The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1879-10-11
JUDGE MERRICK ON COUNTY COM
MISSIONERS.

In his address before the State Tax payers con-
venton Hon. VIM. NJ. Merrick used this language:
"To get a man of high character and enlarged in
teigence and sufficient leisure to serve as County
Commissioner is piece of rare good fortune in
any county" Continuing Judge Merrick said
GLOW shall we get proper men to serve as
| County Commissioners, as our local legislators
| and governor at home? This is, it seems to me,
| the nitiotary step to thorough and enduring re-
form, without which all other efforts will be spas
modic and incomplete. A large advance will be
| made whenever we rid ourselves of the idea that
| those bodies shall be strictly partisan in their
composition. l know that this idea is utterly un-
palatable to the drill sergeants Ofpolitics. Never
theess it is one which has always been favOrlte
| with phosophic statesmen. Lord Brougham once
said that the whole purpose of the British consti-
tuition was to get honest and enlightened men to
serve their fellow-citizens. They will not do it
unless we save their sef-respect from being drag
ged in the mire of partisan intrigue and conten-
ton 1t is enough that good men should sacrifice
their comfort and dedicate their labors upon the
altar of public duty. We should honor them too
much to expect them to sacrifice personal indie
pendence That may not seem to those who
have not considered the subject to be advanGng
crude IDEAS will mention that when Jefferson
was Governor of Virginia he appointed to the
bench gentlemen without regard to politics. Your
County Commissioners, like the Judge should
know no man in administering the finances, in
which men of all parties have interests and equal
rights The Board of Commission appointed by
Gov. Tilden, of New York, composed of eminent
men, at the head of which was Mr.. Evarts, dis
tnguished jurist and able statesmen, known to
you all, making report to the legislature, in their
discussion of municipal reform, declare that, above
ALL local affairs should be separated far pos
sible from State and national politics. The city
of Boston perhaps the best regulated city in
America, acts upon this maxim practically and
fully. y At all events, gentlemen, you
will agree with me that we must so far iberalize
ourselves to discard all party acts and insist,
with whatever party dominates in our respective
counties, that it shall give men of a moral and
intellectual standard, so high that they will COM
mand the respect and confidence of the whole
community, and we must cultivate the sentiment
that office is honorable in proportion to its utility
to society and not in proportion to its emOluments
WoMEN's CHRISTIAN UNION OF MARYLAYD.-The
fifth annual convention of the Women's Christian
Union of Maryland was held in Baltimore 3rd
instant. After the transaction ofthe regular bust
ness of the meeting the following resolutions were
adopted:
Resolred, That the Women Christian Union of
Maryland, in convention assembled, acknowledges
it in years past 1t had the honor of entertaining
the members of the National Convention last year,
and with its auxiliaries received fresh inspira-
ton from the strong words of the noble women
who attended it.
Resotred, That we enter upon the work of the
ensuing year with absolute faith than ever
in the power of the Christian religion to redeem
the drunkard and deliver him from the terrible
appetite which consumes him.
ResoLUed, That we believe every mother and
daughter in Maryland ought to take a decided
stand for total abstinence and prohibition.
Resoired, That as the welfare of the people is
the supreme law, and as the liquor traffic en-
dangers the peace of society, entreat our legis
lators to pass such laws at their next session as
shall enable each community prohibit the liquor
traffic in its midst by majority of votes.
Resolced, That while our own efforts have been
chiefly directed to the Gospel temperance work,
we would send word of good cheer to the noble
women in other States who are laboring in various
ways to promote the cause.