OFFICES AND OFFICERS.
The reading of sections of the bill [S. 325] concerning officers and offices, was resumed, commencing with Section 223.
Mr. MURRAY moved to amend Section 253 by striking out in line five the words, "Money is due," and insert in line thereof the words "The warrant is drawn."
Mr. FRAZER--Suppose "the warrant is drawn" in my favor. I sign it to the gentleman of Randolph, he goes and presents it for payment, and if he is owing taxes he can draw the money according to his method. The way the bill now stands, a person signing a warrant over to another person if he owes the County taxes, it shall not be paid in cash, but made to apply on his taxes.
Mr. MURRAY--Where money is owing on taxes by persons to whom an order is due, they can not transfer it.
Mr. LINDLAY moved as a substitute to strike out the words, "To whom the money is due," and insert, "In whose favor the warrant is drawn."
Mr. RYAN said: I think the County ought to have a lien for taxes on money or conveyance that is made to any individual, whether it remains in his hands or in the hands of another person. The law ought to be so that an individual could not beat the County out of the taxes, and at the same time draw money out of the Treasury, so he could not do directly which he can do now indirectly, and the amendment of the gentleman from Randolph (Mr. Murray) meets this emergency squarely, and the substitute does not. Therefore, I move to lay the substitute on the table.
The motion was agreed to and the amendment was adopted.
Mr. FANCHER moved to amend Section 263 by adding a proviso that appeals may be authorized after the expiration of thirty days when the parties have been deterred by sickness, etc. He said in cases of sickness or circumstances not under control of the person, appeals are often delayed, and under the present law such appeal can not be page: 147[View Page 147] made after that time, and the party would be wholly debarred. I hope the amendment will pass.
Mr. LINSDAY thought the amendment ought to be adopted, as there are often uncontrollable circumstances to deter a person from making the appeal within this time.
The amendment was adopted.
Mr. FULLER moved to amend Section 285 by striking out the Senate amendment, "the proviso." He said: In the section there is a requirement made by the Commissioners, whenever it shall be necessary for the presentation of records of any County, that there shall be a record kept for the purpose, etc. The amendment made by the Senate strikes out the Recorder alone, and lets the other offices to conform to this regulation. There is a trick in this thing, and if necessary, I will explain it. [Voice--Go ahead.]
In one County in this State the Recorder previously to the one now occupying the office got something wrong in the records, and there was a suit brought against the Recorder for a preservation of the records. The thing remains unsettled, and I understand that the gentleman who introduced this proviso is a Member of the General Assembly, and is one of the attorneys for this ex-Recorder. Now you can see that this strikes a Recorders only. It does not reach the Treasurer or other County officer. It is done in a way to fix up this case, and I hope the proviso will not prevail.
The amendment was adopted.
Then the House took a recess till 7:30 p m.
