59 Miss. 531 | Miss. | 1882
delivered the opinion of the court.
The act approved April 4, 1876 (Acts 1876, p. 46), requiring members of the board of supervisors to give bonds, intended to furnish a security to the public for the faithful performance of duty in the important matters confided to them ; and as § 1386 of the Code of 1871 made them personally liable for money appropriated to any object not authorized by law, and authorized suit to be brought therefor, for the use of the county, by any tax payer, such suit was authorized to be instituted on the bond required as a security for the responsibility of the principal obligor.
The jurisdiction over “roads, ferries and bridges,” conferred
By § 1878 of the Code of 1871, it was provided that “ the boards of supervisors shall direct the appropriation of the money that may come into the treasury of their respective counties, but shall not appropriate the same to any object not authorized by law,” and by § 1386 members were made liable personally for such sum of money as the board should appropriate “ to any object not authorized by law.” The question is as to the interpretation of the expression “ object not authorized by law.” The objects to which money in the county treasury may be appropriated are designated by law, and it is not legally appropriable to any other purposes. If it is appropriated by the board of supervisors to some other object than is authorized by law, members are liable personally for it, unless they voted against such appropriation. It is for money appropriated to something for which the law does not permit it to be appropriated at all, in any way or under any circumstances, that members are personally liable. It is for a diversion of money from its legitimate objects, and not for appropriation to a proper object, although in an irregular or unauthorized manner, that liability is imposed on members personally. It is what the money is appropriated to, and not how it is applied, that furnishes the test of personal liability for it. “ Object ” signifies the thing aimed at, the end sought to be accomplished. If this is not the true interpretation of the language mentioned, members of the boards of supervisors would be liable personally for every mistake or error of judgment or of information as to facts whereby money was appropriated even to proper objects, if not appropriated in strict accordance with law as to every circumstance attending it. Either members of the boards of supervisors are personally liable for every appropriation not made in strict conformity to law, or they are not liable except for a diversion of public money from authorized objects and its appropriation to such as are not authorized. The objects to which the boards may appropriate money are designated by law, and may be known to them ; and, in all cases
delivered the opinion of the court.
We respond to the three principal points made by the suggestions of error.
2. It is said that the bonds required of and given by supervisors are as broad in their terms as those exacted of other county officers, and should cover to the same extent every default of duty, whether of commission or of omission. But we cannot ignore the fact that supervisors, in the discharge of many of their functions, are judicial officers, and especially so in adjudicating upon the validity of claims against the county. A law which would make them personally liable for every erroneous judgment rendered, if constitutional, would certainly have the effect of preventing any solvent man from accepting the office, or of becoming the surety of those who did.
3. It is said that our opinion contravenes the doctrine laid down in Supervisors v. Arrighi, 54 Miss. 668, that a warrant issued in payment of a contract illegally made was a nullity, imposing no liability upon the county, and incapable of being-ratified by the board of supervisors. There is not the slightest conflict between that case and our opinion in the present one. The question there was, Whether payment of such a warrant could be enforced against the county ? The question here is, Whether the members of the board can be made personally responsible for having- issued it ? The building of a bridge or a court-house has been let out, we will say, after nineteen days advertisement, instead of twenty, as required by law; or the notice has been posted in three public places, instead of six; or no notice of the letting out has been given at all, but it takes place at an adjourned meeting, in open session, or in vacation by a committee appointed for the purpose. Is it not enough that, though the county gets the work, it cannot be compelled to pay for it? If some subsequent board, in ignorance of the