The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1882-08-05
Correspondence Baifiaore County UaioH.
THE REcoRDsINTHEC CLERKS OFFICE.


wAvERLY, Jaly 30, 1859.
Msssrs. Editors Of Tie Uaion .--After reading
your editorial In this weeks USioS commenting
on the condition Of the record books In the
Clerks Office In which CYLINDERS and inexeusabic
errors are said 30 exist" thought Il my duty 10
thank you for calling the attention Of the public
10 u. The press Is always looked upon as the
medium through which the mana cement aud con.
duct Of public Offices and officials are exhibited
and when anything Il being done that the public
should be apprised Of the press should neither
hesitate nor delay in letting IL be known. The
affair 60 which your editorial calls attention IL
one of very serious import. The records In the
Clerks Office should be exact copies Of all the pa.
pcrs left there 10 be recorded. II words are mis-.
spelled, capital letters substituted FOR small
ones In the original documents. these mistake,
should be noted In the copy when recorded In
order 90 make II axact aud accurate tran scrpt.
But " errors are made la copying which make the
copy different from the original, the mos, serious
consequences may follow. Examiners Of use
when the original documents are in the Clerks
possession. for, then any mistakes made in tho
copy can be properly corrected by comparison
with the originals, but when these are in the
hands of their owners, the office of the examiner
l. useless, because he l. unable 90 detect an error
when he has not the original TO guide him in the
examination. Examinations made nov Of papers
recorded three years ago should be done by order
of the Court alone The Clerk has no power 10
order correction in any of the records Of his Of
ice. unless, a have already stated the original
paper l. in hi possession aud the correction l. or
derci TO make the copy correspond with the orig
inai. This serious condition Of affairs may have
been disclosed after an examination Of the record
books by the Judges in compliance With a duty
imposed on them by the Constitution. All the
departments in the CLERKS Office are. under the
Constitution. subject TO the visitoral power ofths
judges, Who O. exercise the samc from time a.
time a. o. insure the faithful performance Of
the duties Of the oiicc. The additional force oi
examiner. employed ~ correct the incxcusablc
errors said 20 exis, canSot be legally employed
without the approval ui tbs Juiges Tor the Con-
stitution Art. Z. see 20. says; The saiI Clerk,
shaii appoint. subject {. the confirmation Of the
judges u their respective Courts. a. many drpu.
tics under them. a. tie s.il Judge. shall lecm
necessary, 20 perform. together with thofuseiyt.
/ the duties q the said oficc. Who shall be remov.
Z able BY the ssiI Judge. for inrompctcncy. OF
neglect Il duty" Thee appointments may have
q become necessary but 10 b. serious reflection On
the incompetent ur careless supcrtisisn ut the
work % the office by the "muiei" clerk The
judge should carefully ,NAniuc the record. a
the Office, ami promptly remove 40 who are Ia.
competent. or whu neglect their duty They are
the only officers wh, I'.sscss the poser q f,il.t.
inE. although thr Clerk .cru. g. base taken that
authority upon himself a short umc since 4
committee g inquiry should hr appointed G.. -
anime the ~ efis AMI report The result ol thei,
inquiry O. shatcscr bply 3. aathpufeI g. takcaf
ttiai c.enttaue" % &c. n 8. tap s.fiaus a matter
g. be slipwei e. i'op out - public ,ies until o,
properly attended g.. J..