Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1854-10-26
For the Port Tobacco Times.

Of the 9Th, and also Of the 18th of this
month, in each, letter addressed to the
County Commissioners for Charles County,
over the signature of 'Fellow Citizen" first,
calling our attention TO The condition Of our
Public Roads, and neglect Of duty upon the
par. Of some Of our Supervisors; and second
Ily, calling the attention Of the citizens OF
the county to some of our official acts. In
reply 10 our "Fellow Cllzen," we respect
fully state that not only do we desire Q
thorough investigation of every official &C,
Of ours, but invite rigid scrutiny. And
although we do not desire, nor will we en-
gage in q newspaper discussion or contro-
versy with any citizen of the county upon
any subjec. whatever, ye. in justice to our
selves we canno, let the letters alluded to
above 60 unnoticed by US. Were we to do
so, they are calculated not only to do in
Justice to us, bu! 10 create impressions with
the people that are totally erroneous. Our
"FeIlow Citizen" says tina. we have levied
upon The people, to defay the expenses Of
our Public Roads for the first four months
of this year, (includiug the salaries of our
Supervisors, the sum Of $4,O7S 49, and
asks the people "if they are going to bear
This state of things patiently: Have they
no means of correcting it, excep, through
the ballot box al the next election %
Now let US analyze this subject. Our
''FelIow Citizen" knows very well--if he
don't know, he ough! to know-thal $500
Of this amount was levied in obedience to
special Ac. Of the Legislature, for special
purpose. Our Legislature al its last session
passed an Ac, aushorsing the County Com
missioners "to cause TO be cut channel or
ditch and have erected over The same good
and substantial bridge, in Maslawoman
Swamp. where the public road crosses The
same, leading from Port Tobacco to City,
mont, and 10 levy upon the assessable pro-
perry of the county sufficient amount TO
defray said expenses" We could not COM
ply with all the requisites Of the lsw in time
for our present levy, consequently we had
TO levy in advance Of the work being con-
tracled for. The work has since been con-
,rac,ed for and completed, for the sum of
1915, leaving The sum Of 1925 10 be carried
back TO the credi. Of the county. Then the
sum of sos, included in tina. amount, was
levied to pay the Overseers Of the Public
Roads, under The old system, for 1853
The law authorizing the election Of Road
Supervisors by the people also authorized
the County Commissioners TO NEE. in Por.
Tobacco at leas, sixty days before the cleo
ton and determine upon their salaries. Our
predecessors, in obedience TO tina, law, met
in Por. Tobacco and fixed the salary Of each
Supervisor a, 1915. We levied the full
amount, and al The same time authorized
the Collectors not to pay over 10 the Super
visors their salaries until they received an
order from US, with view of ascertaining,
as near as possible at the end Of the year,
wha. amount of labor had been performed
By each Supervisor, and what had been the
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districts during The year; and if in our judg-
ment we believed The services rendered by
either Of the Supervisors not adequate to The
amour, OF money levied, to give him an or
der on the Collector for just so much as we
believe his services enli,e him to. Now
deduct these three items from the amount.
tina, our "Fellow Citizen" says our Public
Roads for the frs. four months Of this year
cost, and it leaves the sum of $l,77S 73,
which includes all the labor end materials
furnished on the Public Roads and Bridges
up to the time we closed our revy, which is
for over six months Of the year; and por-
ton Of this amount was for repairing Bridges,
and materials furnished on the Public Roads
for The last six months of 1858.
Now how does this statement tally with
the statement Of our ''Fellow Citizen ?"-
We ask public attention and an impartial
verdict as to whether or not we have been
so reckless and recreant in duty as to levy
unnecessary sums of money upon the peo-
pie. That the people of Charles county
thought proper, through the ballot box last
fall to select US three out Of The number of
candidates presented for their consideration,
"to preside over The financial affairs Of the
county for the mex, two years 10 come"
we regard as an act OF kindness lha. we shall
long remember and highly appreciate, and
for The confidence they though. proper TO
place in us, shall ever feel grateful and not
only have we pledged ourselves to discharge
all The duties imposed on Us by law or 9th
erwise, honestly, faithfully, and properly,
With an eye to guard and prolec. The inter
es. of The county, but in entering upon the.
discharge of our duties, the first official acl
of ours was TO take solemn oath 10 do this,
and the people Of The county may res. as
sured Ina, we will no, disregard The obiga-
lions of that oath and levy any sum of mon
ey upon them ;ha, can possibly be avoided.
The subject Of our Public Roads is one
tina. we have given much consideration. 1t
is one of grea. importance to the people,
and one that we feel deep interes. in, and
has given US more trouble and more labor
than every other subjec. connected with the
office pu, together. That there have been
little abuses and neglec! of duty upon the.
nart Of soma of our Supervisors we have No