon-
sibe and competent men who Will be glad TO
take the Office of his hands any day, and give
bonds to make no extra charges against the
county. There are plenty of returned SOL
diers, who are out of business, and who would
be glad to take the offce-men who are fully
competent and responsible. There are plen-
TT of good men who would be very glad to
take even the boarding of prisoners at the
price allowed by law. Mr.. Supervisor Atkin.
SOP cannot mislead nybody by saying that
he gives away the money of the money OF the
people ''in consequence of the low price al
lowed by law for boarding prisoners" The
sheriff agreed to board them for the price al
lowed by law, when he begged the people 20
elect him, and the supervisors had no right
TO increase the price fixed by the statute
When the sheriff or any other county officer,
asks the board to allow him any sum not au-
thorized By law, the board should tell him to
throw up the business, # he don't like it, and
they will find some one TO do it for the rate
fixed by law. In the name of common sense,
and of right, and of Justice, and Of laT, we
ask: Is it necessary for the representatives
of the people, who were sent here TO look af-
ter the interests of their constituents, to stul-
tfy themselves and 60 down their bellies
at the bidding of the court house clique p
What were they sent here for? To do the
bidding of ths court house Office holders p
or to stand up against their extortonate and
illegal bills, and look out for their constitu-
ents' pockets? If the supervisors don't look
out for the pockets of their constituents, who
will? VIII the Office holders do it? Not
much-not any
The supervisors would have been much
better employed in looking up the extra per-
quisites the sheriff gets, or takes, than in Civ
ing away the money of the people. For in
stance: Suppose they had enquired whether
most of the work about the sherif's house,
inside and out, and about his stable, is not
done by persons. male and female, ordered
to be confined in jail? Suppose, also, they
had enquired if the sheriff had credited the
county with the services of these people (for
their services belonged to the people and not
to the sheriff. and deducted it from his bill
Suppose they had enquired if the sheriff cred
tied the county and deducted from his bill
the ton or more of hay cut and saved by pris-
oners, In court house square? Suppose they
should 60 back a little, and enquire what has
become of new cooking stove, bought and
paid for with the peoples money, for the Jail
house? When county officers make money
out of their positions in SO many ways not
authorized by law, and then come in and get
extra and illegM charges allowed by the su-
pervisors, it BONES somebody to enquire in
TO these things.
How long do the farmers and mechanics