Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1840-01-25

teuts Of SetCtmcn.-Ih's IS clearly in conira.
ycn.on Of n, second article Of the Constitution
It may wei lc questioned whether the benefits
arising from lie incorporation of many Of our
towns, compensate the people for the heavy bur.
then imposed upon them. By tho additional taxa.
ton required TO support the municipal govern.
men's. No avs has been passed, providing >git-
| GENTLY iorcon.estngt elections OF members of
the Legislature. Nor have laws hlen enacted.
providing fo- coutesting the elections OF any of
orr Executive or Judicial officers, except those OF
Governor, SlerIfs and Justices Of the Peace. Sc.
yeral cases of Illegally N conducting tho late
! general election, as wei as of fraud on the part
Of tho Returning Officers al the several precuctS
nave come under my notice, aud no power is
found on our Statute Books, to correct the evil.
| submit TO your consideration, the proprcjv Of
rcmode.ng the whole OF our election laws, and
! Of Inserting such new provisions, as viii otcCtu-
ally preserve the purity ofthe elective franchise
The power should be taken from The Sheriff Of
appointing the Returning Officer when he is a
candidate for reelection, and every person who
is candidate for any office, should be dsqual
lied from acting as Inspector Of an election or
conducting the same. At present, the ShertlS
are required TO forward the returns Of the gene
raj election, 10 the Secretary Of State within ff
teen days. The law does not prescribe in what
manner they should be forwarded Five days
from the commencement Of the election would be
Sufficient to enable the Returning Officer 10
make up and forward his returns, | submit to
your cons deraton, the proprety Of appointing
a board of CanyaSScrS for each county, as well
as a Central Board to canvass the votes rollcd
~ r,.,k,r I b..
necessary in relation to the appointment OF Clerk
Of the Superior Court Of Chncery. Noproy
son is made in the Constitution, for the appoint.
men; Of Clerk Of the Court. The oct, approx
ed December 2j,h, 1888, limits the tenure OF all
offices not otherwise provided for TO four years
The act providing for the appointment Of Clerk Of
tie ChanCery Court, does not limit the tenure Of
his Office. An act Of lhe last session, divides
the State into three districts for holding the Supc'
ror Court of Chancery, but makes no proyIs
ION for the appointment of Clerks 10 the second
and third districts. The safe keeping Of the re.
cords aud the despatch Of the public business, de-
maud that provision should be made for the APP
pojnlmcnt Of Clerk il each Of those districts.
| can sec no valid reason why the tenure Of office
Of Jerk Of tic Superior Court ofChauccry, should
he longer than those Of the Circuit and Probate
Clerks.
The l2th section &c the IN article Of the Con-
stllutIon makes it the duty of the Legislature, to
| regulate by law, the cases IN which deductions
Shall be made from the salaries Of public Off.
GERS, for neglect Of duty in Their official capac-
| ty, and the amount of each deduction. Farther
action IS required 10 carry into full effect this
rcquIstion
The 10th section ef he T9h article. provides
! that "rhe Legislature shall direct by law, n what
manner, and ia what courts suits may be brought
| against the State. This would seem TO confer
upon the Legislature, the power of prescribing
that such suits might be instituted in any Of our
Courts that may he designated by aw.--'lhe net
of May 18th 1885, provided for Tue prosecution
Of such suits in the Superior Court of ChanceY,
but The High Court Of Errors aud Appeals, have
determined that creditor Of the State cannot
maintain suit in tho court designated by the
Legislature Ii on examination OF the subject, you
fad ho'I High Court right ia their decision, further
Legislation is indispensable.
Extensive powers arc vested IN the Boards
Of County Police, and much evil has resulted
from their mproydont action, more especially al
their numerous special terms. Uuder the exist,
ing law thor regular sessions, are but twice ~
each year. The public interest would be promo.
ted, by requiring four regular meetings of he
Board IN each. No provision is made for their
first assembage after each general election Ia
many instances, they fail TO appoint the lnspoc'
tors Of elections. TO obyiate these difficulties, |
suggest an amendment of the law, requiring the
Board to hold term on the second Mondays Of
November February, May and August in each
A., ot,,l,Drt,,J FL la
Board, would thus be ensured aud ample time
gwen to appoint inspectors Of the general eec-
ton. It would be WE'LL to authorize the Board to
fill vacancies in their own body caused by death,
resignation, removal, out of or failure TO reside
iDthcr proper districts fort space Of thirty DAYS,
fair expression Of public opinion, is rarely had
in special elections for policemen. It Is deser.
wing your serious consideration, whether the
power Of filing vacancies, IN many OF the county
offices, should not be conidel 10 the Board. The
, frequency Of elections are very burihensomc o1
the people, calling them continually from their u
, sua ayocatons, and causing the excitement d
the canvass for office 10 be almost perpetual
This fact more than all others has tended 10 make
, the universal election Of oil our officers by The
people, unpopular with many Of the citizens Of thC
State. Rarely one half oftle qualified electors
attend special elections and the popular wll Z
; thus often dsrcgarded. Tie 1871 section Of ,h'
9th article of the Constitution, provides that "a
5 vacancies not provided for in this Constitution
shall be filed IN such manner as the Legislator
+, may Prescribe" presume, therefore, that i wi
! not be contendel, that you are UNAUTHORIZED t'
/ make the change.
Ia nearly all Of tie counties, tha various officer
J use al due diligence in performing their duty
r aud are supported in that course by the groa
), mass Of the peope.-My duty however, compe.
+ me to inform you that IN some few q the cona
n ties, different spirit prevails. Sherf5 AID Cor
E onefs have resigned about tho commencement
c the court, for the evident purpose Of Preyen''n
the term being held and thus defeating the regula
> administration OF the laws cherish the hop