Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1874-01-30
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PORT ACCO:
Friday Morning, January..."....30, 1874.



Thus far the Legislature has done very
little in the way of general legislation.
The members however have been very
busy in log-rolling and electioneering a.
bout the appointment of three Police
Commissioners for Baltimore. These off,
ces are worth $500 per annun,, and trim
mings. The labor of the office consists in
meeting each other every morning for
about an hour on police business, and the
rest of the day they have nothing to do
but be ornamental. These Commissioners
exercise tremendous political influence,
controlling absolutely the votes Of the en-
tire police force, independently of having
the power to use the whole force in almost
any way they may think proper. OF
course persons occupying a position so
potent for good or evil are much sought
after and courted. Hence these gentle
men always occupy the most prominent
places at fetes, banquets and receptions,
and otherwise live on the fat of the land
at other peoples expense. 1t is not, there
fore, to be wondered at that there are some
twenty or thirty applicants for so soft and
valuable place, and among them are
some five or six members of the present
House. We sincerely hope law will be
passed, prohibiting the election or ap-
pointment, during his term, of any men,
Der of either House, by the Legislature or
Governor.
Governor Whyte, on Tuesday, sent a
letter accepting the position of U. S. Sena-
tor and stating that he had filed his resig-
nation as Governor, to take effect on the
4th Of March next. Of course this has
made the canvass for the succession much
more active, and it is evident the business
of the session will not receive proper at
tention until these two elections are over.
Governor Whyte having got all he want
ed has gracefully retired and takes no in
terest in the question of succession, so that
Mr. John W. Davis is left out in the cold,
and the contest has narrowed itself down
to Mr.. James B. Groome. member from
Cecil, and Henry W. Archer, of Hartford
county,-Eastern Shore VS.. Western Shore.
Mr.. Groome was member of the Conven-
ton of 1867, and also member, we believe,
of the last two Legislatures. He is law
yer of some eminence at the Elkton bar
and man of talents, tho quite young; he
Is good speaker, tho his style is decid
eddy appoplectic. Mr.. Archer is also q
lawyer, and is known throughout the State
to the legal profession as one of its most
eminent members, because of his great
breadth of intellect. He was a member of
the Convention of 1867, and occupied the
foremost rank among the ablest debaters
of that very able body. Otherwise he has
never been in public life, devoting himself
entirely to his large and lucrative practice.
It would be fortunate indeed for the State
if man of such large capacity and purity
of character, unconnected with rings or
cliques of any sort. could be elected to the
Guberna.orial chair.
county, introduced an order for the pur
pose of finding out how many Office hold
ers are members of the present Legislature.
and whether they are not disqualified I'M
der section 10-11 Of article 8 of our Con-
stitution, and we regret to see that the
order was tabled. We hope the Doctor
or somebody else will take the matter and
press the inquiry, and if there be any thus
disqualified turn them out, whether they
be Democrats or Radicals. We certainly
have no patience with any Democrat who
may have thus violated the law of the
land.
A resolution was introduced into the
House and passed, req uesting the Governor
to appoint counsel to defend registrars of
voters Who have been indicted in the United
States Courts, and give rise to some debate
Mr.. Brace Radicaf from Allegany) oppos-
ing it, and Mr.. Freaner, Of Washington, and
Mr.. Groome, Of Cecil, advocating it.
In the Senate Mr-Earle's resolution, con-
demnatory of the Civil Rights bill, now
before Congress, being up. Dr.. Mudd, from
tbs county, delivered himself of speech
in opposition to the resolutions. We I'M
derstand that when speaking of miscegen-
alton the Doctors remarks were of so NOV
ing character that the ladies in the au-
aience incontinently left the room. The
resolutions, however, were adopted.
A bill was introduced into the Senate
for the purpose of exempting the property
bequeathed by Johns Hopkins, for chart
table perposes, from taxation. This was
earnestly opposed by Mr.. Fields, from Car
oline, and Mr. Davis, from Baltimore coun-
ty, and went over to another day. We are
glad to see this opposition to further ex-
enption of any property from taxation, the
effect of all of which is to increase the bur
den borne by the other owners Of property.
This exemption business has got to be an
intolerable nuisance and almost insupport-
able burden. Every association, mechan-
ical social, beneficial, religious, literary,
or for almost any otherpurpese, is exempt
ed from taxation, until now property a.
mounting in the aggregate to naaHy mil
lions is exempt, to the great injustice OF
the honest taxpayers. Ii one is exempt,
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