Year: 1875

WI AM lVh


And now the Times comes into the con.
sultation unsought, and gives the Su-
preme Court small lecture on law and
the bad effects of obedience. Following
as it does in the wake of the evening Pic
ayu,e, which merely paraphrased what


Mr.. Clinton told its reporter, the Times
counsel reminds us of an anecdote of the
late Confederate General Lee In one of
his ''off hours" in camp, some one began
the conversation about the relative merits
of generals Lee was appealed to for an
opinion. Il think" said he, with very
grave countenance, ''all the best generals
are editing newspapers. This closed the
discussion. Mr. Justice WHY, if asked a
similar question about our best lawyers
would probably think they are editing
newspapers. He certainly has Just reason
to complain because the eminent legal
lights who now find fault with his decision
in the case of the Republican Printing
Company VS.. Mr. Clinton did not render
him their valuable assistance in time to
enable him to make use of it.


The case is, in fact, very simplt. one.
The State Printer, under his contract
with the State, has performed all the
the work required by it for the past year,
including very large amount for the
Legislature. Also, several thousand dol
lars worth for the Auditors Office All
the blanks required for all the executive
departments; books for assessors; the
laws in pamphlet form; the decisions of
the Supreme Court, and, in short, every
thing required for the State has been
promptly and we'll done. The State
Printer has advanced to the State, for this
purpose, more than fifty thousand dollars
for paper, ink and labor al one. He has
received from the State some magnificent
auditorial promises which have not yet
been fulfilled, and less than ten thou
sand dollars in cash. Mr.. Clinton has
refused to pay our debt, long past due,
because he fears, 'tunder his system of
registration there will not be money
enough to pay it and the claims for sala-
ries, including his own, that will come in
hereafter. He therefore rules out the claim
of the State Printer in order that those for
whom he has more tender regard NAV not
suffer. This is his miserable and illegal
System of registration" which the Su-
preme Court has just torn to fragments
and set the Times and Mr.. Clinton to
grumbling about.


IT the Auditor had taken half the pains
to fulfill the law that he has to evade and
disregard it. he would not be so badly
embarrassed as he is. He would not
probably find it imperatively necessary to
step down and out of an Office he was
never fit for to escape impea chment from
Republican Senate. The Supreme Court
thoroughly understands the whole case
just decided, and have decided it in view
of the constitution, the law and the facts
By unanimous bench it is decreed that
the law itself is superior to the selfish,
one-sided and interested regulations of
subordinate officer, mere servant who
has hattered himself that he is superior
to all the other departments of the gov
ernment put together.


The State Printer has been derelict in
not having pursued this usurper to an
issue at an earlier day. By trusting to his
hollow promises, nearly The whole year
has passed away, during which but one
end has been had in view-to stave off
and defeat honest claims as long as posi-
BILE, that there might be more funds
available for contingencies. He now
stands on his rights, and will not abate a
jot for any consideration. The Supreme
Court has given its just decision, and it
will be emf reed to the letter as soon as it
is proper to do so. The opinions of Mr..
Clinton, echoed through the Times and
Picayn,e, will have no further effect than
to make sensible men laugh at such stu
pidity.