The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1881-01-14

~ Ah' HAttffNlNH NNNtiaftI Fl'NNiNN wv"
votes and as majority Mr Baughman
ran upon bic announcement that he would
not accept the Office unless he received an
nually a compensation Of $500 IN addition
to that provided Tor by law. lie had pre-.
vious to this announcement been voted for
At the Primary Election, and published A.
the nominee Of the Democratic party by H.
authorized com'tee. lie was supported by
the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS all the zeal that
its spirited editor could infuse into its col
umns his n'me was printed on the Demo-
cratic ticket, and he ran with all the pres
tage Of having been the best Sheriff who
had served the county Cor twenty years
yet with all this in biz favor except his
$500 announcement he failed to get one
third Of the taxpayer. Of the county to
vote for him. Yet, you ay that under
these circumstances il was "sbortsightcd-
ness" in the County Court to refuse to al
low him the $500.
Now ! submit to you, Mr.. Editor, what
right had the County Court to allow Mr..
b. the $500, even had il been recommended
by 1900 Of the voters upon a direct sub
mission Of the question: The question
was not submitted nor voted on. The
County Court had no legal right even to
submit the question to a vote Of the pco.
pie. The County Court is judicial, not a
legislative body, and can make no appro-
priation Of money except that which is
provided for by law And no one, sir, I'M
derstands this better than yourself II
you don't know i from having studied the
question, You are compelled to have had
the knowledge thrust upon you by your
experience Of Lincoln county affair. Per-
mi, me, sir, TO give few instances, in some
Of which you yourself have had person.
al interest TSe County Court has had to
get legislative authority to do a a number
Of acts recently, which required an sppro-
priation Of money; for instance. To raise
money to enlarge and remodel the Court
House; to rebuild the Jail; to purchase the
old buildings on the Court-lIouse square;
to refund the county bonds on two or three
occasions; to subscribe ~ 900 TO the mile
in a turnpike road through Waynesburg to
Pulaski; to pay a reward for the capture Of
Sam Holmes, and various other thing. too
tedious to mention. The town Of Stanford
had to get legislative authority to take
stock in the Town Hall Company.
All these matters, Mr.. Editor, have come
under your immediate notice, and I have
8 good enough opinion Of yeur intellectual
capacity to assert boldly that you under
stand them, aud further, that you under
stand them full well, that County Court
can make no appropriation Of money for
any purpose not authorized by law. Il
requires the consent Of the Legislature for
the County Court to spend the peoples
money, and the Justices composing Il have
no more power to vote Mr. Baughman an
extra compensation Of $500 per annum
than they have TO vote themselves a pr
dion Of $40. II they were to do the latter
am perfectly well satisfied that there
would be howl Of denunciation in the
columns of the INTERIOR Journal, which
could be heard "from the river. unto the
ends Of the earth"
In regard to Mr.. Nandeyeer's property.
| offer no defense for the action Of the
County Court. Il needs none That was
business transaction between Mr.. Van
deveer and the County Court. which has
been settled in a manner entirely satisiac-
tory to both. Il never occurred to either
party that il was anybody el-e's business
don't want you to understand me to
believe that the County Court has always
done right Far from it. am no beliey-
er in the iniallsbility Of County Courts;
neither do desire to argue that the Coun-
ty Cour, has made no illegal appropria- I
tions Of money. ! am sorry to confess that .
both have been done. But il Is a very
puerile argument, sir, to condemn the .
County Court for not oyerstepping the .
limits Of their power in one case, because .
they have done so in Others. You insin- .
uate that Mr.. Nandeveer has been wronged, .
and therefore, that their refusal to make .
what they considered an illegal appropria- .
ton Of money to Mr.. b. is on their part but .
an afectation Of regard for the Law. Mag
istraies take a solemn oath to discharge the
duties OF their Office according to law.
And one Of the plainest provisions Of the
Statute is, that no officer shall ask or re-
ce,ve any compensation tor official service
beyond that provided for by law. Yet, in
The teeth Of these Statutes, you insist that
Mr.. Baughman should have this additional
In other words, sir, you, a
public journalist, are lending the assis-
ance Of your paper to the education Of the
public mind TO a federation Of misleasance
n Office on the part Of your own county
officials It is expected Of newspaper. to
cad and direct public opinion so as to
make such people as come under the in
luence Of their teaching, observant of the
avs and good morals. Aud editor should
'e careful TO advocate from a standpoint ,
4 law, reason, aioraliiy, and II you will
iermit the further suggestion, Of piety and
eligion, rather than from his wishes to
onward the pecuniary advantage Of some
avorite.
Permit me to in conclusion to remind
on that the Lincoln County Court for the /,
lst ten years, in fact for the last forty !
ear, has been a very liberal and pr1gres-
I've body. Our internal Improvements
re equal TO those Of any county in the
tate. The census reports show that dur
" the last decade Lincoln county has ,
iade more progress in wealth, resources
nd population than any other county IN
entral Kentucky, During this period
GU have come in with the tide Of imigra- J,
on that has flowed in upon Lincoln coun-
:. You came here a stranger, and we
,ok you in. We are glad to have you