Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1883-12-21
THE INVESTIGATING BuS,xys,


known to the community.
The local press Of this copn,v 4,
probably been mislead by curren, r,,o,or
eminating, il must be adritted from i
responsible source. in regard 10 the vo-s
Of this committee. both as 10 Tho IN,
occupied aud the extent ofthe researches
1t m gbt have been an error !, ii,
committee, and so we have been ;n.lio
ed to think, to observe secrecy IN ID
deliberations, but we can un1o..,.,J
that the committee may have been scte.
aicd IN this by the best motive. =.
matter Of fairness TO the Comn;..;o,o,.
aud for the protection Of the Co,,r IN.
wealth For, even leaving out Of oue,
ton any consideration dsc the Commi,.
'ioners from the danger Of misle,aia,
aud garbled reports aud publication, 4
their proceedings, yet, ifhalf the charge
wild" and otherwise, which have heel
spoken aud written against thesa Gam.
missioners had beeu found to be true b
this investigation and the facts had bc.a
communicated to the guilty Commission.
ers, there would likely have been an so.
'conding before the 20th, and 0oipg
uuwhipped Of justice.
Recognizing, therefore, the spirit d
fairness and justice Which controlled he
committee in its star chamber proceed.
ings, this secrecy mast explain, on or
part, the local in which we renor.l
that the members had concluded tber
labors and betaken themscIye, to tbar
homes We regret exceedingly that
that local should have been 40 en,ire.
" Inexperienced by the Committee
We supposed every body would under
stand that the item was written IN
vein Of sarcasm directed towards tb6S
who had so magnified the laboriousneq
Of the work of investigating the Treas
urers books. nothing more nor les.
concluding with little pleasantly wife
we might have used towards any tire
men in the county.
Let US say, once for all, that. berier
ing in the irreprJachable character 0
the members Of this Committee, We mus
believe the investigation was pursue
thoroughly, fairly and honestly within
the scope of the Committees powers
and that their researches extend IA
enough backward TO determine the gull
or innocence of the COMMISSIONS
whose accounts have been investigated
Now, if this investigation indicates O
determines the guilt of the Commission
ers, th ose who have preferred the charge
against them will doubtless be satisfies
with the labors OF the Committee. RI
establishes the presumption OF inncehct
to which the Commissioners are entltA
~ae. = ~. zsss-.--=- .ss s,,e suora&
which has been given with much q
dence, that another investigation slli
be instituted by the Grand jury to <.
, tend back no one knows how many
: years? II it be supposed the late Com
missioners or any other Commissioners
be guilty Of offences greater than misde.
meauors not punishable by confinement
in the Penitentlary, tais may be all very
well and legitimate, otherwise the sta ute
limiting the institution of pros ations
for "misdemeanors, except those punish
, ed by cou6nc ment in the Penitentisry,"
to Zone year from the time of the offence
, committed" would bar further action By
the Grand Jury.
; Bat if the Grand Jury should deter.
mine to investigate the past transactions
ofthe County Commissioners generally,
how many years are they going back 7
Are they gong beyond the years the
Republicans have hal control Of County
affairs and investig 'te the expenditure Of
the thousands levied, in gross, for sup.
port of Primary Schools and Public
Roads, or Of the hundreds and tbou.
sands levied yearly for Building and
Repairing Bridges" for Road Super
yisors, for Contingent Expenses" all
Of which items and others appear in the
leyies Of the Commissioners in those pcod
old days long gone by, and Of the cx.
penditure Of which sums no account has
ever been given as the law requires and
then required? If so, the session oftb;s
body will be virtually iuterminable and
the expense to the County iuestinable
Still ifsuch an investigation, or any.nor.
ton oft be necessary to subsery. the
ends ofjastice and to punish evil doers.l
let it 60 on BY all means.
We arc on record, in these columns
Is the first to suggest the investigation,
BY Committee, ofthc affairs Of Il. l,,a
County Commissioners, although We
have been accused of spologiriD, Co.
their fanciei or real misicods and q -.
deavoring to shield them W