Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-06-13
TO THE COUNTY COURT or AUGUSTA.

TO THE COUNTY COURT OF AUGUSTA.
Gen,lemen,-lnierested as am deeply in every
thing that concerns the welfare Of our county,
and looking to her magis,racy as the guardians
OF her beet interests, feed assured shall not
be deemed presumptious in calling your attention
u a few suggestions which present themselves
10 my mind. 1t is known TO most Of you tina; a,
each term Of our June Court, all claims against
the county OF every kind are presented, are noni-
ndHy audited, and in accordance with their a
mount, the Levy is laid. In using the word no.
minaliy, desire TO be understood, that the claims
which pass through the hands Of the s'Commit-
Tee, usually appointed to audit them, might with
TAR more safety TO the interests of the county be
placed In The hands Of our Clerk, for that pur-
pose, than in the hands Of a committee cons,i.
tu,ed as j, generally is. Some six, eigh, or ten
OF your body, as the case may be, are parceIled
out by the President Of the Court, the claims ara
promscuously handed to them, they retire to che
OF the Jury-rooms, with floor unswept, table CO.
vered with dust, chairs none, and no water with
which to wash down the dust Sc plentifnlly in
haled alter their entrance TO the room and need
attempt to recall to your minds the farce which
there ensues, so far calm, careful and minute
investigation OF each and every claim is concern
ed! No, 1t is useless, as il would be impossible
10 do 1t justice. Suffice it to say that the COM
mi,'ee, most Of whom it may be, are among the
magistrates living remote from town, and v,ry
industrious men, and fond IF home, as most of our
magistrates are, are DESTROYS to get through in
lime TO reach home the same evening: but with
Inc large budget before them this idea is utterly
preposterous. Oh no-sOme things can be done
as wei as others. says one. Do each of YOU take
part OF the pile, and mark on the back al
lowed, and sure our wives Chose who have any
OF course) VIII soon greet our return. No sooner
said Than done. All get to work, and excep, il ia
some one more conscientious than the rest, who
VIII occasionally look into an account, which by
lis enormous amount will stagger him. and it
may be, prompt him to call the attention Of the
committee to 1t. Call what7 As well attempt
10 can spirts IRON the Vastly deep. Every one is
determined TO get through as soon as NAV be, and
SO he that would do his duty, must of necessity
either not pass some claims at all or else do to
!ne county what he would be unwilling to do 10
himself cause it to pay an unjus, account.
but to the remedy. Much the larger part of
uhese Grains are what are usually known as road
ana iox claims. And the suggestion no doubt has
forced itselfirequently upon your minds that most
oil ms money SO expended is worse than thrown a.
Way LOT In many eases, surveyors and their hands
or'nS In large accounts for pretended improve
menls to roads, which are manifest injuTies-
me irregular and loose MANNER too in which
these accounts made off, is another serious
evil, and one resulting in fraud upon the county
'ne cause OF this, is owing 10 the fact, that the
burden OF proving these claims falls on compare
livery small number of magistrates, and not be.
ing furnished with any regular printed form, by
the county or by the clerk, under an order OF the
Cour!' they TALL into the habit Of using brief
ana irregular form, and written sometimes in
such haste and so badly, that the committee, if
'hey were disposed eper TO hOok into the inside of
one, coulo not read IL. And the clerk, particular
as he is known TO be, and disposed at all times TO
guard lie interests OF the county, is no doubt
sometimes led into error by his inability to deci-
"a mi ala
laTSe portion OF the accounts. But cannot the
Court prescribe more definite metes and bounds
10 these evils, under which the county every year
gfoans, In the shape of claims. Win regard to
our road SYSTEM cannot see that we can remedy
that In any other manner than by asking the LIE
gisiature ior special law similar 10 the one in
use In Rockbridge. which has now been so long
IN operation that its good parts can be easily
pointed out and its defects avoided. Would il
not be well Tor the President Of the Court 10 name
seveIa, OF the Court committee to scrutinize
SAID law, and by memorial to the ensuing Lee
gislatuTe nrgalts adoption, better one if such
there be! Would the county sustain any injury
by abolishng the system OF giving rewards for
killing foXes The tax is a very heavy one, and
on the increase. Would not sporlsmen and those
actuated by interest do as much TO keep down
the foxes?
Your attention is called, gentlemen, to the in
jury the Courthouse is SUSTAINING, from The con-
nexion with the wall of the porlico In rear of the
Chancery Office. The water is affecting the
brick on the inside Of the Courtroom Oupht
not The Poriico TO be taken away, ard plain pair
OF steps substituted Ough, so great a nuisance
as the pile Of rubbish of all kinds at the cellar
door and under the portico be tolerated? The
foundation Is Wondering in consequence of the
moisture retained under it, and the nostrils are
offended at the stencil. The floor on the front,
PorlIco is sinking in more places than one, en-
dangering the columns, and the plasteIing is fall
ing oil above, caused in part, suspect, by the
boys getting out at the windows above, and in
the attic part of the poriico. The chimney of
the county Office smokes so badly that our or
thy clerk has well nigh been baconed. This Sc
rlous evil ought to be remedied. Would il not
be well for the county to purchase the corpora
lions right to The Courthouse entirely, and thus
prevent The injury necessarily sustained by a
want oil that care and oversight, inevitable where
there are two tenants in occupancy at different
times! The cost would not be very great
Your attention is called TO an Act of the last Le-
gIslaure, requiring you TO examine annually the
proceedings of the Overseers of the Poor at The
June Court. Hoping these suggestions may he
received in the kind spirit they are given, and
that the best Interests of our county NAV be adj
yanced in every particular, remain, very respect.
iully, &c. A MEMBER.
For the Spectator.
To the Committee Of Nine recently appointed by the
Tyler Convention which assembled in Baltimore on
the 9th ut whose duty it is to nominate some suita-
bic candidate for the office of Vice President: