424 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [Mar. 2,

of "Collectors," enacted January Session, 1868, chapter330,
and sections 47 and 48 of Article XVI., enacted at January

Session, 1872, chapter 294.

The reasons which actuate us in protesting against the pas-
sage of the bill above referred to, are, chiefly, the following :
Because said bill is obnoxious to the people of our county,
being special legislation, and having for its sole object the
retention of the present incumbent in office.

That this will more fully appear, we beg leave to call the
attention of your Honorable Body to the history of the law
creating a County Treasurer for Prince George's county.
The law was first passed in 1868, creating that office, and
fixing the compensation of the Treasurer at one thousand
($1,000,) dollars, and giving the power of appointment and
removal for cause to the County Commissioners. Act 1868,
chapter 330, section 47. It was well known that the then
Board of County Commissioners were favorable to Mr. Jar-
boe, the present Treasurer, and consequently, .the law was
passed, and he was appointed under the aforesaid Act of 1868.

The law of 1868 did not suit certain interested parties, and
in 1870, chapter 216, the law was amended so as to abolish or
repeal Collectors of County Taxes, and made the Treasurer the
Collector of the same, and creating one Collector of State
Taxes for the county. The Treasurer was allowed, under
the Act of 1870, (three and one-half) 3 1/2 per centum commis-
sion on the amount of County Taxes received and collected by
him.

In 1872, the people of the county had elected County Com-
missioners who were supposed to be unfavorable to the reten-
tion of Mr. Jarboe in office, consequently the law was again
amended in 1872, chapter 294, and the County Treasurer,
made Collector of both State and County Taxes, with a com-
pensation of 3 1/2 per centum on the entire amount of taxes re-
ceived by him for collection, and William A. Jarboe wag de-
clared by said law, section 47, to be the Treasurer of Prince
George's county for three years from the passage of the Act—
Act approved April 1st, 1872. Thus you will perceive by
the Act of 1872, the very Court which had been designated
as the proper tribunal to make the appointment of County
Treasurer, was deprived for three years of that power, for the
sole reason that they were supposed to be in favor of remov-
ing Mr. Jarboe, the then incumbent, from office. And now,
in 1874, what do we again behold? By the law of 1872, the
County Commissioners were empowered and directed on the
2d Tuesday in April next, after the expiration of the above
term of three years, (1875,) to appoint a County Treasurer to
hold his office for five years,but the people of Prince George's
county having again elected County Commissioners, who are