Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-04-26

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those days, as turning out a County
Clerk, was never heard of. John
Gibson has spent a fourth of a cen
tury-nearly half of his life-in the
service of his county and has been a
faithful servant, and now, even be
fore his usefulness has ceased, like "A
faithful old horse, he i TO be turned
out % browse and pick a precarious
living along the wayside of his fu-
ture life, and all because another
gentleman thinks that be needs the
Office more than Gibson. Another
case of ali untried against tried
man. ntil it can be shown that
our present Clerk Is not a suitable
person to continue as our servant.
shall vote 10 retain him.
We viii now, Mr.. Editor. with
your permission, take squirt at the
office of Commissioner Of the Reve-
nue. and see how our old brother
Griffith mas conducted matters. and
If We find that there has been any
Phllanderlug or coquetting with 70
ters a. 20 the giving in of their
property. We will demand a change
and try Mr.. Moore or some one else.
And especially 10 We wish to know
whether the rich mans and the poor
man's-the white mans and the black
mans dogs are all assessed alike
The revenues of the State are too inn
pOrtant "a matter to be tritled with
and We want no dickeriug or fooing.
IL Is true that our old brother" has
worn his lips smooth kissing The blar-
uey stone. but they are his lips. not
ours. nor would it be material to rs
if he were 10 kiss every voter In the
county. either white or colored-in
short. he might be considered the
great OsculatOrv priest of the county
of Clarke. and it would make no diff
ference 20 us. provided be conducted
the business of his office conscien-
tiously aud faithfully and in a BUSH
ness like manner As 10 the length
Of time he has held the office. that
counts for nothing longer he
holds II the presumption Is. the better
the officer he will make Without
any proof to the contrary. as TO auv
derelictiou of duty, shall vote for
retaining him. and long may be wave.
And how about the office of Sher-
if: What are the objections 20 the
present officer: Has not MIR. Briggs
been found TO be not only a polite
and estimable gentleman, but In ev-
cry respect a high class officer. per
forming the duties required at his
hands firmly. and al the same time
with delicacy: Then why should he
be turned out and an entirely new
and untried sheriff and entirely new
and untried deputy. be put in his
place: Simply because others are
craving the little pay TO be derived
from the office Well every man has
a right TO run for Office. but the most
of them have greater right to stay
at home. /. certainly. aud with
great deal of pleasure, shall, vote to
keep lSham Biggs where he is.
The next thing. I presume. that
we Will hear will be some fellow
springing up TO take Albert Brad
fOrd's place As County Treasurer. and
the first thing that We Will know Will
be that the county and State revenues
have gone Il ghmmeriug. where the
woOdblne twineth. We believe We
have heard of such things before i'm
the county of Clarke
In conclusion, and as TO the Office
OF magistrate. precisely the same
state of things exists as with the other
officers, viz: TO turn the rascals out"
and putin new and bigger ones. Igno-
rance Is the first qualification of All
mp to- date Justice Of the Peace and
they should be the happiesr
people on earth. upon the principle
that "where ignorance is bliss. in 5
folly to be wise. Seriously. Mr..
Editor. in our modern magisteria'
aspirations, ignorance and mendacitv
are the controlling essentials of
magistrate. for know. at this very
time, men who are aspiring for this
office who are 50 ignorant. that thew
cOuld'nt if their lives depended upou
II. fill ont plain warrant with the
Guide lying before them. And
these men are expected 70 occupy
seats formerly held by gentlemen Of
intelligence, Of culture, of unim-
peachable integrity and puuctilious
honesty. Is not the bare contempla-
ton of such state of society enough
to bring the blush Of shame to the
cheek of every decent man 10 the coun-
~ and cause him reverentlv TO ex-
claim: In Gods name where are we
going: "Quo Nadis: Quo Nadis."
An OLD VOTER,
L. Sin my denunciation of some
of these candidates for magisterial
honors, if any one of them should
enquire If he were the man alluded
70. my reply would be that the bare
enquiry self convicted him. and that
as Nathan said unto David. Thou