The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-12-02
and expenditures Of the public money shall
be published annually" fs'

and expenditures Of the public money shall
be published annually"
We have long sought in vain for "an
accurate and detailed statement" Of the
Governors expenditure" of the "Civil
Contingent Fund" We have often
wondered how he could be "eligible" to
his office so long as that Fund was not
"duly accounted for" We now beg to
inquire in what way the "rebel Demo
Gratis" can be held responsible for that
portion of the "high taxes" which this
money, so mysteriously disposed of, rep
resentsf Ut
We would also be pleased to learn why
the "rebel Democrats" are to be made
accountable for the sum of twenty-eight
thousand dollars, expended by the State
for Soldiers Medalsi This piece of
costly folly was purely a Radical ar
rangement. Many Of the tokens have
never been called for, while those that
were received can never be of any sub
stantial benefit to the recipients. How
did the "rebel Democrats" make this
part of the "high taxesi"
Let us read for our instruction an
other lesson from the Constitution. Ar
ticle LII, Section 8, says:
No ertra compensation shall be granted
or allowed to any public officer, agent or
contractor, after the services shall have
been rendered or the contract entered
into. Nor shall the salary or compen-
sation of any public officer be increased
or diminished during his term of office.
Article V, section I'd, says: ,..E
The Governor shall reside at the seat
OF Government; shall receive two thou
sand dollars for each year of his service,
and during his continuance in Office
shall receive no other em0lHmeRt from
this or any other Government.
Section Z, same Article, provides that
"The Secretary Of the State shall re-
ceiye thirteen hundred, the Treasurer
fourteen hundred and the Auditor tif-
teen hundred dollars per annum.
These Constitutional provisions clear
ly forbid the increase "f the pay of any
public officer, by any shift or device,
during his term of office. Nevcrthe-
less, the salaries of all the officers above
named have been regularly increased by
Legislative subterfuges. Additional
wages have been given these function
aries in the shape of "rcnt," in sums
ranging from two hundred to seven
hundred and fifty dollars, according to
the dignity of the office. We trust our
cotemporary will advise US how the
"rebel Democrats" can be made respon-
sible for the "high taxes" which these
swinales have occasioned. .Es|r
Then, there has been sunk in the Luz
natic Asylum about $4,000. Compe-
tent architects estimated that it could
be completed for 100000. 1t is not
half finished. Will our friend advise
us in what way the "rebel Democrats"
caused the notorious corruptions ad-
mitted to exist in that institution, and
the "high taxes" to which those corrnp-
tions have given rise
The last Legislature appropriated $780,
600 for work on the Pcnitentiary. The.
public was then assured that the build
ing could be completed for $l6S,OOO.
The first appropriation is about exhaust
ed, and the building is barely above
ground. At this rate, Sl,O0O,OOO will
hardly finish that concern. These facts
are also suggestive of "high taxes" but
for the life of us, we can't see how the
''rebel Democrats" caused them. Any
information will be thankful J received.
We have here referred to very few
of the leading facts in the financial his
tory of West Virginia-facts which
show the existence of reckless extrava-
gance and.incompetency in the manage
ment of our public affairs. If there is
any Radical paper in this State with
sufficient dignity to vouchsafo more
decent reply to this article, than the
hackneycd drivel about "rebel lies"
we would be pleased to have an expla-
nation of the case as we have tried to
present it. When the facts we have
here given are disposed of, we will offer
another collection for public considera-
ton.