The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-03-17

In our comments on an article in the Press,
las. week. the following sentence occurred:
VIII he tell US why defauting town treasurer
right in this town was allowed by democratic
board to steal his Official bond from the files
an1 thus escape convection for embezzlement !?
What we meant by the above, was to show
how uaiust and ridiculous and unfair such
sweeping assertions as those Of the Press, on
which we were commenting, are. Just such
reckless assertions are being constantly applied
by tho Democrat newspapers and politicians to
the Republicans, as a body. The opportunity
was offered to apply the same general innuendo
uear home IN the same sweeping manner, and
on about the same evidence or absence of EVIL
dence OF general completely in the one case as
in the other. We supposed our general ques-
ton would be likely to challenge the attention
OF soms who might deem themselves to be in
cluded We wished to bring home to class
the injustice and wrong which may be done TO
individuals by that kind of pointed, though
really vague, innuendoes, which are Just now
being used for effect as political Arguments
Because one or two or dozen men may be de-
tected guilty practices, Is no reason why
everybody else should be included and charged
with bang dishonest and corrupt. We believe
the facts will bear US out in asserting that this
journal has, OF late, been as free from that
practice as any political newspaper with which
wa ara acquainted.
The matter alluded to was that OF Mr.. Eggles-
ton, who was elected Town Treasurer, we think,
in the spring Of 1859. Mr.. Ross was elected
Q,,yar nd NJ III,
at tho same time. The Town Board settled
with the Treasurer. Mr.. Eggleston, just previ-
GUS to the spring election in 1870 and found a
thousand dollars, more or less, of township
money remaining in his hands. Mr.. Eggleston
was reelected Treasurer in the spring of 1870
. and Mr.. Briggs WAS elected Supervisor. Some
time after this it was discovered by Mr.. Briggs
that the money supposed to be in the hands OF
MI. Eggleston wasinot forthcomiDg-in fact
thai hs had used it in his private matters and
could not replace it. Mr.. Briggs then took
charge OF the Treasurer's books and papers and
superintendent the collection of the taxes and
the disbursement OF the moneys, which were
all accounted for and turned over to the incom-
ing Treasurer in the spring OF 1871.
subsequently Mr.. Eggleston and his bonds
man we're sued on the bond given to Mr.. Briggs,
on the supposltion that the defalcation had
been made after the commencement of his
second term. On the trial of the case MIR.
Egg!eston went upon the stand and testified
that the default occurred during his first term,
and that he was short the full amount of the
deficit at the time Of his settlement at the close
OF tho first year and before he was elected to
his second term. He was not sued on the bond
given for the first term for the reason that no
such bond could be found although Mr.. Ross
claimed that one was given and that he, as
Supervisor, had approved 1t. The disappear
ance OF this bond has always been a mystery
Our own impression has always been that it
wys sDstracted from the files by Mr.. Eggleston
through the connivsnce Of a f1end-not a
msmber OF the Board
Now, we suppose the Township Board no
more connived at or condoned the abstraction
OF this official bond, than President Grant
Hamilton Fish, Postmaster Jewell, Secretaries
Brstow or Chandler did in the matter OF selling
<Iost traderships by Secretary Belknap.
AS 10 the politics Of Mr.. Ross, we supposed
him to be Democrat. AT any rate he was an
active co-vorker with the Democrats for what
was called the LlbeIbl Republican ticket. II
he wass Republicauvt was before our return
to tina VILLAGE.