Year: 1873

CHARLESTON, WEST Va,


August 18th, 1873. j
Editors OF Register:


see in your pa per, as well as several
others in the State, disposition to CEN
sure somebody on account OF the print
ing ofthe poll books, certificates, tickets,
&c, at Charleston, used at the August
election for school officers and on the
question OF levy for school purposes. If
there is blame attaching to any one for
having this printing done, such blame
rests entirely on me. had the forms
for all these blanks prepared in my
Office, and furnished to the printer, as |
DO all blanks deemed by me necessary
10 the efficient execution of the school
law.


1t may have been a mistake in me
to do so. Be that as it may, alone,
am responsible TOR it. My reasons for
doing so, were, briefly, as follows:


The new school law had made q
great change in the manner Of making
the levy for the support OF free schools
by requiring an election to be held in
every sub-district in the State, (about
three thousand in number,) to deter
mine the most vital question connected
with the success of the free schools OF
the State. | mean the local levy for
school purposes. This was eight or
ten times as many election
places as had ever been used
in the State in any other election.
Under the law, if any district should
fail to vote for the levy, such district
would he deprived OF its distributable
share Of the State school fund. | there
fore felt the deepest interest in seeing
that every district in the State should
have every possible facility for express
ing their will on this subject. OF such
vital importance to them. | thought
that, unless ample preparation was
made, OF all these forms, 80 as to pro-
duce uniformity and system in the cleo
tions, that many OF the Districts in the
State would fail to obtain favorable
vote, for the want OF the necessary
forms for conducting the election.


The time intervening between the
distribution OF the school law among
the people and the election was so
short, that thought the only safe
course to insure a fair election, or
indeed, in many places, to secure an
election at all, was to pursue the course
which did pursue. | felt too deep an
interest in this, the first vote in the
State on the question OF school levies,
to run the risk OF letting this matter 60
by default. These are my reasons for
nv course in this matter.


Since so much has been said
on this subject Of printing poll
books. &c, l have felt it my duty
to give the reasons briefly which oper-
ated on my mind, in the discharge OF
what considered very important and
responsible duty. | was fully sensible
OF the responsibility which attached to
Inc in taking this step. l expected to
be criticised for go doing. But occupy
ing position which | supposed better
enabled me to Judge of the importance
OF preparing these blanks, than others
not so favorsbly situated, l was salts.
fed that If these forms were not prompt.
ly furnished from this office, the election
would lin many districts) be a failure
for want Of these forms. still think,
that the preparation and distribution
of these forms by this office, was indis-
pensble to the success ofthese elections,
in very many places, as | have abun-
daut reason for thinking, since the
election. In my judgment of this mat
ter, of course may have been mista-
ken.


1t is not only the right, but the duty
OF the people to criticise their servants
in all their public acts. have no dis
position to complain, but simply de-
sire to state the reasons for my conduct
in this matter, so that in passing their
opinion, the people may have the bene.
ut OF all the circumstances connected
with 1t. In conclusion let me say that
re)olce to know that the result Of the
late election is triumphant vindica-
tion OF the people from the charge that
they were not in favor of free schools.
1t Is believed, that nearly every district
III the state voted for the school levy.


Very respectfully,


B. W. BYRNR.


State Superintendent of Free Scboo,s