Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1840-01-21

undone. He refuses, therefore, to bring
up the unfinished business of tho office.
and the records are suffered to remain in
their imperfect state, Many titles depend
Tor their support on the records of the va
rlous courts, and it is essential that they
should be well kept. The existing laws,
require the judges of the respective Courts, /
10 make periodical examinations of the |
Offices oftheir clerks-this duty they have |
generally neglected, and am not aware,
that single clerk has ever been prosecu- |
ted on his bond, for failing to bring up the
records the court. therefore, recon-.
mend, that further provisions be made for
the examination of the offices of the clerks
OF all the various courts in the State.
respectfully urge the passage of law,
authorizing the appointment of special
commissioner, whose duty it shall be to
examine each clerks Office in the State
to report the several defauliers, and certify
the sums necessary TO bring up the re-
cords, and place the same with copy of
the bond in the hands of the district attor-
ney for suit. It may be advisable per-
haps, to make such certificates rrima facie
evidence of the facts therein contained.
The act Of 1924, establishing the fees of
Sheriffs, Clerks and other officers, is still
IN force. A few immaterial changes
have only been made. At the period of
the passage of that law, the suits pending
IN the whole State, scarcely equalled those
now pending in single county. The
princely salaries which many of our Off
GERS are now receiving from the hard ear
nngs of the people, neither comport with
: the spirit of our institutions, nor cores
pond with the necessities of the times
) Elections for Offices so lucrative, and CIV
ing to the incumbent such'immense power,
= produce intense excitement, and cause all
others to be in measure disregarded.
A reduction of the fees of all such off.
GERS is imperiously demanded by the pub
lie veal. 1t is worthy ofserious consider.
! alton, whether it would not be advisable to
require fees over certain sum, to be paid
: into the State Treasury. A fixed maxi
mum of compensation might be allowed to
each clerk, and to such number of deputy
clerks, as the court should consider neces.
sary to carry on the current business OIL
the office.
! again call your special attention tc
: that clause of the Constitution, which en-
" joins upon us the encouragement o.
schools, and requires Us to provide the
means Of education. In order to be ena
bled to present to you, full information rel
= alive to all the Colleges and Academies il
! existence in this State, addressed cir
cular letter to the presidents of the various
l. institutions of learning within our borders
e A copy of that letter, with the various re
> plies thereto, is herewith submitted to you
II favorable consideration. The correspon
L dence satisfactorily establishes the fact
that education can be afforded as cheap il
e this State as elsewhere. The genert
u health of the professors and students, ha
: been excellent during the past year. Pa
ai triotism no less than interest, demand @
5 us the establishment of colleges an
T. schools, sufficient for the education of tn
y children of the State within her own boz
ie dcrs. The pressure of the times ha
- thrown many persons, capable of maxim
q good teachers, out of employment, an
70 less difficulty would be experienced now
y than heretofore. in procuring competer
III persons to take charge of our college:
~ academies and schools.
- - again invoke your speedy action o
); the seminary fund. |! now amounts, il
= GLIDING principal and interest, to abct
: 100000. The law providing for tn
"A collection and custody OF that fund, is yer
= defective, and large portion of it, vi
! certainly be lost, unless it is taken frol
~ =, the possession of those who now contrC
it. The statement of the Planters Banl
= herewith transmitted, will place you
possession of all the information, hay
" been enabled to obtain relative to tn;
- fund. The discordant views of the men
- bers of the Legislature, in relation to tt
~ location of our State Seminary, has her
~ tofore prevented the passage of law, pr
- viding for the final disposition of the fun
IS AlIwil admit, that it should be fixed at
he healthy place, of convenient access to Il
Il people of the State; where the expenses
od living would be cheap. The preservatic
=. ofthe health and morals ofthe students, a
-. objects of the first magnitude, and in loo
,lu ting this great institution, the interest
nj the whole State, rather than that of pa
: tcular towns and sections of the countr
on should be considered. beg leave to C,
ro your favorable notice 10 the chapter in t
for revised statutes, prepared by Gen. P. R
oh titus R. Pray,.in reference TO the esta
: !, lshmert of a university, colleges al
ha schools. This system has been chiei
~ taken from these in operation in sever
Of the States of this Union, where the me
me beneficial results have accrued from tht
M adoption. The fourteenth chapter of t
,at revised statutes; submitted to the Legisl
= ture by the reVisor, provides for COZ
rim plete system of public instruction in Fl
: schools, academies, colleges, and in Sta
Or. University. 1t proposes, that an amt
ce- tax should be i'm bsed on all the proper
,se in each county, subject to pay taxes to t
ms State, under the existing laws, as well as
Inc tax on such other property, as the Boa
rse of Police may deem advisable, for the su
;tv port of select schools. consider this /
the essential to the establishment Of the 81
me tenn. Objections no doubt viii be maj
inc by those who have either no children
The educate, or are blessed with ample mea
cir to school them abroad. But when it
l;al considered that the right of.suhrage W
his us is extended to all, and that the PERI
inr tuity Of our free institutions, depend up
an' the knowledge Of all our citizens, this .