The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-02-11

done this session which may he likely 70 excite local
sent body assembled here than BY any previous Assembly
and Senate for many years; Is understood fact that
much twenty days before the expiration O the hun
dred prescribed by law for the limit OF the session
4ss %os ISn % hsge Is
in relation 10 the county officers and the proposed inquiry
into their fees But nothing will be accomplished in this
connection Il 20 happened In the late contest for these
| county Offices that all the candidates one side
were chosen either as actual members Of the Know
| Nothing orders or from republicans who had been
| prominently identified with such organizations. This
ticket was ptted, 1t Is said desienedly, against
st Of the wn a.
made % investigate the fees and emoluments Of
which prevails that IL Is but the envous appeal Of the de-
feaed party DESTROYS OF ruin and whore they bad
exact opposite OF the policy which now prevails here 70
do other than conciate and defend the interests with
which the present county officers popularity identi
Offices and providing that they shall be changed as to
provide salaries instead The real aim Of this bill is 10
give the Board Of Supervisors certain appointments espe
cialy the Register and surrogae's Offices The County
Clerk and Sheriff will be included IN some way, but only
Tor form sake and even the BILL like the resolutions OF
inquiry, may be defeated, 1t certainly will be rem
dered nexpedient, not mpracticabls by including any
other eces but the Register and Surrogate and perhaps
the law oicos. ID at the latter that tho whole move
ment is really aimed.
EsoLuMEN1s or rm COUNTY oFrms.
regard 10 praccabilty Of such inquiry, the She
riff and County Clerk could hardly give any official pfor
nation more than the vague imp generally
and IN the case Of s Sheriff his receipts have
nothing yet. The old Sheriff carries off all books
and documents Of the Office Indeed utterly impossi
BILE to ascertain anything definite which could reasonably
determine basis for legislation In regard TO the Sheris
net fees The Regeter and County Clerk could be more
readily reached. Those officers appointed TO have
special salaries and the fees received in their respective
Offices paid into the County Treasury They
searches in the public archives for which they hire clerks
at their own expense whose reports they certify, giving
bonds which such undertaking and sponsbty may be
sued IN the Registers Office these searches afford large
pront The late incumbent Is said to have acknowledged
that the Office bad Melted TO him twenty thousand dollars
annually, besides handsome living aud liberal
for his party. Just the income be still
greater snce the cost OF clerk hire very much less ext
gent proportion the work to be DONE the searches
made great extent the printed volumes Of the
Commissioners OF Record Could these volumes be thrown
open to tho public in the Registers Office they must be
in the present year. the Registers income from searches
would soon vanish every conveyancers clerk would
have the facilities hand for easy and Immediate
examination of titles the clerks in the registry Of
ce The Of tho Commissioners Of Record is expect
ed to be finished in August Of the present year, and the
necessary steps are to be taken here TO dissolve that
rather expcnsve institution by act Of the Legislature,
to take effect upon the completion of the contract with b.
ker McSpedon which is within some $50 900 Of its
completion
The COUNTY CLERK AND HIS FEES FOR SEARCHES
In the County Clerks office the great source Of extra
emolument is also from the fees Of search among the es
the terms from 848 to 1863 these fees ordered by
law e be paid into the county no re- anv There
during those years. The result Of the expert.
ment proved that it the legal formula Of
ect for which the fees paid, and which certificate
guaranteed upon his bond could not reasonably be attach
and expenditures for this period exhibited the following
significant result and led to the repeal Of the law and
return to the old established custom of giving the profits
well the responsibility of these fees the clerk
COMPARATIVE RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES OF COUNTY CLERKS
OFFICE.
Reed for Seaychers Espc'd for Ceyk Hire &c. Receips
9s ss os s2 y Ss4 = = q q
The receipts Of s4s are the highest on the record and
it is asserted have not been exceeded since.
In view of the fact that searches prosecuted to
great extent by direct examination among files Of docu
ments in the County Clerks Office and for other reasons
Of like nature the abors of the Commissioners Of Record
can have little practical bearing upon the routine of
that Office Their work has been completed in this con-
nection for some Time and the heaviest portion Of their
the tis uu ~ III. .ar S., ~ ,hsr on and ~
exceeding faness of the job to the contractors and all
concerned, which has brought dscredt upon the more
practical useful and less profitable work going for
the Registry.
STATISTICS OF THE sHxMrv oFr1cE-wnlr AND THE PANIC
ORsuzR AND THE cAIRNDAR-KsrIMATE INCOME.
have got hold Of data here which has bearing
upon the amounts Of Shers fees The Of the late
Sheriff. IN view Of the great panic snarvss whch
Office. Not only was the number Of executions unprece
denied but the sums for which levies made of
course In the proportion almost Of millions, where John
Kelly may be called upon to levy for thousands. ap
pears thai the number Of executions issued and levied
which returns Of goods were made for about one third
which IN increase Of more than 0nethird those
issued TO bis predecessor 0rssr and the amount for
times as near as an average be arrived at counting
the actual leves which poundage realized. The
income of Wet especially for the past year. quite
immense; but his liabilities under worthless bonds and
for suits decided against him, would rather stagger
ddate for this Office He has had share of the current
calendars OF the courts less than ninety time
pending against him, and since his leaving Office num-
Der up to near one hundred and ty Orser and
in tha
have noticed several decided against Orser during
the past month. His term, within which suits must
Of January Iast but there are still a rumber of suits
pending against him. The ex Sheriff may have suits en-
expiration of his term 1t is we'll known that Wllet has
far more business at present than Kelly Mr. Orser
the close OF last year. finished his three years exSher
during which he was presumed by law be engaged in
closing the business Of his official term Informed
that his balance sheet taken the OCCASION exhibited
net ncome over all losses and expenses of about 900
per annum for the three years he had held the office
GLANCE AT THE OLD sHEIufFs-wHo CREAM OF THE
sHERIFF's OFFICE.
This perhaps the nearest basis which can well be pre-
sented just Of the profits yielded by the Sheris
Office Going farther back than the present and the two
in the fortunes of the sherfs of New York. Monmouth
B. Harris term is Of the most noted He was obliged
came involved in the responsibilities which had ruined
the Sheriff The bonds Of both were forfeited: the Coro
e es forced into eIe S win ab
can only return to become the victim Of hundreds of
suits He now acting as purser on one of the Southern
steamers. Exsherif Westervet is employed as Equity
clerk on ten twelve hundred dollars salary by John
Kelly The only certain and desirable profits of the
sheri7s Office in the hands Of Oakley Hall and his
partners who realise for fees upwards OF $4,000
annually from suits against the acting and the exShcrs
as well as their clients, on bonds.
Albany, Feb. 10, 1859
The Secard Programme for the Presidency-Seward's Re-
treat before the Cuba Questionable Free Soil Democrats
to the Rescue-Re nomination Of Fremont &dred-Frc-
mont and Banks on the Slate-Cdmeyon, Bell Blair Crit
tnden dc-Desreyoion Of the FILLMORE Know Notaings-
Scheme to Coalesce ,oiA the Dickinson Harheus- Glimpse
9fa Hunter and Dickinson Programme in New York
FILLMORE Seacard for the nert term of United States
Sendtorship, dc.
The columns OF the HERALD present detail Of the daily
routine Of legislation here Let volunteer something of
other interests which have an active centre in this