Birmingham age-herald., 1895-06-28
GARD FROM GENERAL THOMAS,
County Commissioner, to the People of lief
 ferson County.

AA1lO E1tOI 0 HIN GtahA4 4EO4AADs County Commissioner, to the People Of Jeff
 ferson County.
 The so-called report of the grand jury published in the Age-Herald of the l6th instant does the commissioners court such gross injustice that l cannot in justice to myself and other members of my court. let it pass unnotieed The charges are utterly at variance with every principle of truth and justice Judging from the substance Of the re- port it is rather the report of the solie- itor to the nine jurors-out or seventeen who voted for it than the report of the grand jury to the judge, as eight Of the jurors repudiated the report in toto and voted against it's adoption. The namss of the eight jurors who voted against the adoption of the report are Messrs. James A. Allen, D. l.. Bridges, Chambers MeAdory T. Y. Cain, J. A. Russell, Joe Rutledge. J. H. Arlington and J. E. El- liott.
 Says the report: "We have examined the sittings of the commissioners court of the county and the jury commission, and from the construction of the law by the solicitor we suggest that the com missioners sit in accordance to your hon ors instructions to us as the legal terms of that court.
 The report throughout is, of course the production of the solicitor, as he had it typewritten and read it to the jury. It is not expected that the men who are called to serve on grand juTies are fla miliar with the laws which govern the sittings and prescribe the duties of he commissioners. court. They are there fore entirely dependent on the solicitor for the law and it's application to the eases which come before the jury for in- vestigation, however defective may be his construction or application of the law or whether he is biased in his opin- ion by prejudice and should take advan- tage of his official position to vent his spite upon any one who had in some way incurred his displeaSuEe. His 'iDse dix it'' is to them the law and the responsi- bility rests upon him.
 Now, while I am free to admit that I do not think Jefferson's solicitor is a Coke or Blackstone. am 10th to believe that any lawyer who carries a license in his pocket does not know that commits sioners court is a constitutional court-a court of original jurisdiction. the powers and duties of which are plainly laid down in the statutes, and is, therefore, not a sub of the criminal or any other court
 The presumption is that the solicitors onslaught on the commissioners court for consuming so much time in it's sit tings is in the interest of economy to ths county treasury. Let us see if his own acts justify such conclusion: The so- licitor's salary is 5000 year, $10 a day for every working day in the year. Be sides 5000 allowed for two assistants, clerk, etc, and whether he be absent at political convention, commencement, or spending his two months annual vaca- ton at a watering place, and is not on duty at the court house he draws his 5000 all the same as if he were con stantly engaged for the whole twelve months. The differences between the commissioners and Solicitor Little is this: The commissioners sit only the time allowed by law and draw pay only for the time they sit, whilst the solicitor is on duty only nine months in the year and draws pay for twelve.
 Further on in the report the commits sioners are severely criticised for con suming more time in the equalization of taxes than was necessary. The equaliza- tion of taxes in county like Jefferson, with population of 90000 and tax val uss from S32 000 600 to $35OO0O00 re- quires an enormous amount of labor. IGv- cry item on each tax list has to be care fully compared with the entries on the tax assessors books and the long column of figures on the books footed up and bal anced, and the law authorizes the court to sit till the work is finished. See code of Alabama. page 164, section 5l0. Terms of commissioners court.
 For the performance of their duties un- der this title the court of county com1nis- sioners, or other courts having like ju-  ular terms on the second Monday in May, July and August of each year. and such adjourned and special terms as may be necessary; and such terms, regular, ad- journed and special, may continue until the business of the court has been com pleted.
 As with the taxes so with the jury commission. The drawing of juries for all the courts of Jefferson county is big work, and the law authorizes the commissioners to remain in session until the work is done
 It is with no small degree of embar rassment and modification that l come before the public in a newspaper article to defend myself and my colleagues against the unjust charges that have been made against us. Conscious that I have been faithful to my trust as coun- ty official I have no hestancy in submit ting my case to the verdict of the people whom 1 serve.
 GEO. l.. THOMAS.