Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-03-28
lCommunicat9d.l
The Annual Town Meeting-Town
Officers to be Elected.


Officers to be Elected.
FELLOW CITIZENS knowing the
interest you take in all that concerns
the welfare of the people, | presume
to address you upon subject of vital
Importance. The annual town meet
ing for the election of town officers is
nigh at hand. The progress and
prosperity Of each town chiefly de-
ponds upon them, consequently we
ought to select good men for town
officers.
The Town Board should be select
ed from the most intelligent men in
the town. Their duties are very re-
sponsible and ought net to be disre.
garded. 1t is the duty of the Town
Board to examine the accounts per-
tanning to the town, consequently it
requires men of more than ordinary
ability. At the present time the
chairman Of the Town Board is er
o6icjo member of the County Board
and has voice in the management
of our county affairs, consequently for
this post we should select a man that
we know is intelligent, energetic and
agacous-one who is wide-awake
and will work diligently for the ben
eft of his town, in ordor to curtail
the expenses as far as practicable.
The post of Assessor is also one of
Importance. He should be a man of
good judgment, who knows the diff
ference between horse that is worth
$3.50 and one that is only worth SIS,
or farm that is worth $25 an acre
and one that is only worth So an
acre, and so on with other proper
ty in proportion.
The Town Clerks Office is not less
important than the aforesaid. The
Town Clerks duties are very intri-
cate. He ought to be person of in
telligence and man who has had
considerable experience in business.
lie also ought to be good mathe,
matician, in order to return to each
property holder an equal proportion
of taxes according to the salable val
ne OF his property.
Justices of the Peace should be
chosen from men that have good
judgment combined with common
sense. They ought to be men who
have knowledge of our common
laws and who will apply them with
out Partially TO race or color, sect
or creed. | regret to say that par
ty spirit too often prevails with them.
A justice should also be man of in.
teliigence, in order to act with pro-
priety upon trial, more especially
when a jury is empaneled to decide
the case. He ought not to allow
any evidence that is immaterial or
redundant (although it probably
would not materially affect the mer-
its of the case) but by SO doing would
be waste of public time. He ought
not to allow the counsel to pervert
the evidence by misquoting it. The
Justice ought to be able, when re.
quested, to instruct the jury upon in
intricate points of law. If that were
done the task of jurors would be an
easy one, and decisions would be rem
dered without so many plumbers.
Trial by jury is one of the grandest
of our grand institutions but regret
to say it frequently becomes blurred
and stained by verdicts that are con-
sidered preposterous. However, the
main cause is chiefly attributed to
the ruling of the court. think it
often occurs that the Justice admits
evidence that ought not to be admit
ted, and excludes evidence that ought
to be admitted. In such a case, who
is to blame-the jury or the Justice
if the verdict of the jury is founded
upon law and the evidence that has
been adduced? If any party feels
aggrieved with the decision and APP
peals to the Justice, the Justice will
at once say, "You had a jury trial
and am not to blame, the jury is to
blame" When at the same time the
Justice is to blame for showing par
TALLY, by allowing all the evidence
on one side and very little on the
other.
The arduous duties of Constables
ought not to be omitted For con-
stables we require men who are
prompt, keen and intelligent we re-
qaire men that will without delay
attend pr omptly to business entrust-
ed to them.
Select good, reliable and honest |
men for the aforesaid offices.
Yours Truly, J.J.