Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1897-01-21
CoMMUNICATED.
a Few Nuts for the Courts TO Crack.

In looking over the columns of the
Baltimore Sun find the following:
BOARDS OF CONTROL AND REVIEW
The question of the right of the coun-
ty commissioners to act as a board of
control and review for the reassessment
in Carroll county is being very freely
discussed by the people. Quite a num-
Der hold that it is violation of articles
33 and 50 of the declaration of rights.
prohibiting the holding of two offices at
the same time. IL is expected that the
matter will soon be brought before the
court, so that it may be definitely settled.
Now, if such a condition of things ex-
list in the time honored county of Car
roll, who can say that they do not exist
here to a greater degree and it is but
just to the taxpayers of Maryland to call
halt and take steps to remedy this
growing evil of wanton waste of the
county's money to enrich the purse of a
favored few in utter disregard of all
morality and law. Some time ago, in
Leonardtown, l heard lawyer of high
standing say that he did not intend to
pay his taxes this year, as they could not
be legally collected for many reasons
directly contrary to all law on the sub
ject, and il now looks as though he was
right. First, show me the law that au-
thorized our county commissioners to
constitute themselves into a board of
control and review before the asses
sors had finished their work. Second,
when they constituted themselves into a
board of control and review, were they
not holding two offices at the same time,
contrary to all law: They may say not,
but l differ with them. They constitu-
ted themselves as a board of control and
review, and did they not commission
themselves as such Most assuredly
they did. Now, will go little further
and make it palmer. When they ap-
point constable, do they not commits
sion him as such? He receives his COM
mission from the county commissioners,
and the filing of his bond entities him
to do all constable business, and surely
no one doubts that he is a commissioned
officer of the county. duly qualified. But
when they (the county commissioners
go further and appoint a constable as
tax collector, as is now the case in this
county, is not that officer holding two
commissioned offices in utter disregard
of all law. And as the first appoint
ment and commission takes precedence,
his acts as collector must necessarily be
null and void; and should he prove de-
( faulter (but | am sure he will not) the
poor taxpayers could be made again pay
their taxes, as they did not pay .hem to
legally constituted tax collector; and
further still, I will and can go farther
for man to be justice of the peace,
deputy sheriff and jailor, holding three
commissioned offices at the same time,
beats the climax, and shows high Repub-
lican carnival. i suppose this means
that he can issue his warrant, directed
90 the sheriff of the county, then go and
make the arrest. then try the prisoner,
then put him in jail in utter disregard of
all common decency and law to the con-
trary Notwithstanding. But this is
enough for this time, so let every law
abiding citizen be up and doing his share
to bring before the courts this assess
ment iniquisy upon the poor down trod-
den farmers of st. Mary's snd other
counties. II nothing unforeseen happens
viii give you quite q lengthy letter for
your next issue, wherein will give the
public much that some people would
liked to have been kept in the dark.
FIAT JUsTITIA.