Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1874-01-09
+. +. GUV.
{ II. STANLEY.
- VI II
The Ic=islature OF Maryland.

CAPT. WEIIs-Dc7r SIR: | noticed in
Your last issue YOU referred To several mat
tiers on " hich the present Legislature would
lie called on t. act, and also made some
very proper and timely suggestions upon
other matters on which they ought to act.
Now. sir ~ regards the election of Ma
tional and State officers such a United
States senator. State Treasurer. &c, &c.
have nothing IL say, as | feel sure that
there could Toe no harm done in clecting
either Of the many worthy, component and
honorable gentlemen named in connection
Herewith. and | am perfectly willing To
leave that matter To the judgment and a
biity Of the Legislature although |, in
common with almost every citizen Of the
county, would feel proud To see our worthy
countyman. Hon. Barnes Compton, elected
to the office of State Treasurer, and trust
and believe he will be honorcd with that
office.
see YOU copy from the Baltimore Sun,
in which it suggests. that it would he wise
legislation TO make Justices of the Peace
salaricd officers, instead of paying them
by fees. rs now. and that the fees be col
lcctel and paid into the Treasury. This
might work we'll in the city of Baltimore.
where. perhaps, the amount of the differ
ent Justices fees may be nearly equal, and
where the fees are quite matter of in
come but do not see how it could work
well in the counties, where rs a general
/ thing. from location and other favorable
causes, two or three Magistrates do the
! larger portion of the business of the entire
county. 1t certainly would not be Just and
/ right to give to those officers who. from 10
cation and other unf4vorable causes, would
do but a very small portion of the labor
and business, an cqua! salary with those
who had done ten times as much; and then
! it might make some very negligent and in
| attentive. if they knew they would get as
much for performing a small amount of
| labor as if they had done ten times as
much. There are many Justices Of the
! Peace who, from informing themselves as
! to the business Of and proper attention
to. the duties Of the office, are certainly
more entitled to a larger compensation
| (whcn those qualifications are the cause of
their getting more business) than those
who do not get the same amount to do.
! Therefore | do not think Il certain salary to
Justices of the Peace in the counties would
work well, or be Just in its action.
! Whilst on this subject, | would suggest
! that the jurisdiction of Justices be incrcas-
ed to 1T least three hundred dollars, and
competent men be appointed to Office
| This matter was talked of by the Lcgisla-
ture four years ago, but failed. | hope it
may pass this session, as think it would
prevent a vast amount OF expensive and
tedious litigation in the Circuit Court.
The suggestion as regards passing law
requiring owners of stock, &c, to he com
PEELED to keep them within their enclos-
ures, think, would be wise enactment !;
also, a law to prevent any new gates beng
put upon public roads, and the abolishing,
after Il reasonable time, of all gates now
standing.
The next in order is the dog tax. This
law, l trust, will be passed this session, as