Piney Woods planter. (Liberty, Mi. [i.e. Miss.]) 1838-1840, 1840-01-18

n termlncd thata creditor OF the st;
a cannot maintain a suit in court des
re- mated by the Legislature. II on
I'd animation Of the subject, you Fl
in the High Court right in their dccisic
If further Legislation is indispensab
Extensive powers are vested in I
n Boards Of County Police, ~ much e
o has resulted from their Improyident a
l. ton. more especially at rhernumero
It special terms. Under The existil
J. law, their regular sessions, are b
c twice in each year. The public j
t terest would be promoted, by rcquiril
e four regular meetings of the Board
{ each year. No provision is made f
: their first assemblage, after each gel
) eral election. In many instances, the
) fail to appoint the inspectors of ele'
, tions. To obviate these difficulties,
suggest an amendment Of the law, re
: curing the Board to hold term OF
the second Mondays of November
! February, May, and August in eacl
year. An early authorized organiza
ton of the board, would thus be en-
sured, and ample time given to ap-
1 point inspectors of the general elec-
| ton. 1t would be well, to authorize
the Board to fill vacanciesin their
own body, caused By death, resigna.
tion. removal, out OF, or failure to re-
side in their proper districts for the
space of thirty days. A fair express
ion Of the public opinion, is rarely had
in special elections for policemen. 1t
is deserving Of your serious considera-
ton, whether the power offilling vacan-
cies, in many of the county Offices,
should not be confined to the Board.
The frequency of elections are very
burthensome on the people, calling
Them continually from their usual avo.
cations, and causing the excitement Of
The canvass for office to be almost per-
petual. This fact more than all 9th
srs, has tended to make the universal
election of all our officers by the peo-
pie, unpopular with many Of the citi-
zens Of the State. Rarely one half
Of the qualified electors attend spcial
elections, and the popular will is thus
often disregarded. The 18th section
of the 5th article of the Constitution,
provides that sail vacancies not pro-
vided for in this Constitution, shall be
filled in such manner as the Legisla-
ture may prescribe" Ipresume,the
fore, that it will not be contended,
that you are authorized 10 make the
change.
In nearly all the counties. the vari-
Gus officers use all due diligence in per
forming their duty, and are supported
in that course by the great mass Of
the people. My duty, however, com
pels me to inform you that in some
few of the counties. a different spirit
prevails. Sherifls and Coroners have
resigned about the commencement OF
the court, fol the evident purpose Of
preventing the term being held, and
thus defeating the regular administra-
ton ofthe laws. cherish the hope
that this course has not been counten-
anced by majority ofthe citizens Of
a single county in the Stale. Its ten
dency, has been, in some measure, to
sally the character of the State, and to
drive foreign creditors to the Fede,al
Court, for the collection Of their claims,
/ earnestly invoke yout cordial coop.
Grafton in remedying the evil. This
can be effecually done, by empower
ing the Judge Of the Circuit, to fill
the vacancy occurring in the offices Of
Clerk and Sheriff, by appointing sui,
table person by warrant, under bis
hand and seal, for the whole unex.
pred term. Andin case Jury had
not been summoned, to order new
Venicre Facias, returnable forthwith.
With such a law in force, designations
would rarely, if ever, take place again.
1t ray also, be necessary to impose
additional penalties on Sheiffs and
Clerks, for 4 corrupt dercliction Of du-
ty.
| am advised that the final records
ofthe courts are rarely made up pur-
suant to law. 1t is believed, that they
are imperfect in almost every Office
in the State. Heavy fees are collec-
ted for recording the proceeding in
each case. When new Clerk comes
into Office, he finds the fees for such
services collected, and the work un-
done. He refuses, therefore, to bring
up the unfinished business Of the Office
and the records are suffered to remain
in their imperfect state. Many titles
depend for their support on the rec
ords Of the various courts, and it is es-
sential that they should be well kept.
The existing laws, require the judges
of the respective Courts, TO make pc
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