The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-04-22

bEhheh hhlS tNSiH VSiuos W. NllV We HhN'
saved for tho school fund, above all rXpen
sea, certainly tue sum Of SILL SO, lias
this been IN expensive aud useless investiga.
tion2 Bui as we have before stated, the cX.
pcnsOS are not to he deducted from this lund.
We have then saved for the free schools GER
talaly the sum Of S2,0S? 80 and perhaps
more.
Our report to the state superintendent,
showed the total balances against oil off,
GERS on settlement to be $j,ilO 0G, which
includes tho balances against officers for
the year 1871, but this sum was Tot stated
to be "delinquent" by us, and We are not
10 be held responsible for tae differences Of
the state superintendent. In our opinion
It would have been better for him to have
published our report, Or at least to have
published the items making ZIP the Sj,5l0.
O6, with the years in which they were
found. His report is certainly not cvi.
dcncc for or against us, 80 long us better
evidence exists, in tho shape of our own
report, q copy Of which VIZ publish, the
setll dement's now on Hic In the clerks Of.
ace Of Lewis county, and the complete
record Of all our proceedings, In the pos
session Of the clerk Of the board of super
visorS. All these papers are open for the
inspection Of the public, an aud examine.
ton Of them will substantiate all We
have said. We must insist that tho hold
and naked declarations of this man Chnl.
FAINT be not taken as true until il b,
seen whether or not there il the slightCsl
foundation for them 10 10 found In those
papers lie has never seen them, ami
consequently cannot know that anything
he says Is true. Had 10 been aelua,pd BY
a desire 10 ascertain and report the truth
instead Of wishing to vent some petty
spite, he would have sought information
where correct information was TO be found
and his conduct In this particular Is tho
more inexcusa bic aftor being directed Ia
these papers by Mr.. Butcher. An exami.
nation Of them would have con WINGED him
of the injustice Of his charges. but lie
didnOt want TO be convinced. lie even
says that hS don't cate how we made OUT
report. lie prefcrsto act upon the prin.
ciple that lie well stuck 10 lsas good n,
tho truth-contcnts himself with rciter.
alton Of his former charges or nj most
but seeks to substaHtlato them by report
which We had no finger In making, and
are IN no wise accountable for.
In conclusion, Mr.. Editor, we will no.
tice the attempted sneer Of this person a,
the committee for "lhOir arduoul labors III
bclialfof education Here, too tho lactI
in the case arc the best answer. The CON.
miticc wasin session but ij days, and d..
ring that time made between 80 and 90
settlements, some Of these running bacl,
for ave aud six years. To make one set.
Element they were frequently compelled 10
examine all the official papers Of q town.
ship, TO compare, arrange, aud pass upon
voluminous orders, receipts and vouchers,
10 examine accounts, kept originally III a
very confused manncr--CGeh year increa.
sing the difficulty Of cOmprchending them.
II was matter OF surprise and congra,u.
latiOn TO the committee that they were en-.
ablcd to complete their settlements rs
quickly as they did, and we fccl warrant.
cd in saying that no other committee in
the state, having tho same amount Of work
10 do, completed II MS soon. Indeed, in
some Of the counties Of the state, these
settlements arc still going on. The com.
pnrnti1cly light expense attending the in-
vcsigatiOn III this county certainly cannot
be cause Of complaint to any one, save.
perhaps, some miserable dcmngoguc. No
friend of free schools can complain Of an
Investigation which cost the school fund
nothing, and saves for Il thousands Of dol.
lars. And no officer will object to an In.
vestigaton 1.-The owes nothing.
Rcgreiting, Mr.. Editorthat We have been
compelled to occupy so much of your val
liable space, and hoping that my one de.
Sirous Of further information on this sub
ject will seek It from the sources we nave
pointed out, like our sagaeious critic
we retire from the Geld.
Respectfully,
JOHN lIuSsEY,
VIC. BENNETT.