The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-02-24
Eeag e l.as GeAeoL lad
Conlw1tgaionswN
90 &c ,&.tneaAee y l.carsin.

From TIC l1AtToaksc T{xc@rsIl.
1T viii be remembered that last sum
net ana fall a sreat hue ard cry wa
raised by ere or tv0 Republican paper
about he fees recaiyea ~ the Geeretar J
O. Ssate, : sts 9TeasgreT end Attorney
Ee4ef.j IN tnsII CaYac.ty 49, eeiI0ci ieG1
Commissioner u vas charged that the
fees exactea NeGe 3lieg&i, snd that t1ft
u amounted x nau7 tho9sanG. Of dollar@.
thai th9 oeplu aeioneg. cr rather on Of
them, we're RrowIrg rich by e@tortioa
from the people ,cneso charges we've
taken up BY tic democracy atld enlarged
upon at great Seaeth and held up as eK-
salnples ~ theacesfep1lon asd dishonest
Z CT The republican state adniris ratioil
The chaugcs were ring upen these
Charges byrtre semocracy anti election
: was 34ef and d tlleFerg rcadef u heif
yspGas k.asF tneHa " aestt.. VI SAD al
thl ti,pe thai re did mol believe mat the
3 commissioner. lsd g3oae any thing ..c2ou-
trarY TO leA, sDd c.iieo ior e9id.ace 9slpt
people had beenewiildleCl. This egidesa
WIS NOT pr5du1ed ar al lapgth o1e aa4n
was found Wis 1laiilsd b have pas9 >ex-
torLiopate fees, and be comnepcea "a
acGsu al la% tt lecoyer tie ncAe2 wil1eR
h caJaee NJ a2Yersa 20 4lils 1ciioa
Was tried ntipre 3 1ury IN Madison, aa1
a verdict rer{ efs6 tfat the fe'fs charged
were Il. aecords ~. fs.t fa Nv ae st-
jnrity OF the jury Ntil1 Lsfsas'fEe ~. tnis ytf-
sdlct were III pS1itiit5 appotaass u tat
commiasicifrs. Z lie oass was apfeai7t 20
the Circuit Court, and tile seclaion ~
the lower court We sistaans3 me
plaiRi Il paid ti4e casts of flie si:iEi anu
gave up the matter, although me coGt
o. missioners hoped nc would appeal 81 tF'f.
Supreme Court. We sG1rosGa, eile ei9fe
that We had heard the last Of thu matter /;
but some days ago the Assembly, on mo-
tioa OF Dr.. Peaot, democrat passao a
resolution requesting thu state Treasurer,
Secretary Of state and Attorney General
to report 10 the Assembly the amq4gt If
fees received by each 81 them durimg
year, ard the average yearly receipt for
the four years past. They Neae also re-
auested, en- motiono f MIR Beaco, e. ~ port
the amount Of fees received by sheir pre-
decessors during the years 1885, 81 50
80. The t6icerS have complied with
the request by ~eniding in the f0iiowing
communication
OFFICE OF COMMISSIONERS OF SCHOOI +
AND UNIvGa6ITY LAMBS,
MADIsoa. Wis. Feb. 10, 1870
Hon IT, II Bingham, Speaksr Of Assemb1y:
SIR-We have the ho2or Co acknowl-
edge the reeeipt of Assembly Resolution
, No 90, requesting infoEmasion as to the
average. amount OF fees received by us in
addition to our respective salaries FOR she
years 1855, 1857, 1858, 1859, and also for
the years 1885, 1868, 1867, and 1869 Ere
suming the ohje@G Of the resolution to ne
to ascertain the amount received by Our
predecessors dhring the years named, We
have made such Investigation as the time
and facilities afforded as have allowed.
AS no regular account OF lees collected
by the respective officers named is o ne
found among the records Of either IF the
State Departments for the four years,
commencing with 1855 aad ending with
1859, the account Of fees collected by The
.,1lrr1 rs,1~e-;,>--.4o ru1 c,&iu fOut years ILts
been ascertained from Che records Of the
Land Office, and is believed to be sub
stantially correct For the account Of
the last four years we are indebted to
the late commissioners for personal in
spection of The b0D1s containing state
ment in detail of all fees received by
them on sales of state lands. From these
records and books we have complied the
following statement Of the facts called
for in said resolution:
For the years 1856, 1857, 1858 and 1859
the average amount of fees per year re
ceived was $16,951, which, &c near as we
can ascertain, was appoftioned to the
commissioners as follows: TO che At
torney General, annual average, So, 145
\.
5000; to the Secretary Of State, annual
average, $,7S3.
For the years 1866, 1857, 1868 and 1859
the average amount for each year was
$10,270,75, the amount. being apportioned
equally to each of the three commits
sioners, making an annual average OF
$3,423.58.
AS to the laws under which said fees
were taken during the first four years
named, we can only refer TO The statutes
providing for the sale Of State lands, and
for loans from the several funds, Fol
the last four years, We understand that
the fees have been taken for sales of LANG
under chapter SGT of The general laws o
1865. We are further informed that s
question as to the legality ct q portion o
said fees was raised ard 9 case, involving
every controverted point, carried by ap
peal from the City Court Of Madison toth'
Circuit Court Of the eth judicial Circuit
and that in both courts the commission
ers were sustained On every point ct issue
From this decision, though several month
have elapsed, no appeal has been taken
the parties bringing the suis having pai(
all the costs
Respectfully yours,
l.. BREEsE Secyetay OF State.
HENRY BAETz, State Treasurer.
8. s. BARLOW, Attorney General.
1t will be seen that for the four year
beginning with 1860 and ending viii
1oSn +hn o rnracrn ronrl Y rncn;f,hr IN Fec