|
|
|
Mr. Garey said that fifteen votes at least of the twen-
ty-one from Baltimore would be cast for the minority re-
port. The scheme proposed by the majority was a novel
scheme, entirely new to the people of Maryland. The
supporters of it proposed to remedy defects which existed
in the present system. The delegation from the city were,
of course, anxious to do this, but they had never given
their assent, as a body, to this report. It was sub-
mitted to them, but no action had been taken. The report
had gone out to the people of Baltimore, and had imme-
diately excited opposition. The great mass of the people
were against it, the bar was against it and the merchants
against it. It had proposed to center in the hands of but
one clerk the entire appointive patronage of the subor-
dinate clerks of the courts; this would be an immense
patronage in Baltimore, and the people immediately took
alarm at such an undemocratic proposition. The Gov-
ernor of Maryland had, in 1851, been stripped of the vast
patronage exercised prior to that time, and the people
viewed with apprehension any appearance of a return to
this consolidation of power and patronage. He denied also
that it would be a remedy for the alleged defects in the
present system. A gentleman well known in Maryland,
and who had practiced for years in Washington, where
this proposed system was in operation, (Mr. Robert J.
Brent, ) had informed him (Mr. G. ) that this system
would be perfectly impracticable in the city of Baltimore,
and he would not undertake to practice under it. He
disclaimed the charges of corruption made against the
judiciary of Baltimore by his colleague, (Mr. Gill. ) His
colleague had spoken of Judge Stump as a reason for the
adoption of the majority system. His colleague proposed
to get rid of Judge Stump, but the system which was ad-
vocated by him would carry Judge Stump to every court
in the city. [Laughter. ]
He said his system was splendid, and it was splendid,
and that was all that could be said about it—it was not
practicable. One word in regard to the charges of cor-
ruption against the judiciary in Baltimore. He (Mr. G. )
had never heard of it. He would take all the courts
there; not one word could be breathed against the dis-
tinguished jurist who occupied the Superior bench, or the
laborious judge who sat in the Court of Common Pleas.
403
|
|
|
|
 |
