Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1879-09-05
Circuit Court Expenses.
HOMEWORK, NEAR NoRBEcK P. On,
nnna1 9th 1871

iOMEWOUD, MAX ANOhbECh ~
August 27th, 1879.
Hon. VIM. VElRs BoUlc-
Dear Sir II have read in the Rockville
Sentinel of the 22nd instant your communica-
ton on the subject Of "Circuit Court Ex-
penses," and as you make reference to me
with respect 10 the report presented as Chair
man of the Committee of the Taxpayers
convention, held in Rockville on the oath
ultimo, feel it my duty to notice such refer
ences, for il seems 10 me you could not have
had my report by you when writing your
| communication.
You say that 10 that report | have tsub-
stantially informed the public that the great
increase of Court expenses in this county for
| the present year, over those OF 1859 was oc-
casioned by want Of due attention on the
part of the Judges FuEher on, you say,
| "Mr. Albert has selected the year 1859 as
the standard of economical expenditures
of the Court" aud towards the close you say
''if the Chairman of the Committee of the
meeting of Taxpayers OF the county and the
editors of the Baltimore San think the pay of
these persons referring to those whose COM
pensation is included 10 the COart expenses)
ought 10 be reduced to that of 1859, lei them
say so, and ask the Legislation TO do it, and
cot blame the Court for what the Court has
no sort Of control over"
The report of the committee can be found
in the Ad,pcqte of the 3ist Jltimo from which
! will quote what i said on the subject Of
Court expenses, and after reading it you will
SEE that the Chatham of the Committee does
mol blame the Cofrt or cast any reflections
uponit: g.
II VA u Rsdsetjon4in the com
pensation ~ Inc Clerk Of the Circuit Court,
and. w,l1ont disturbing the collection of fees
as p,w established, or as may be hereafter
rasu lated by law, that be be alo we'd the sum
of 81, 900 per annum.
awe recommend a reduction 10 the COM
pensation of the States Attorney, as the duties
of bis Office do not require the occupation of
all his time, and be may therefore pursue
other professional business, we propose that
his salary be fixed at $500 per anuum.
"We call the attention of the convention
TO the regular growing increase of the COM
pensaton of the Sheriff and Jailor, from
S695.75 in 1853, 10 So, SAT 83 in 1878, and
we offer a recommendation reducing this
annual expenditure"
Among the resolutions proposed by the
committee, and adopted by the convention,
you will find as follows:
WHEREAS, we consider the expenses of our
Circuit Court to have become excessive, there
having been steady growing increase in the
cost Of jnrors, &C., from the sum of 81 800 90
in 1853, TO S., O4l.28 in 1878, and whereas
the Constitution in Section o, Article 4, re-
quires the Judges shall from time 10 time in
vestigate the expenses, costs and charges of
their respective Courts, with a view to q
change or reduction thereof, and report the
result OF such investigation to the General
Assembly for its action, - therefore
Resoived, The Judges of our Circuit Court
be, and they are hereby respectfully requested
to take this matter into consideration, and
see what reduction can be made in our Court
expenses, and report the result to the next
General Assembly"
THAT the salary of the Clerk of the Cir
cult Court, without disturbing the present
system of fees, shall be reduced to So, 900
per annum.'
''rhat the salary of the States Attorney
shall be fixed al $500 per annum."
have quoted more fully, perhaps, than was
absolutely necessary, but this is all that was
reported TO the convention and adopted by it,
pertaining to the expenses of the Circuit Court,
and cannot see where | have charged that
the great increase of Court expenses has been
occasoned by want of due attention on the |
part of the Judges or where have "seected |
the year 1859 as the standard of economical
expenditure of the Court" | have done
neither, nor did blame the Court for any
thing. The year 1859 is not mentioned in
the matter. An allegation is made by the re-
port and proof presented of the increase of |
the cost of Jurors, nc, from 1853 to 1873.
No censure was intended or it would have
been clearly expressed The object of the
report was to deal fairly, clearly, directly and
pertinently with the matters in hand and we
did it,
We were looking to a reduction of the bur
den of taxation under which the masses of |
the people are complaining and, believing the
10 ,c.il.
asked the Court, as we had a right 10 do, to |
Investigate them, and pointed to the Consti-
tutional authority and requirement on the |
subject. The section referred 10 authorizes /,
the Judges to appoint such officers for the
Court as may be found necessary. 1t makes it |
incumbent on 'he GeRersL assembly 10 pre-
scribe By lac a fIed compensation for all such
officers" and then, the Judges are required TO
examine into the expenses, costs and charges
of the Court from time to time, and recon-
mend any change or reduction thereof TO the
General Assembly for its action.
If we should follow your advice and ask
the Legislature to do what is desired without
first asking the Judges of the Court to exam
treating the Court disrespectfully, and the
Legislature would do right by pointing us 10
the Constitution, and telling us to see what il
pro vdes before seeking additional legislation
have not time just now TO examine and
comment on the interesting array of facts and
figures which you have submitted, further than
to notice this remarkable fact, shown by you,
that while "the criminal trials aud appear
ancesp in Nov. So, and March 80, were 9S
more than for the same terms in rs and 10,
and the presentments % more, yet the fees FOR
the latter period were so largely in excess Of
the former. You clearly show a necessity for
some retrenchment here.
agree with the closing paragraph of your
letter, that If we do moi send proper men to
the Legislature, not much will be done for the
benefit of the people.
The Democratic platform, as promulgated
at the late nomination of the Hon. VIM. T.
Hamilton, seems TO me TO have been based
generally on the resolutions of the tax-pay-
ers' conventions held previously in several
OF the counties. would suggest that letter
be prepared and submitted TO each of the can
didates for the Legislature from our county,
asking his opinion on the various appropriate
matters con tanned 10 that platform, and also
en- certain matters adopted by our county tax
payers convention and not included in the
PLATFORM and whether be will use his best Gu
deavors to secure the appropriate legislation.
Respectfully Yours,
CHARLES ALBERT.