Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-05-08
" village GeneaIogiSt.''

A custom prevails, somewhat extern
sively, at the South and through the
West, for person, if he desires to be a
candidate for a particular office, to an
nounce himself as such, and to per
sonally solicit support and votes. We
have had some little experience with this
custom. At first, it event little
against the grain" being entirely coun-
ter to our New England education, Gus
toms and habits. At last we fell in with
the current, adopted the maxim of do
ing as the Romans d0 when in Rome,
and conquered our prejudices." Our
then brief experience, as well as subse-
quent reflection, have led us to change
somewhat our early views of this mat
ter, and we can see no particular harm,
if one wants an office, in his saying so.
We despise, as much as any one can,
the regular professional ofice-seeker.
A man, who can support himself only
by constant recourse to the public
pap" and is constantly manipulating
L" the wires, cringing, fawning, etc, to
secure office, is an object of pity and
contempt. But where one, from
knowledge of his own requirements and
particular aptitude-if we may use such
a phrase-feels that he can do "the
State some service in a particular posi-
ton, there can be no ham in his max
1,,rr hiD 1lait,,c Iy,Aurp 1r, tha
much good may result from such a
course. In any event, we propose to
brave public opinion, take the bull by
the horns, and announce ourself as a
candidate for particular Office. There
is, as yet, no such office as the one to
which we aspire, but it must be created
at once. We have not made a suffi-
GENTLY thorough examination to make
US to decide whether the office can be
created by the trustees of the village, or
whether it will be necessary to call
village meeting for that purpose. The
voters of the village, at the annual meet.
ing, saw fit to pass an ordinance provid-
ing that no trustee should hereafter . be
appointed Superintendent of Streets
and Sidewalks, or act as such Superin-
emit This is, perhaps, all well enough,
and we have no fault to find with it.
When they come, however, to extend
the prohibition " to any relative within
the fourth degree of affinity or consan-
guinity," they spread it over rather
large surface. 1t is moreover provided
that "all moneys expended in violation
of this ordinance shall be treated and
regarded as unlawfully expended, and
the trustee or trustees asserting to such
violation thereof, shall be personally liza
bic to said village for all moneys so eX-
pended. " In order to protect the trus-
tees from personal liabily, genealo-
gist for the village must be appointed,
and this is the office that we are candi-
date for. The fourth degree of af-
finity or consequently" is going to be
difficult matter to ascertain. When you
consider the ascending and descending
lines, intermarriages, ETC., the trustees
will never be safe in undertaking to APP
point "a Superintendent of Streets and
Sidewalks without having their own
genealogy and that OF every male in
habitant of the village, completely and
accurately traced out and ascertained.
This, to be sure, will be work of years,
but, as it is for the benefit of the streets
and sidewalks, we suppose the highway
tax can be expended to pay the salary
and expenses of the genealogist We
have some materials already prepared.
but should not expect to complete the
work in our lifetime; neither would
our successor, although he might live an
hundred years. 1t would be pleasant.
and, for us, easy work. We could travel
extensively, live luxuriously, and buy
books, all on account of the shiglwav
tax" We trust that the proper officers
will act at once in the matter, create
the office, and appoint us 9 Village Gene
alogist