The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-12

county. In the absence of the presi-
dent from any cause. the remaining
members may meet and elect one Of their
number present president pro tempore,
and the member thus serving shall be
entitled to his vote without regard to
his station as president pro tempore. A
majority Of the members present from
the maSisterial district, exclusive Of the
president. shall constitute board for
the transaction of business.
The justices should be required to meet
annually on the first Monday in May,
and the said justices, or majority
thereof present, shall then elect the
president of the Board of Commissioners
for the ensuing term.
There is another Office Of the Black
and Tan design that ought to be wiped
out. simply because there is not now,
nor has there ever been, any necessity
for it. refer to the Office of County
Treasurer. I know from personal OBJ
servation and experience that the office
Of County Treasurer destroys in great
measure the usefulness of one of the
most important and beneficial offices OF
the Commonwealth. I refer to the Oh
fee Of Sheriff, without which, with the
proper duties devolving on it, no county
government is complete. The Office mas
run down at its heels and become COM
paratively useless, and to get men 10
Fold it extra levies are made on the peo-
PIE and paid. TO get process served the
suffer must take his process 10 the
Sheriff, and besides paying him his legal
fees for executing 1t. the suffer must
actually beg and implore him to ac-
commodate him. notwithstanding the fact
that he is handed process which shows
on its face the co1hmanG OF the Common
wealth. Besides, the present u1doe (stipu-
= st fh. n
OF the collection of the clerks and other
public officers fee bills is equivalent to a
loss Of at least one-fifth Of all good fee
bills. The sheriffs will not collect lee
bills because they say the commissions
for SO doing do not amount to enough TO
justify them in employing deputies Inc
county treasurers are not allowed by Ia"
to collect such fee bills. 1t seems That ne
has become a special favorite of the Cen
eral Assembly It is idle and foolish to
talk Of public officers demanding compen-
sation in advance. Some of the Work
done by public officers is paid for III au-
vance but ! know from many years eN-
perience that Il great deal OF 1t IS not
only not paid for in advance. but the
amount to become due to the officer SIM
ply cannot be estimated so that 1t may
be paid. Any lawyer of experience knows
this to be SO. Cases sometimes occur
ship to demand pay in advance, but II
done. would result in denial of rights in
a court of justice.
The honest poor we always haze with
us. There are quite q number OF aple
and accomplished young lawyers III The
State convention who nave ll29er known
practically the advantages OF having 8
sheriff in the county fully equipped WITH
good deputies, for the discharge Of his
oh
in our dear old Commonwealth since 1860.
and we are not the same people.
The manner of transact2s business Is
very different now from what it was forty
years ago. The laws have .5reatiy chang
ed and likewise the duties OF public Of
ficers under them. Only occasionally is
there business Of importaIea 81, the law
side Of the Circuit Court. and there is hut
little Oh the chancery side enc much CT
the latter is done by the judge in the
vacations Of their courts. But notWlth-
| standing this, each county necs.s 4 sEer
iff, and the people have bean accustomed
to such an officer from the foundation
of our government and settling with
| him their State taxes and county leVics
and fee bills put into his hands for col
| lection by the officers of the county IN
which the Shelf resided and by the
! clerks and other officers in remote coul-
! ties. Every county in the State ought TO
be required by law to have erected In 1t,
! where it has not already been DONE as IN
| Rockbrioge and Augusta, and perhaps
! a few others, a good, convenient, com
| Portable and substantial Jail, with a conf
| Portable private dwelling attached to and
| Immediately IN front of the Jail, and tie
| Sheriff should be required to reside in
I the dwelling with his family and to keep
| his office there. This would insure the
] safety of prisoners and their proper COM
(! fort and maintenance. The sleriffs should
| employ deputies tas was formerly the
case and the Sheriff with his deputies
| Of the State and county and the fee bills
| Of all public officers. This, know, Would
require the employment CO deputies, but
| the emoluments of the office thus arlS-
i ing, together with the fees for the SER
vice of process OF the courts and the COM
missions on the collections OF the va
/ rious officers, fee bills would justify such
| employment.
/ The simple fact of having an officer III
| the saddle, riding day after day through
| the country, first at one mans house ano
| then at another Gas was formerly tbs.
! CASE, engaged in the discharge OF his
duties, would, in my opinion. prevent the
/ return CT mo effects, now so frequenti5
| raade on tax tickets. and consequently
| bring more money into the treasury OF
,ls Commonwealth, and would. moreover
/! strongly tend to prevent commission Of
/ offenses against the Commonwealth.
I have known the time when many Of
i