The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1867-08-17
THE CODE COMMISSION.

The Democrat of August 10, affords us
an opportunity to give a history of Col.
Sanders connection with the Code Com
mission, matter which for the lack of
any charges whatever against the public
or private life of that gentleman, the
Democrat has, either with malice pre-
pense, or with an ignorance pardonable
in that quarter, endeavorved to figure
up TO the discredit of that gentleman.
Accepting the latter view of the case,
and in fact, il has been forced upon Us,
we shall submit without any vexatious
adjectives, the facts of the case. By a
joint resolution of the Legislative As
sembly, approved, February 6, 1865, a
Code Commission was appointed. The
same resolution appointed on that corn
mittee William II. Miller. Dem), w. f.
Sanders, Rep) and George w. Staple
ton, (Dem). The attempt of the Demo
cTat to cruelty one man between two
others has its precedent, and details of
consequences more than forty years 4"
ago They were equally invested with
duties, and the merest tyro in parlia-
mentary rules will perceive that Col.
Sanders was not at first chairman, and was
afterwards appointed to that Office be-
cause the other two We're absent from
the city, and it was essential that the
papers should be certified to, but dele
gated no other power. Two Democrats
a -
anything was done by that body which
was wrong, and which parties are held
responsible for, it would fall on the De-
mocracy. More than this, the Commits
sion never gave Col. Sanders any dis
cretionary power to increase or diminish
expenses, or to expend money. The
resolution ordered them to arrange,
copy, correct punctuation, correct gram
matical construction and photography.
CID make and perfect an index, and to
employ two clerks to assist in such codi-
| fcation." This work was necessary,
there was but one copy of the laws in
| Montana, and that in manuscript, soiled,
and rapidly becoming illegible from re-
| peated handling. 1t was imperative
that it should be done, and at once. Last
| Chance, just discovered, was drawing to
Helena, and from here, every man not
engaged in business, and com~stent
| clerks were almost an impossibility to
obtain. 1t was with the utmost ex-
ertiOn that gentlemen were secured TO
a lax Of
This was $500 per month-ia scrip.
This, according to the Democrats own
estimate, twenty cents on the dollar,
would be just 500 per month, but al
lowing it worth thirty three cents, which
it was, it would be S167. At that time,
ordinary laborers were receiving 5000
per month in gold, boarding was $25
per week and -four had advanced until it
reached 500 per sack. One of these
clerks repeatedly proffereG his pay in
scrip to gentlemen who would pay him
| fifty dollars per month and board him,
which was not accepted. The Com
missioners did not know then, or did any
one else, or does Major Bruce now, any
one who would have done the work
at lower wages. To purchase pens. inks,
paper, tables and such material, S405 65
in scrip was placed in Col. Sanders hands.
This represented in money about S135
(or according to the Democrat, at twenty
cents, SS1l In addition, there was paid
him for rent, S125 in scrip, representing
in value. $37 so, (or, according to the
Democrat, $25), and these two sums
comprise eUery dollar e0er, directly or in
directly, recei0ed 6y COL Sanders iR his
connection acith the Code Commission,
$500 Go in scrip, representing about
$3.50 in money, Tor, according to the
Democrat, $106). Mr.. Miller, who was
poor. came from Bannack several times
on business connected with the Com
mission. He preferred his bill of ex-
penses to the Auditor. The Auditor at
first declined, when Mr. Stapleton and
Col. Sanders agreed that ifany compen-
sation was ever voted, Mr.. Miller should
have it all, ifit did not exceed $500. In
addition, owing TO the unpleasant state
of Mr.. Miller's finances, Col. Sanders
obligated himself 20 the Auditor, Mr..
Lott, TO refund from his own private
purse, the amount asked by Mr.. Miller
If it was not allowed, and thereupon, Mr.
Miller received his $500 in scrip, (or,S1oC