The fifth Circuit comprises the city of Baltimore. The judges of that Circuit, all of whom reside in Baltimore, are: Z. Collins Lee, Judge of Superior Court, 1855 1865 $2,500 Wm. L. Marshall, Judge of Court of Com. Pleas, 1851 The State is divided into eight judicial circuits, each of which elects a judge of the Circuit Court, to hold office for ten years. The qualifications of the judges are the same as those of the Court of Appeals, except that they must be citizens of the United States, and residents for two years in their judicial district. There is in the city of Baltimore a Court of Common Pleas, with jurisdiction in civil cases between $100 and $500, and exclusive jurisdiction in appeals from justices of the peace in that city ; and a Superior Court, with jurisdiction in cases over $500. Each of these courts consists of one judge, elected by the people for ten years. There is also a Criminal Court, consisting of one judge, elected for ten years. Clerks of the Circuit Courts in each county, and of the Baltimore courts, are chosen for six years, and are re-eligible. Each county, and Baltimore city, elect three persons as Judges of the Orphans' Court, to hold office for four years; a Register of Wills, for six years; Justices of the Peace, two Sheriffs, and Constables, for two years. Attorneys for the Commonwealth are chosen in each county by the people, for four years. FINANCES. Total receipts into Treasury for year ending Sept. 30, 1857 (exclusive of the balance in the Treasury, Sept. 30, 1856), $1,334,705.40. This includes a late payment by the United States of $275,770.33 for interest on a debt for a long time due to the State, the principal of which had been previously settled. The disbursements for the year, including the amounts for redemption of State debt, were $1,259,164.40. The balance in the Treasury, Sept. 30, 1857, was $718,477.32. $3,997,276 The whole nominal debt of the State, Sept. 30, 1857, was $ 15,159,693 5,400,000 13,647,276 $ 1,512,417 The Sinking Fund is treated as a part of the State debt, and the interest on it is annually paid out of the proceeds of taxation, and applied to purchasing State stocks and bonds, to increase further the capital of that fund. In addition to the interest on the Sinking Fund, there is an annual surplus now of more than $200,000, which is applicable either to the redemption of State stock falling due, or to the increase of the Sinking Fund. During the last fiscal year the increase of the Sinking Fund was $321,211, and there was redeemed besides of the public debt, out of surpluses in the Treasury, $236,855. Thus, practically, there was extinguished of the public debt during the year, $558,066. The nominal capital of the State debt would appear but little diminished during the last few years, to one who looked merely at the figures of the Comptroller's Reports. A great part of the State debt, as originally created, consists of sterling bonds, and that part of the debt is set down in our currency at $4.41 to the pound sterling, but is convertible into currency stock at $4.84. Within the last few years a large amount of these bonds have been converted, making an apparent but not a real increase of the State's liability. Indeed the conversion is favorable to the State treasury, the currency stock being payable, principal and interest, in the city of Baltimore, and the sterling bonds in London, with a commission to the State's agent in London, for paying the interest. The State direct tax is now 10 cents in every $ 100. The School Fund, Sept. 30, 1856, amounted to $181,167. The assessed value of real and personal property in the State, Sept. 30, 1856, was $251,310.49. The unproductive property of the State amounts to about $14,000,000, and consists of stocks, bonds, arrears of interest, and sums due from collectingofficers. The greater part of this is considered desperate. The provisions of the new Constitution in regard to the State's incurring new debts are as follows:- "No debt shall be contracted exceeding $ 100,000, nor unless the act creating it shall provide for a tax sufficient to pay the interest as it falls due, and the principal in fifteen years. Such taxes shall not be repealed or applied to any other purpose. The credit of the State shall never be given or lent, nor shall the State be in any way concerned in internal improvements. The moneys levied to pay the public debt shall never be diverted until the debt is paid, or until the sinking fund equals the outstanding debt." Detail of Receipts and Expenditures for the Year ending 30th September, 1856. Judiciary, $ 16,886.73 Legislature, $ 33,924.77 49,958 06 19,795.99 ling bonds, Taxes, direct and specific, all kinds, 494,755.43 Militia, Live stock scales, in Baltimore, Lotteries, State tobaccoinspections, Baltimore, 28,858.79 State tobacco inspections, Licenses of all kinds, Road stock, for dividends, Susq. and T. W. Canal Companies, 70,812 20 Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, 16,461.28 Redemption Railroad 5 per cent Principal Items of Expenditure. Interest on public debt, $670,269 69 stock, Banks. For the condition of the banks in Maryland, in January, 1857, see the table ante, p. 221. State Penitentiary. — Oliver P. Merryman, Warden. November 30, 1855, there were in confinement, 410 prisoners; received during the year, 105; in all, 515. Discharged during the year by expiration of sentence, 86; by pardon, 17; by death, 5; in all, 103; leaving in prison November 30, 1856, 407. Of those received during the year, 65 were white males and 27 colored males; 2 white and 11 colored females. Of the 407 in prison, 382 were firstcomers, 18 second-comers, 3 third-comers, 2 fourth-comers, 1 for the seventh, and 1 for the eighth time. 193 were sentenced for stealing; 29 for murder in 2d degree; 12 for manslaugh. ter; 23 for assault with intent to kill; 17 for burglary; 18 for horse-stealing; and 15 for arson. 