Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-10-01

- ~ III AOoT, Iii VIC CUuIu near from
both sides and the Governor could
have an opportunity to prove himself
innocent. 1t seems, however, that
there is no longer any room to doubt
his guilt, and it is but just that the
public should be made acquainted With
the facts.
In January, 1864, the town of Cot
tage Grove having decided to pay a
bounty Of not to exceed $500 each for
recruits, in order to save the town from
a draft, the funds for this purpose were
placed in The hands of VIM. r. TAYLOR,
chairman of the town, who went to
Madison and entered into an arrange
ment wiz" one II. L. Farr, recruiting
officer tnen on duty .hel y, Whereby
Farr was to obtain the recruits at the
lowest possible figure, and the differ
ence between the figure they were OBJ
tanned at and the 5000 allowed by the
town, was to be divided equally be-
tween Tay Tor and Farr. This arrange.
ment was carried out, Governor Taylor
pocketing, as his share of the profit,
something over 5000.
These facts were first brought to the
attention of the public by letter from
Capt. Geo. B. Carter, a well-known
lawyer of Platteville, to the Stats
Journal, who said they were told him
by Farr at the time (January, 1864
and who called on Messrs. Taylor and
Farr to inform the public now whether
they were true. The Milwaukee News,
on the authority OF Gov. Taylor, pro-
nounced Capt. Carriers statement to be
an unmitigated falsehood, and said
that Col. Farr (who is Democrat and
member of Gov. Taylor's military
staff would be heard from in a few
days, as would also Isaac Adams and
w. j. Sharp, who it claimed were as
ISOLATED with VIM. r. Taylor, in pay.
ing the bounties, as Supervisors of the
town.
Well, Mr.. Farr has been heard from,
and he not only substaptiates Mr.. Car
ters statements, but makes oath to the
facts therein set forth and above given,
and to the further fact that VIM. r.
Taylor, in order to cover up the trans
action and put himself straight with
his town, required each of the recruits
to give receipt in full for 5000.
Isaac Adams has also published card
in the State Journal, in which he says
that he and Mr.. Sharp had nothing to
do with the paying of the bounties-
that the money was all handled by
VIM. R. Taylor, Gas he very well
knows"
1t gives us no pleasure to publish
such facts in regard to any man, but
VIM. R. Taylor is now before the peo-
pie as a candidate for the chief execu-
tive Office of the State, and we feel that
the interests of the State demand that
the people should be appraised as to
what manner of man he is. When
placed by his fellow citizens as "ruler
over few things" he has proved
grossly unfaithful. Is it presumable
that he would prove more faithful as
'ruler over many things2'
The Neaos complains bitterly of the
charges made by the Republicans
against Gov. Taylor. 1t ought rather
to complain of the truth of those
charges; it ought 10 weep that man
should be Governor of Wisconsin. and
should be candidate for election,
of whom such things can be said and
who is unable to acquit himself That
is the shame which every citizen of the
State ought to deplore. Having such
a man for Governor, the question is
whether it is the duty of the press to
remain silent and run the risk of his
being elected for second term, or to
expose his character that he may be
relocated to private life and the State
spared the humiliation of chief mag
istrate with SO scandalous record.
There is another aspect of the case
which also makes it the duty of Re-
publican papers to tell the truth about
Gov. Taylor and to spare him not.
The warning cannot be made too con-
spicuous that men of bad antecedents
and blemished character can not safely
become candidates for high public po-
sitions. Nothing can do more toward
purifying the public service than the
knowledge that the press is vigilant in
inspecting the past history of candi-
dates, and bold in publishing any evil
dences that may be found of their I'M
worthiness of the confidence of the
people. 1t is in some degree an in
dictment against the Republicans of
Wisconsin that William r. Taylor is
now Governor. That is to say the fact
is attributable in part to the forbear-
ance with which they treated him, to
their failure to make public well-estab.
lished facts from his record. This
course was dictated by generous and
creditable motives; but after all the