The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-03-26
BRANDON, Thursday March 96, 1916.

in the military department, and report to
the auditor; 1t provided that the auditor
should report to the Legislature any mod
ification, which experience should indicate
to be desirable lit provided for the pro-
mul cation OF rules 10 secure uniformity of
charges for like services lin short it
threw the arm of The law around every
portion of the public treasury where ever
scattered, and provided to gather up the
scattered fragments in particular and indi>
vidual accounting in such manner, that
the sums disbursed should exhibit, in the
aggregate of accounts settled, sum equal
10 the sum leaving the treasury land
lastly, it required the auditor 10 publish
report to the General Assembly, not ex>
ceeding 700 copies, annually, containing
a detailed statement of all the sources Of
revenue and its disbursements, thus bring.
ing to focus all the financial operations
for The annual inspection Of the Legisla>
ture.
A little attention TO the details of this
system will satisfy every thinking man.
that nothing is wanting 10 the system 10
secure the public funds. but faithful ex>
eculion Of The law. BY these returns, con-
tanning the items Of every account, all H.
legal customs, exorbitant charges, and er.
rors in accounting were readily detected.
If an officer had received money from
the treasurer and had omitted to charge
himself, the return of the treasurer 10 the
auditor would furnish check upon the
officer, and correct his accounts. If q
States Attorney had omitted to credit the
State with money collected on suit in be-
half Of the State, the clerks return to the
auditor, would exhibit the true state ofthe
matter; s. in short it is not known that any
portion of the treasury was left unguarded
by the provisions OF the act OF f842, if we
except the law providing for discretionary
allowances, for claims for services, not
particularly specified in the statute. OF
these we hope 10 treat hereafter. The
law took effect the first of March l843,
and in August following, the clerks res
turns came in, embracing the incidental
expenses of The courts for one term next
succeeding March lS43. 1t was suppos-
ed, that this law would draw aside the veil,
which concealed many practices requiring
correction, and the returns exhibited all
this 10 view.
We propose now 10 notice some facts
disclosed by those returns. The charges
made and allowed for making dockets for
the courts will illustrate the variant prac>
tees adverled TO 10 our former numbers.
The docket is a calendar or list of cases,
entered in court. To enter an action
is 10 write The name OF the Plaintiff against
the name of the Defendant, in this calen-
dar. For this service the party entering
paws the clerk IL cents in the County
court, and so cents in the Supreme Court,
for the first term. If the case is tried in
the county court, 40 cents more is paid the
clerk; if non suile1, defaulted or review
ed, 25 cents; for entering each judgment
in the Supreme court, rs cents. II the
case be continued in the Supreme court
Is cents is added TO the clerks fees, and
for continuance 10 the county court s
cents. If the court order more bail, OF
that notice of the tendency of The sui
should be published, 9 cents more is ad-
ded for each order if an affidavit be filed
for continuance, 6 cents is added for filing
the paper, and these fees are settled by
statute, and are paid by the parties to the
clerk. If however the action be not tried,
defaulted or non suited, but dismissed, the
custom is to pay the clerk 25 cents, though
the statute has provided no fee in such
case.
A, the next term, if the action be not
settled, the clerk proceeds to transfer the
case from the first docket 10 another, no.
ting the action of the court in relation 10
the case, the preceding term. This is not
new entry, nor is it strictly necessary,
but merely matter of convenience as
the court might proceed to a final DISPOSE
ton of the action, from the minutes on the
frs, docket. The practice, however, is 10