The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1871-03-31
MAasAAsA CorxSv, CLgax's OvrscE.l
rirnorrM, lxD., March q, 1871.


. MAasxssn corxrv. CLxax's Osrrcx.l
rhrnotrH, ixD., March q, 1871.
TO Ills Exccllcncy, Conrad Baker, Gov
ernOr Of Indiana:
Sir: After . careful perusal ofthc re-
cent act of the Legislature known as the
"Fcc and Salary Bill" approved by YOU
February Fl, 1871, ] consider it my duty
to resign the Office l now hold, for fol-
lowing reasons:
l. The system Of doing business In
augurated under that law Is complica-
ted, and must lead to numerous errors
and disastrous consequences.
2. 1t increases the labor and rcspOn-
sibility Of the Clerk and other officers
and interfercs with the prompt dispatch
Of business, causing parties having bust
ness with the officer to wait, while lie
gropcs his way through the labyrinth Of
red tape that surrounds him.
3. Some provisions Of the law seem
to assume that every man holding a
county Office is a villain, over whom the
sword of justice must hang suspended,
to deter him from committing felony,
and are a disgrace upOn our statute book.
I. The salary allowed to the clerk Is
no compensation in this, and most Of the
other counties of the State, for the SER
vices rendered and responsibilities as
sumed.
s. The law makes no adequate pro-
vision for the payment Of the salaries.
The sources from which the "coumty
officers funds" arc derived are variable
and uncertain, thereby leaving II an open
question whether, after the officer has
earned his pittancc, hc will ever git II.
6. In this, and most Of the other
counties, the amount allowed for the pay
ment Of deputies Is wholly insufficient
to perform the labor required of the on
Ger, and hence he must pay the excess
out OF his own pocket, or leave the work
undOnc and suffer the consequences.
7. The tendency ofthc law is to CON-
plicatc official duties, create confusion
and discorl, prevent the officer from iii .
charging the duties Of the position with
credit to himself, and leaves him at the
mercy OF every enemy he may have, who
desires to take advantage Of errors he
could prevent.
8. As the act increases the expenses
Of litigation from thirty to seventy per
cent, it Is gross wrong perpctrated up
on the people, as well as officers, and
must remain for the next two wears
monument Of the ignorance and stu
pidity Of its authors.
therefore resign the Office of Clerk
Of Marshall county. Indiana, to take
effect on and after the first Monday OF
April. 1871.
Hoping YOU will acknowledge tho re-
ccipt Of my resignation. have tho hon
or Of subscribing myself, yours truly. .
JoHN {. CUsmMAN.
Clerk Marshall Circuit Court.
We publish im full tho reasons Of this
gentleman for rcsigning his Office. on ac-
cOunt Of the new fec and salary bill. We
rall special attention 10 Mr.. Cmshman's
fifth reason for his resignation, in which
Inc states ''tlat the law makes no adc
quatc provision for tho payment Of sal:
ries.n' This Is true. Gentlemen Of this
rOunty have examined tho law carefully.
md nothing Of that Kind is discovclc Ell.
In fact, tho whole 5ill is such a cOmpli-
Gated tumble that II is impossible tO sec
clearly just what il does mean. We
earn through private sources from In
lianapOlis that the cOmstitutionality Of
Inc bill will bc tested before the Supreme
l'Omrt. We have heard some Of the
.blcst lawyers Of this city express their
loubts as to its standing the test Ola de-
:ision OF the Supreme Court. Vinccn-
hes sun.