The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-01-16
M.rshaIl County Tax Cases.

:, vss not Governor Stanton's produc-
ton. The editor and himself both say
so, and the word of either of them is
satisfactory to me. But corroborating
circumstances are also stated. This
was unnecessary. With or without
such array of evidence, the mistake is
readily conceded. And yet there are
many things that almost justify the
error. l was familiar with Governor
Stanton's views and arguments, from
frequent conversations with him. 1t is
strange how exactly they were reflected
by an article which was not written by
him, ror based on information derived
from him. There was, also, striking
resemblance between the article which
he did write and that which he did not !;
the former being in fact but an ampll-
fication of the latter. He tells US, that
when he read the editorial in question,
il occurred to him that it was based on
information furnished by me, as he was
not aware that any other person was so
we'll informed on the subject. There
is something in this suggestion Who
in Wheeling, besides, Governor Stanton
or myself, knew the precise state
of the pleadings and issues in
these cases? Who knew that the
compromise was effected on the evening
of the 7th of January, or its exact
terms, or that when the cases were
called for argument in the Supreme
Court, on Monday, the 9th, they were
dismissed at the companys cost? 1t
was certainly a natural inference from
these and many other matters OF mere
detail stated in the editorial, that
either he or myself had written it, or
furnished the material out of which IT
was constructed; and as | had done
neither, he will readily understand why
| supposed the article to be his.
made no complaint about the COM
promise made in 1869 on behalf Of the
State. Without any particular informa,
ton respecting it, | thought it fair and
iudicious arrangement at the time II
was made, and have no reason now
to think differently. But whether il
was a proper adjustment or not, is moi
a question involved in this discussion
What / have said about it is, that after
the State had compromised her claim
Marshall county, when her interest re-
ouired it, was at full liberty to do the
same thing, .
The JOINT resolution Of March 4
1869, originated in the State Senate
1t got into such shape as to take the
power of settling the claims for county
taxes out of the hands of the Super
visors, and place 1t elsewhere. In this
shape il was brought TO my attention by
some Of the Senators, because | was
familiar with the subject. | protested
against it in that form, insisting thai
the Supervisors were the proper body
for the management OF county interests
and especially insisting that the in
terests of Marshall county in the
matter ought to be left under her
own control | was afraid that
if the control of her claim for county
taxes was taken out Of her own hands,
i, would be sacrificed for little or
nothing; for frequent suggestions had
been made in or about the Legislature
that the claims for county taxes ought
to be arranged at the rate of thou
sand dollars or Whereabouts for each
county; and it was even said at times
that the counties along the railroad had
no special right to these taxes, but they
ought to be regarded as a common fund
for the benefit of all the counties Of the
State, or released to the railroad COM
panv in return for concessions TO be
made by it respecting freight or travel
on the road The joint resolution was
altered in the Senate as suggested, and
when it came into the House Of Dele
gates | earnestly supported it, because
it secured to every county along the rail
road the control of her own interests in
the matter, and because ! believed then,
as | believe now, that the interests of
the State required these controversies to
be settled upon fair and equitable
terms" The resolution came to the
House on the last day Of the session,
when there is always a great pressure
of business. In the midst Of that pres
sure | endeavored to have it considered
and acted on, and urged its adoption
by what supposed to be fair and open
argument; but if any tactic" were en-
ployed on the occasion was not aware
OF it.
IfGov. Stanton has any interest in the
matter, it will give me pleasure to per-
NIT him to examine and copy the state
ment of county levies. from 1864 to
1870, on the property Of the Railroad
Company in Marshall county. With
the character for care and industry
which he assigns to me land his compli-
ment is highly appreciated), he ought to
have supposed that l had information
on the subject, and had taken some
pains, at least, to ascertain its correct
ness. When he informed the public
that was not able to give the precise
amount of the taxes for 1869 and 1870,
he might have added that tit was because
at the time lad not my papers at hand,
and would not undertake to state the
exact figures from mere recollection. He
might also have added that, in the
same conversation, l told him that from
mere recollection could say the figures
he was using were wrong in more than
one instance.
But we are in danger Of losing sight
of the real points in dispute in relation
to the compromise Of the Marshall
county claim. :,
1t may be assumed that Marshall
.o,nky ,c oompotant IN attend tn her