Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1881-07-08
To the Democratic and Conservative
Voters of Montgomery County.

Fello~- CaizeRs = Encouraged by the solicit
Ialions of friends ia various parts of the
county, as well as by repeated assurances
that my course in the last Legislature met
the approval OF the people, | respectfully
announce myself "a candidate for the next
SENATE OF the State. In doing so, how
tfss-i is but due TO myself TO say that
among the several measures of retrenchment
brought forward by myself in the last House
of Delegates, were two in relation TO the fees
of lawyers in criminal cases--the one to limit
The appearance fee of the States Attorney, in
all eases of indictment for misdemeanor and
felony, TO five dollars in each case, with such
additional compensation as the Judges of the
Circuit Court may recommend as reasonable
in cases of special labor; and the other, TO
restrict the appearance fee of the attorney APP
pointed by the Court to defend a prisoner, TO
five dollars in all cases. The farmers and tax
payers of the county have these bills to pay,
and have, also, the right, presume, through
their representatives in the Legislature, TO see
that they are not unreasonable.
The two measures above alluded to as hav-
ing been introduced by myself-and which were
recommended by our present resident Judge of
the Circuit Court-passed the House OF Dele
gates without dissenting voice, and had
they not been defeated in the Senate through
the ihstrurnentality OF our present State Senator
who | understand is again a candidate
would have saved the county considerable
sum. To my measures, reducing Ito something
like what they were before the war; the fees of
the Sheriff for keeping and feeding prisoners,
as also the fees of the Crer of Court, the
Senator had no objection, but the moment
undertook TO reduce the fees of the LAWYERS in
criminal cases--alike paid by the county-the
Senator not only objected but had my bills
TO that effect defeated in the Senate notwilh-
Standing, as said before, they had passed the
House of Delegates unanimously. These are
The iacis shown by the record, a copy of@hich
the Senator and myself both have-either of
which, ! presume, is open to inspection.
hope, therefore, it will not be considered
mpiiops in me in becoming a candidate
TO let The people decide at the primaries
which OF us was right and which wrong
the State Senator or myself did all that
mortal man could do under the circumstances
to reduce the expenses of the county where
they were not, more Immediately, under the
control of the commissioners, aud would have
accomplished more than did, had not been
interfered with by those equally entrusted
with the duty
need hardly add that II elected shall
pursue the same course in the Senate did in
the House-support the Governor in his noble
efforts 10 reduce the overgrown expenses of
the State, and thus re-establish, so far AT least
as Maryland is concerned, that old long lost
landmark of Democracy 60 economy in pub
lie expenditures and which "A majority of
enr last Legislature were but too successfu 10
making secondary to their own interests.
Very respectfully,
GEO. G. PATTERSON.
may 27-tfo