Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1851-03-26

We are told that the present debt of this county
IS about ninety thousand dollars, that all the towns
III the county liable for this debit that by bein:
set OFT from this county as new county. the towns
so set OFT will be released from this liability, ant
that the proportion of the county debt from which
those towns will thus be released is equal TO the
expense they will incur as new county.
Now both Of these positions are entirely erroneous
First. The towns set of to the new county, would
not be released from the county debt Second II
they were so released the sum which would be their
proportion of the county deb; would be wholly made
quate TO meet their proportion of the expense which
would be incurred by the creation of the proposed
new county.
Let US examine these questions in their order
First. If the county should be divided, the towns
set off for county would not thereby be released
from paying their Just proportion Of the debt of Wor-
ceser Co. and the Legislature have no constitutional
power to release them from such liability
We do not propose to scuss this position at length
but merely to state the points of the argument
IAll the towns in the county are jointly and several
y liable for the county debt The liability of such
towns is the that of individuals for JOINT and
several debt. They are joint and several promisors
in the contract TO pay the debt.
The l0th section of the Isl article Of the Constitu-
ton of the United States provides that
No State shall pass any ex post facto law cor
la" mparing the obligation of contracts" Any law
or act of the State therefore designed to release one
or more of several parties from any contract debt
would be law impairng the obligation of contracts
and consequently Unconstitutional And it makes no
ftlt -hatto ~
persons, towns, or other corporations.
law passed either directly or indirectly, TO re-
lease portion of these towns of this county from
their liability fer the county debt would be Just as
incompatible with the provision OF the Constitution
above quoted as a law to release from joint and sew
era debt one or more of several banks or manufacur
ing corporations individuals With this brief state
ment, we leave that point; ard it appears so plain,
that 1t seems almost unnecessary to notice the second
point.
That if those towns were released from their a3il
ity for the County debt the amount which is their
proportion of it would be wholly insufficient to defay
their proportion of the expenses which would be in
Cured in consequence of being set of as a new
County.
By the census of 1850, the population of Worcester
County is 100 ST. and the valuation at the same time
is 55.497, 1874. By the same census and at the same
ume' the population Of the towns proposed to be taken
from this County for the new County, is 35 900, and
their valuation $l4,372 ,2O9.
In addition to these towns, it is proposed embrace
in the new County FIVE towns from Middesex County,
with population of S,326, and valuation of S4,-
PAS, 5S8.
Upon any fair mode of computation, the proportion of
county debt be paid by the towns in this county,
proposed to be set off to the Co.. is about S23 600
Suppose this sum to be assessed on them
and a proportional sum the towns from
Mddlesex, which would be about $4,000
and the whole sum would be S2S 900
ADD to that sum Tor errors, $4,000
and we have at the excess, $50 900
wherewth to purchase land, erect a Court House and
other buildings, for the county. This seems made
quale for the purpose, when consider hat the new
Court House here cost about SIS 900, and the Cont
House in East Cambridge in MddIesex cost about the
same sum, aud the Jail and House of Correction here
about $50 900.
But the address from Fitchburg says, that Reason
able assurances have been given that such towns as the
majority Of the inhabitants Of the new county shall So
ect their shire, will take measures that the remain
ing towns shall incur proportion of expense no larger
than the proportion of the debt they liable for pro-
vided the county relations be not dissolved.'
"Reasonable assurances given % Bywhon? BY
citizens of Fitchburg by the town in its corporate
capacity What the assurances 90 Are they IN
writing and if who has signed them, and are they
freasonable - and reliable
These are questions which the people of the towns
concerned may well ask and ascertain it be not all
deusive halt.
"Such towns the inhabitants of the new county
particular town. or is any other town than Fitchburg
thought Of spoken Of for shire town of the new
county We have heard none but Fitchburg named and
suppose other intended by the movers in This
measure. II there be any other town thought of for
the shire town, what is it Has any other town than
ttchburg, or the citizens of any other town. given the
reasonable assurances" spoken of in the address
For these reasons, as well as others which the
proper limits of this address must exclude, we be-
eve that there is not now, and is not likely to be for
many years to come, any exigency for division of
this county; and that it is highly desirable that its
unity and integrity should be preserved.
1t is true that it is large, popuous, and wealthy
county, and we rejoice that it is so. We hope its
population and wealth may rapidly increase in every
portion of It's territory, and the hum of business and
prosperity animate every town and village within lis
limits. We believe that the preservation of its unity
will greatly tend To produce this rasnlt. n "A 49, Al, -