xi

the favor of the present excellent and courteous officer, an
account was made out against him, and sent to the State's
Attorney, with instructions to enter suit upon it forthwith.
This has been attended to, and the case is now pending in
the Superior Court, He has also been indicted in the Crimi-
nal Court, under the provisions of the. act of 1854. The
difficulties experienced in this matter afford a practical illus-
tration of the remarks in the Comptroller's Report for 1858)
and the adoption of the suggestion therein made, it is believed,
would prove an adequate remedy.

EXCESS OF FEES.

The revenue derived from this source, in the fiscal year,
amounted to $11,489.69, which is a considerable increase com-
pared with any former year. In 1857 the receipts on this
account were $1,643.33.

Of the receipts in 1859, the clerk of the Circuit Court for
Baltimore county (who has manifested promptness and accu-
racy in his intercourse with this .department) paid $236.91,
the clerk of the Superior Court of Baltimore city $4,800, the
clerk of the Criminal Court of .Baltimore, city $1,422.22, the
Register of Wills of Baltimore city $50, and the State's; Attor-
ney of Baltimore city $4,524.66, which last mentioned sum
nearly doubles in amount any other payment made by the
State's Attorney of the city, on this account, since the adop-
tion of the present Constitution,

The clear, intelligible and perfectly satisfactory form in
which the clerk of the Superior Court makes out his reports of
excess of fees, deserves much commendation. The payment
made by that officer speaks its own praise;

The State cannot receive the full benefit of Art. X, sec. 1
of the Constitution, until & law shall be enacted designating
the time and manner of making the returns, requiring a copy
of them to be submitted to the Comptroller for his approval
or rejection, and definitely providing for the execution of the
penalty. Such a law would relieve the Comptroller of much
embarrassment, and increase the revenue.