The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-02-25

ture abuse, in the long run, than any other that
could be suggested. The Board it will be re-
membered, is composed of five Commissioners, Of
whom the Mayor is e. c6fcio one; the Others re-
cciying their appointments from he Legislature
and majority in each House being required for a
choice. Two Of the present Commissioners hold
their Offices for two years only-the other two for
four years. The successors of those whose term
expires in 1862 will lie elected for four wears. so
that two members of the Board will 90 on at
every regular session of the Legislature. unless re-
elected. The Senate Of Maryland being so organ
lzcd, that one-half of its members retire at every
regular session, 1t Will be seen that the mode Of
appointing the Board thus provided, has every
element OF security against partisan monopoly ard
abuse, that can be afforded by any combination Of
chances under our political system Two of the
Commissioners now in Office, will remain until the
10th Of March, 1864. The successors of the other
two, will be chosen by Legislature Of which all
the Delegates, but only half the Senators, will be
elected in November, 1861. The next Mayor will
be elected in October, 1862. Thus it will be seen,
that while the inevitable possibility of partisan
concentration in the Board is not, of course,
wholly escaped, all the probabilities Of such re-
suit are kept as far apart from the system as pru-
| dence and ingenuity can remove them. And this
combination Of Instructions TO abuse is perpetual
under the existing system. Mr.. PHELTs 'earncst-
'ly hopes" that the two Commissioners whose
term expires in 1864, may be allowed to retain
their places until that time but he re-
commends that the places Of their COLLEAGUES,
WIN tow,
And his system, apart from personal consdera-
ton to the existing Board, is this. He recon-
mends that the Board shall be composed of but
three Commissioners of whom the Mayor shall he
one, and the other shall be chosen BIZ the Legis-
lature for four years; the third to be selected by
these two-aS an 'umpire" to serve three years.
And lest the Mayor and the Legislative Commits
soners should fail 10 agree on third, and report
his appointment to the Governor, he proposes to
stop their salaries and fine them an hundred dol
lars day, after named time. In case this
should not have the effect, he provides that the
Governor shall appoint new Commissioner him
sef(unless the Legislature is in session. issue yev
commission to the umpire already holding one, and
convene the Councils (if Hot IN session. to ell the
Mayors place. What is to be done for an umpire
If the Mayor and Legislative Commissioner should
not agree at the start and before any umpire is in
existence 10 ere-commissioned, the Committee on
Police and Jail do not inform us. We suggest,
with all possible Difference, that while this arrange
ment seems very ingenious, Judged as one would
Judge puzzle, its impracticability, as a working
system, and its ineficiency, as a preventive of
partisan abuses are too obvious 10 require discus
sion. We shall endeavor to illustrate this and
present our further views at an early opportunity