Year: 1859

Can 1t Be Done.


On the 2nd inst, Mr. Street introduced into
the Assembly bill entitled An Actto provide
Tor the compensation of the keeper of the County
dail OF Shasta County, and to legalze all war
rants heretofore issued for the payment of the
services of the keeper of said JAIL" which was
referred to the Judiciary Committee.


1t will be recollected by the citizens of this
county that in the case of Sheriff Stockton Us.
Shasta County, the Supreme Court decided that
the Board of Supervisors had no authority, un-
der the law, to allow the Sheriff any compensa-
tion for keeping the County JAIL and that all
scrip heretofore issued in payment of such SER
vice was illegal, and no more evidence of in
debtedness against the county than so much
blank paper.


One object of Mr. Streets bill is to avoid the
effect of this decision of the Supreme Court, and
make it the duty of the county to pay the cash
for the scrip in question. We very much doubt
whether the act would accomplish the end in
view We doubt the power of the Legislature
to declare a thing legal which the Supreme
Court has pronounced illegal. At present no
debt exists against the county for services rem
dered in keeping the County Jail. So says the
Supreme Court. Can the Legislature, then,
create a debt for our county? Can the Legis-
lature, this year, make it the duty of the county
to pay officer fees for services performed last
year under a law which allowed no pay for such
I fta T
may, if it sees fit, pass a law making it obliga-
tory upon the County of Shasta to pay all pre-
previous officers for services rendered in keeping
the records of their offices safe under lock and
key.


Another object of the bill is to provide COM
pensation for services hereafter to he rendered
in keeping the County Jail


While there appears to be some show of equi-
ty in favor of those who have heretofore received
scrip for keeping the County Jail-for the reason
that, notwithstanding its Megality, it was the
Custom in all the counties of the State to pay for
such services,-yet we can perceive no good
reason why provision should be made for the
legal payment of such services hereafter. We
know of at least dozen good and competent
men in this county who would he glad to take
the Office of Sheriff under existing laws The
Sherfs Office is at present, we suppose, worth
at least $4,000 a year clear money. Therefore
justice does not demand this saddling upon the
county of an additional expense of near 50, 600
per year. And, we imagine, Notwithstanding
the Sherif's Office will be less profitable next
year than at present, that number of compe-
tent men will be glad to get it, with the full
knowledge that they will be entitled to no pay
for keeping the County Jail.


AS we look at it, then, Mr.. Streets bill will
entail cost of near two thousand dollars per
year upon the county that there is no necessity
for


The citizens of this county are now taxed more
heavily than those of almost any other county
in the State. Therefore, instead of increasing
the expenses of the county, provision should be
made for their curtaiIment.


Last year Mr.. Street rendered good service to-
ward freeing the county from her pecuniary en-
barrassments. We fear, however, if he pushes
this act through the Legislature, that he will
more than counterbalance the good he did last
winter.


However, there are hundred taxpayers in
the county more interested than ourselves, for
the reason that they have bigger amount oi
taxes to pay. If they can stand it, SO can we.