The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1872-04-26
CORRESPONDENCE.


MR.. EDITOR: ! read in your paper of the
10Th inst, an act of assembly passed at the
last session of the Legislature, protesting to
define more particularly the duties of the
County Commissioners and other public off.
GERS, namely Clerk Of the Circuit Court, Reg
lister Of Wills, Sheriff and States Attorney.
In this act | fail TO see any material change
! for which the code Of public and general
laws has not made ample provision. The
whole act appears to be only a compilation of
previous acts Of assembly, SO loosely put to-
gether that they mean nothing.
/ have often been told by public officers
that the fee bill should be remodeled and re-
vised; that acts of assembly have been pass
ed, since the adoption of the code or present
fee BILL imposing duties upon public officers,
for which no compensation is named therein.
l hold it to be q dereliction of duty on the
part of those representing us in the general
assembly, not to have complied with the con-
stitutlonal provisions Of 1867, under article
3D., section As, which requires the general as
scmbly to provide Il simple and uniform sys-
tenn of charges in the offices of the Clerks of
Courts and Registers of Wills in the counties
and city of Baltimore.
| have also learned that in 1868, 1870 and
1872, efforts were made to have such fee bill
passed. 1t was defeated in 1868. In 1870 it
Of the author Of the bill herein alluded to.
In 1872 the effort was again renewed, and
the necessity for its passage urged 1t shared
the fate OF its predecessors, if the proceedings
OF the Legislature were correctly reported,
by member of the House, from this county,
moving the postponement of the bill indeli-
nitely-thus preventing, by their action and
vote, a simple and uniform system of charges
in the offices named, which any person could
read and understand.
The first and principal objection have to
urge to tie bill just passed. is the unconstlu-
tional nature of some of its provisions. A
clause of article Sd, sec. 80 of the Consttu-
ton says the general assembly shall pass no
special law for any case for which provision
has been made by an existing general law.
Sections and 8 of this act have been fully
provided for by Il general law-the obliga-
tons of Registers and Clerks clearly defined
by general law, and making this law a spe-
cal act for Hartford county is nothing more
nor less than Il reflection upon the high moral
character of the gentlemen who have been
entrusted to discharge the duties of the posi-
tons named therein. To assail, by Legislative
action, the character and integrity of those
officers by imputation, insinuation or 9TH
erwisc, will as surely revert back upon these
self: constituted Interpreters of the legal duties
ofpublic officers, with the scorn of an insult
ed community, who will most assuredly al
low them to pass quietly into their wel-mert-
cd political oblivion. 70 erect a monument
for political fame or self-aggrandizement
by assailing the character of others, has been
too fragrant to be any longer endured by
a discerning and intelligent community.
Scarcely has the sound ceased ringing in our
ears of corruption and malfeasance in public
officers, and before our officers in this coun-
ty could relieve themselves from the false
charges heretofore made, when similar cases
were brought before the circuit court for Bal
timore county, in this same judicial circuit,
tried before Il full bench, and not a dissenting
voice was head insinuating in the slightest
degree that those officers had violated the
law, but on the contrary the accused parties
were honoraby discharged from the foul i'm
putation made by designing politicians
against their good names
| see in this act nothing but the same dis
position to arouse the public mind to feel
ing of insecurity, and to weaken their conf
dence in the integrity of those who are now
favored with the public positions in this
county.
While | have always maintained the right
of holding to strict accountability those who
have charge of our public affairs, | cannot
but look at this special act for Hartford coun-
ty as disrespectful to the officers of the coun-
ty, disgraceful to its citizens, Il stain upon
the statute books and unworthy the counter
ance and support of any good citizen.
PETER THE HERMIT.
RocIy H0Now, April 22d.