The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1886-02-16

MEETING OF THE JUSTICES
AND COMMISSIONERS.

s,@AN~OANAeAtS W - SSeeAAJ eA-S DSt>eNr1 -
Justices and Commissioners of Bun
combe met In the Court house 70
hear petitions from certain town
ships affecting The operation of the
stock law in said townships. =
Upon call OF the roll, the follow
ing Justices responded: P. I. 1srale,
N. B. Creasman, s s Norman, B 1
Morgan, j. w. Morgan, b. P Nor
gan, f Sluder Sr. e West, B A Tow
rance. ] & Randall, T. j Ferguson,
A e. Wells, WsR Murray, AL,
Rickmaa, E = Yonrg A II pinlEers
ton, Abram Creasmea R H latter
son, j 8 Bartlett. Jacob q Patton,
w NJ Gddgef, N a Penland, C.B.
Way, A T Summey. J NJ Ledford,
D H Reagan, J A Gwaltney, Thomas
Revis, j M Buckner, Joel Brigham,
John Stepp, J W Dougherty, M NJ.
Jones, James McNair, r s Jones, F.
A Lance, J M Green, VIII Hunter,
J w Wells, J p Castor. -
And the following Comissioners !: :
] e Rankin, J A Reagan, L L Childs,
N A Penland, T D Brittian.
A quorum was declared present.
CB Way was elected Chairman
of the Joint Meeting.
Commissioner Rankin arose
and said that before proceeding
with the consideration of the special
business of the meeting he desired
to submit to the. consideration of
the Joint meeting the propriety of
an increase ofSthe pay of the Judge
of the the inferior Court. This
Court has proven of fgreat utility to
the county i'm executing law andsav-
ingexpenses;and thatby the enlarge
ment of the jurisdiction ofthe Court
by the last legislature, had very
largely increased the labors of the
court, and he did not think the pres
ent pay sufficient for the laborous
and faithful services rendered.
By request Of MIR Rankin Mr. ] FL
Merrimon addressed few remarks
to the boards, heartily sustaining all
that Mr.. Rankin had said, speaking
of the efficiency and usefulness of
the court and the faithful and ardu-
Gus labors of the Judge; and thought
the pay should certainly be increas-
ed.
On motion, the salary of the Judge
was fixed at one hundred dollars per
term. beginning with the January
term.
The chairman then announced
the readiness of the meeting to take
up and hear the stock law case.
On motion, it was decided that
petitioners be heard by counsel
Mr.. Richmond Pearson presented
a number ofpapers for the consid>
Grafton of the meeting. ~
Comm ssioner Rankin suggested,
as this was a very important matter,
and had already created some dis
turbance, and had even gone through
the Superior and Supreme Courts, by
virtue of which the meeting was'held
to-day; it would be -we1l for the meet
ing to ascertain the real status of
the question ana its powers in the
premises, and would, therefore, be
glad for Mr.. Merrimon, counsel for
the Board of Commissioners, to
makes statement concerning the
matter for the information OF the
meeting. This was agreed to, and
MIR. Merrimon took the stand, and
presented the full status of the mat
ter. He submitted also, in writing,
as embodying his views, the follow
ing: a:>@-'1.,
/. That with respect to the "Stock
Law" for the county of Buncombe
passed by the General Assembly al
its session of 1885, this joint meeting
of the Board of Commissioners and
Justices of the Peace of said county
is the same as the joint meeting of
the first Monday in June, 1885.
II. That its Jurisdiction, rights,
powers and duties under said sStock
Law" are confined tothe considera-
ton and decision of such and only
such questions and matters as were
cogniEable before It on the said first
Monday in.June, 1885.
III. That this j6int meeting has
not Jurisdiction, right or power, and
it is not its duty to receive, consider
or decide upon d petition of d maj
|ority Of the qualified voters of any
townships of said county of Bum
combe praying or demanding a sus.
pension of said Stock Law in said
township unless said petition was
complete and ready 10 be- presented
to the joint meeting of the first Mon@
day in June, 1885, and its presenta>
ton to said last mentioned Joint
meeting was prevented blythe hasty
and premature adjournment or dis
organization of said meeting.
". That this joint meeting will
not receive, consider or decide upon
a petition Of a majority Of the quail
fed voters OF any toWnseip OF said
county of Buncombe praying or
demanding a suspension of said
Stock Law in said township unless
it can be shown BY satisfactory proof
that said petition was duly prepar-
ed, and signed by majority of the
qualified voters of said township
before, or during the said first Mon
day in June, 1885, and was ready