The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-10-09

FoRr MADISON, Iowa,
October 7th. 1855.


October 7th, 1855.
1e tie Voters Of Lee Cbasfy-a SS
The Consultation Newspaper Of Keokuk, in its
issue Of this day. make charges against me- lavish
expenditure of the money Of the county for pub
fishing the denqusnt tax list, In September 1864.
The editor Of that paper made like charges in .
speech on the 30th ult, at this place. l took ne
notice Of that speech because every hearer Of the
geAflDmaa1 new, Or had he msans of kDowire by
askiAg asysone fAhiliaRvlth cAuaty - hirs, HAT
the charge was unfounded; and also, because prom
inent and respectable Democrats openly condemn
ed the speech and denied the charges against me.
The charges, as pablished, possibly may de-
ceivs some one, if not contradicted. therefore,
fellow citizens, beg to make plain statement Of
facts in regard to the matter.
/ was elected your County Treasurer in 1863,
and began to discharge the duties of the Office on
the LIST day of January, 1854. / found that the
delinquent taxes Of the county had not been col
lected by sale OF hands since the year 1853 That
there had accumulated delinquent taxes-county,
school and State, amounting to about 225,eoe !!
The county from year TO year was paying heavy
interest large Indebtedness, and delinquent
tax payers were not required to pay their taxes.
During the whole Of this time, while the county
was paying this heavy interest and the taxes thus
unpaid, the political friends Of the editor of the
Constitatioa held the ofce Of Collector and Treas
urer, and he has never madeone word ofcompaint
against such mismanagement.
Upon entering on the discharge of my official
duty the first thought that struck me was that
hese delinquent taxes ought to be collected I
commenced the work Of making out the list--an
immense labor which should have been performed
by my predecessors. Iabored day and night for
months upon that list
The law requires the delinquent tax list, before
sale, to be published in Newspaper. See Code.
Sec. 764. determined to publish the list of lands
in the keokuk district in a keokuk newspaper
and the lis, of lands in tine Fort Madison district
in Fort Madison newspaper.
Now the iaw likes the compcn satica cf tie news
paper at 20 cents for each tract of land See Code
Sec. 764, and LAWS Of 1864, p. I4T
had nothing to do with fixing the oompensa-
ton of the printer, more control over il than
had over the lees Of tine sheriff. coroner, clerk,
jurymen, or any other person doing labor for the
county, and whose compensation was fixed by law
Neither did have anything to do with the pay
nent OF the same, as viii soon show. When had
completed the list, and determined TO publish in
keokuk and Fort Madison, as above stated, / had
to select the papers in (which / was to publish
The choice was between the Coastitufios and the
bulletin, the Gue City and Piaiadeaier. chose
the Gate City and Pia,sdeaier. Honest Demo-
Gratis, did nctdo right' made no bargain about
price, for two reasons: lst, The law fixed the
price End, 1t was not my business TO pay for the
printing. that the business Of the Supervisors
4ou, the law Irores that each tract Of faai sLafi
be assessed itA 20 cent? costs. 10 pay tAe pr;nf,y
This Is paid into the Treasury. See Code section
16i-) Nor, any that TIE people do aoi
pay ne priafer for tk- adrerisfag Of ne sale list
Our The money - made out of the ia#d
After the printinf was DONE the publ.her. Of the
Gate Cttg and PiaiHdeaier presented their accounts
to the Board Of Supervisors, who allowed hem the
| SUN fixed by law, as any other claim was Allow ed.
The Clerk drew an order on me for the money
and delivered it to these publishers just As any
| other County order. paid it as did any other
County order. You see that | had no more to do
| with the allowance Of the claim than any other
! claim presented to, and paid by the Board of Sa-
pervisors.
| The Board of Supervisors a, that time had .
majority of Democrats. The following is list Of
the Board; their townships and politics are given
| Democrats-M. ii. Rodgers, Green Bay: +. 5.
! Mccullough, Harrison; W. stotts. Jackson: j. A.
| Davis, Franklin; VIM. Werner, West Point; II. VI.
| Salmon, Fort Madison; William skinner Jefer-
son; L. HenlJe. Van Buren; John Schooley Mont
rose f. J. Leeeh, Jackson: " II. Sulliv an Charles
ton; III. W. Hughes, Washington-l2 Democrats
Republicans-D. T. Brown, Denmark: g. +.
Stevenson, Pleasant Ridge; Elias 0verton Marion;
L. B. Maltby, les Moines: W. Marshall, Cedar
5 Republicans.
| Here is Board Of Supervisors. composed Of
| twelve DEMOCRATS, all the political friends Of the
editor OF the tonsfiufioa, and Eve REPr nrlc AVS
who allow these bills for print ng. Does anv man
| suppose that these Supervisors did ANYTHING in
| the matter contrary tolaw, orallowed more money
than was required By law The people of the
county know they did not. They are all good
| men and capable. l say to you fellow citizens
that the Supervisors did simply what the Law re.
quired them to do.
But if the allowance 10 the printer is exorbitant
| and contrary to law, who is to blamej Not my
SELF certainly, against whom the Constitstisa edi-
tor Is bringing these charges but the Supervisors
| two-thrds of whom are his own political friends 8
appeal to those gentlemen, who were Supervi.
sors at the time and whose names are pivenabove
| to vindicate themselves well as myself again ;,
| this most unjust charge. They know that the
statements make are true, and refer the voters
of the several townships to them
| Since have been Treasurer. have naia ova,
$50, ,ooo Of ten pr cent. County notes and owe,
| Sfs, ,eo0 County Warrants. The County is rapidly
paying her debts, and during nv term of ofioe
| the Indebtedness has been redced more than $50
| ooo!! This Is the result of the sales of lands
Tor taxes. Besides, the State and School fund,
have received large amounts from the sane source
Inc consfstaioa editor calls hosae- sta vin q
omee-holder, and appeals to the people to vote
| against me because did not serve in the war
THOSE who know me, knoie that from the beginning
l supported the Government; that my health wal
such that could not possibly have done the GOV.
ernment any good in any service in -the field
man who has been at the point ofdeath from bleed
ing OF the lungs as often as have, would make =
| poor soldier indeed.
Fellow citizens, the charge made against me
have shown to be utterly unfounded During the
time have served you as Treasurer, l have tried
to DO my duty, and advance your interests NV
life is known to all of you. for have been raised
among you. If you shall be pleased to re-eIect
me, shall serve you, as l have heretofore done
faithfully, honestly, and to the best of nv abili.
4 Rpxn fully