Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1880-04-03
COMMUNICATED.
THE ELECTIONS NEXT FALL.
No 5.

winnings OF every candidate WHOSE VAL
lty may be wounded by the truth, but
perhaps the communication signed Gus
tice" deserves passing notice.
We pointed out the value of LEAD
Err in the Legislature who would publish
many things likely to escape public at,
tention. To illustrate this, we observed
(among other examples,) the very re-
markable fact, that while the last legis-
lature paid the soldiers for protecting
against its own employees) the proper
ty OF the railroad, yet not ore word was
said about the Injunction. Our language
cannot be tortured to condemn this APP
preparation Our only point was that
they ought to have devised some way
to compel the corporation to pay Its
taxes. We said and we say again, that
the submission of the Legislature to the
dictation of this railroad, was adisgrace
to the State. We said and we say again,
the result would have been different, if
there had been present faithful and
competent LEADER.
Again, we said this matter "was
hushed up" and we ask "Justce" if he
has not preserved very ominous silence
about it? He has spoken Of pretty
much everything else that occurred dur
ing the last session, but did he ever
mention This fact to any of his neigh
bors? We ask him whether this mat
ter was referred to by any newspaper?
How many people in this county knew
OF it before the publication of our ar
ticle? And this appropriation was kept
so quiet, because it would naturally sug-
gest unpleasant inquiry about the IN
paid taxes.
/ Again, "Justice" says we misrepre-
scented the facts about the $1,000 voted
the Attorney General in violation Of
the constitution, but it will he found
that "Junius" never makes a mistake.
Justice, as usual, has been misled by
his own ignorance and stupidity. Here
is the paragraph:
"Junlus" states, although the consti-
tuition declares that no extra compensa-
ton shall be granted, the Legislature in
creased the salary of the Attorney Gen
eral from $500 to $4,000. "Junius'
cannot produce an act increasing the
salary of the Attorney General. The
legislature did make an appropriation
OF $1,000 for the contingent expenses OF
the Attorney General and assistant in
/ his office, an increase of 5000 upon pre-
vious appropriations, which the Finance
Committee believed necessary, as the
contingent expenses of that Office would
necessarily be greater in view of the
increased duties Of the Attorney Gener-
al III the contest of the State with the
railroad for the collection of taxes. He
was also instructed to prosecute the
claims of any counties, if requested to
do 50.
Let us try and reduce this jungle of
words to few plain sentences and we
will see who has been guilty of "mis-
representation: list. They did not
increase the SALARY. 2nd. They did
appropriate $1,000 for the contingent
expenses of the Attornfy General and
assistant in his office.
Observe the quibble-they don't in
crease the salary, they only give him
/ $1,000 in addition to his salary, for his
contingent expenses. This bubble does
not disguise the (ac'; formerly this Off
Ger received $500 and now he receives
&23n9. But here is the constitution,
Art. I, Section 10. "The Attorney Gen
cral shall receive $500 per anEum and
no additional fmOiUmem or 0Aow0Mce
shall be paid or made out of the treasu-
" to him on any account
We think it would be more manly
and becoming for Justice" to acknowl
/ edge that this was blunder and TO
plead that he was ignorant OF the con-
slilution; the people will pardon ignor-
ance, (,hey are used to it,) but they will
never forgive or forget a subtertuge.
OF course il is all bosh about the liti-
/ cation betweea the State and the rail.
road, increasing the expenses of this of
flee; trying a case in court don increase
the expenses OF the lawyers Office. The
Attorney General is paid $500 for at
tending TO the law business OF the State,
precisely as the Prosecuting Attorney is
paid 5000 for attending to the law bust
ness of the county, and it is worse than
( absurd to talk about the contingent cX-
/ penses OF his office; there are none ana
1 in the very nature of the case there can
not be any. y lawyer has room in
which he receives his clients, sc, DC.
! Ii he is counsel for a bank, railroad, a
county or q State, he uses this room
about their business the same as he
uses it for the business of any other
client. An Illustration will make this
matter very plain. Suppose the Prose
cutting Attorney should ask the county
court tor $500 in addition to bis salary,
to meet the contingent expenses OF his
office occasioned by a murder trial. But
with the Clerk OF the court, or the Au-
ditor, or the Treasurer the case is differ
emit 1t often happens that the business
of these officials requires an expenditure
of money, For example, last year the
Auditor sent man to Iowa TO ascer
tain the value of certain land owned by
delinquent Sheriff whose securities
were insolyent Hence, an appropria-
ton to cover The contingent expenses of
the Auditors Office is right and proper,
but no one ever heard OF voting money
to pay the contingent expenses OF the
Attorney General.
Again, it is no excuse to say that the
Legislature of 1877, (Which Is the only
other case on record,) gave this officer
500. Ii l am charged with stealing a
horse, it is no defense to answer that
my neighbor stole pig.