The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1875-01-12


of the public service require
Before the present constitution went
into effect, there were but ten circuit |
judges in the State, who not only dis
charged all the duties imposed on the
thirteen circuit judges now provided for,
but also performed nearly all the duties
now imposed on twenty chancellors; and
| there was no complaint that their number
WAS insufficient. By the present system,
! (and we believe in that respect it is Il
good one,) most of the business formerly
done by the probate judges is now tran
sacted by the chancery clerks. The
chancellors are almost exclusively occu-
pied in what isstrictly chancery or equity
business, which, as before stated, was
formerly within the Jurisdiction of the
circuit judges. The litigation in the
circuit and chancery courts is now far
less in amount and and value than it
was when We had only ten circuit judges
/ The constitutional amendment by which
the jurisdiction Of Justices Of the peace
has been made to include all civil eases
not exceeding in amount $3.50 90, and
the poverty Of our people by which bust
ness transactions are very much limited
in value, have taken away at least one
third Of the civil business of the circuit
and chancery courts.
The expenses of the Legislative De
c partment have grown recently into enOr-
2 NOUS proportions The sessions are now
& annual, and have been greatly prolonged,
: and there has been a great and, as we re-
. specially insist, an unnecessary increase
Io, AZ Il
e dOorkeepers, geantat-armS, pOrters
It and pages. Formerly all the clerical
d force needed was furnished to the House
OF Representatives at 81 800, and to the
h Senate at 81 200, for "a session.
# We do not wish to be under, TODD as
d stating that the services of the members
(, Of your honorable body are not worth
}. all that is now charged, viz: $500 pei
q annum. There is no price within om
- means to pay, which could possibly be
!, toe high for the inestimable blessing OF
70 an intelligent, working and earnest body
;, Of men, who consecrato their lives anC
-. devote their talents to the study of politi
- Cal economy, and those arts which make
10 a people great, prosperous and happy
IN and who bring to the great work Of Ell
20 acting laws for the State, the rich result
~ of a ripe and varied experience in cour
q affairs. But, in our present impover
~. ished condition, we respectfully, but ear
- nestly represent, that retrenchment il
- all parts of the administration is abso
,r lutely necessary; and we cannot dOub
that the lnembers Of your body, will mi
tate this reform, by fixing their salarie
Ir at the sum paid before the war, which
Of amounted generally, to about $3.50 70
Id two years, there being but one ses
Is sion in that time. This sum would b
~ greater than is realized on the average b
. citizens in private life, and greater ais
&c than the average paid members of tn
20 Legislature by the other States in tn
ne Union.
he The Governors salary might be, with
eS out detriment to the public service, fxe
le at 81 900 per annum, which is far large
er than is paid by other States in the Unto
eS having no more wealth than Mississippi
Sc The Lieutenant Governors salar
9e might also be fixed at the price usual
u aid to the presiding officer Of the Sci
s. tie, viz: double the salary of a Senator
~. The Salaries of the Treasurer, Seer
liz tary Of State, Auditor and Attorne
,os General, we ask, may be fixed as the
~, were under the Code Of 1857; and til
at clerks and assistants allowed these off
al GERS, reduced to the number and con
go pensation with the salaries fixed by til;
TO Code. And the salary and expend
lures Of the State Superintendent
,d Education should be reduced to ver
he moderate sum. His Office should be
as room in the capitol.
he And we respectfully ask, that IL
ire salaries Of all other State and Distrit
in officers should be fixed at the rates PAL
rs, before the war. The salaries then a
lii lowed We're sufficient to procure the Sc
nd vices Of able and competent men, and "
ed feel sure they will be sufficient now. II
ice truth is, that all private pursuits are
lie depressed, and all official positions s
ny highly remunerative, that the dfferenC
lie beget5 widespread greed for Office, an
encourages that bane Of all free govern
all ments-the growth Of large class who.
mo- sole interests in the State consist in the
o77 reception of the emoluments of otfic
roo position.
nd The cost of assessing and collectir
ns. the Revenue of the State is out of a
of proportion TO the necessary labor an
he responsibility required in the dischars
ION of those duties. The gains to these of
r. GERS are enormous. Under the code
IN 1857 the maximum which an ASSESS
l. could receive In any one year was 500