300 were Americans, and 107 foreigners, of whom 50 were natives of Germany, 38 of Ireland, and 14 of England. Among the 300 Americans are included 174 colored persons. The expenses of supporting the institution are about $50,000 annually. The convicts earn something, being employed in spinning, weaving, and other manufacturing business. The prison buildings appear to be entirely insufficient and unfit for the purposes of a proper prison. The passable single cells number only 256, and yet there are 407 convicts. XII. VIRGINIA. Capital, Richmond. Area, 61,352 sq. m. Population, 1850, 1,421,661. Government for the Year 1858. James L. Carr,* Term ends. Salary. Jan. 1, 1860, $5,000 of Kanawha, Lt.-Gov.& Pres. Sen., J. Randolph Tucker,† of Frederick Co., Att'y-General, Jan. 1, 1860, $ 1,500 2,000 Auditor of Public Accts., 2,000 2d Aud. & Sup. Lit. Fund, แ 2,000 2,000 66 2,000 300 $1,300 per annum. Thos. H. DeWitt, of Richmond, Secretary, The Secretary of the Commonwealth, the Auditor of Public Accounts, and Register are, ex officio, members of the Board of Commissioners of the Sinking Fund. The Governor and Lieutentant-Governor are elected by the people for four years, and at the same election the Attorney-General is elected for four years. The Secretary, Treasurer, Auditor, Second Auditor, Register of the Land-Office, and Superintendent of the Penitentiary, are clected by joint vote of the General Assembly for two years. They are all obliged to reside at Richmond during their term of service. The members of the Board of Public Works are elected by the people for six years, one every two years. The House of Delegates consists of 152 members, elected biennially from single districts, apportioned upon the basis of the white population. The Senate, apportioned upon the basis of population and taxation com Appointed by the Governor vice McComas, resigned. † Elected vice Bocock, resigned. bined, consists of 50 members elected for four years, one half every two years, from single districts. The sessions of the Legislature are biennial; no session can last more than 90 days, except by a vote of three fifths of all the members; and then it shall not be extended more than 30 days. The Legislature meets on the 1st Monday of December, biennially, and not on the 2d Monday of January, as stated, ante, page 212. JUDICIARY. For the administration of justice there are established County Courts, Circuit Courts, District Courts, and a Supreme Court of Appeals. The County Courts are held monthly in each county, by not less than three nor more than five justices. These justices are thus chosen by the people. Each county is divided into districts, and each district elects four justices for the term of four years. These justices elect one of their own number to attend each term of the court. The State is divided into 21 circuits. The voters in each circuit elect a judge for eight years, who must be 30 years old and reside in the circuit. Two Circuit Courts are held annually in each county by each judge. These 21 circuits form 10 districts, and these 10 districts form 5 sections. The voters of each section elect a judge of the Court of Appeals, who must be 35 years old and reside in his section. The judges of these five sections constitute the Court of Appeals; any three of whom may hold the court, which has jurisdiction, except in certain specified cases, where the matter in controversy is not less than $500 in value. This court sits at Richmond from January 5th to March 5th, from April 1st to May 14th, from October 15th to December 15th, and at Lewisburg on the 2d Monday in July, the term to last ninety days if necessary. District Courts are held once every year in each district, by the judges of the circuits constituting the section and the judge of the Supreme Court for the section, any three of whom may hold the court. The Court of Appeals and the District Courts appoint their officers, but in the Circuit and County Courts the officers of the court are elected by the people. For the prevention of crime, each county in the several circuits elects a prosecuting attorney. Post-office. Salary. Richmond, $2,000 Cir. Name of Judge. 1. Richard H. Baker, Post-office. Circuit Courts. Salary. Cir. Name of Judge. 2,300 2. John W. Nash, 3. William Leigh, 4. George H. Gilmer, Pittsylvania C.H., 2,000 9. John W. Tyler, Warrenton, 2,000 Cir. Name of Judge. Post-office. Post-office. Salary. $2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 Salary. Cir. Name of Judge. The term of office of all these judges ends July 1, 1860. The contingent debt consists of liabilities of the State for guaranties to bonds of corporations for the purposes of internal improvements; it amounted, Oct. 1, 1855, to $3,898,500. Funds and Resources of the State, July 1, 1856. name of the State, Bank stocks standing in the name of the Literary Fund, $3,808,220.00 Loans to Internal Improvement Companies. Stocks in Internal Improvement Companies. Navigation companies, $2,486,000.00 2,400,000.00 $4,886,000.00 2,500.00 $27,686,621.37 $18,359,226.04 These investments are here stated at their par value. It is impossible to ascertain the intrinsic or even the true market value. Many could not be sold at all. Others, which are quoted in the market at various rates, could be sold only in small quantities, and would com. mand very little if offered for sale at once. There are yet others, which might be sold at fair rates, if the sales were gradually and judiciously made. The available capital of the literary fund, October 1, 1855, was $ 1,611,758.37. For the year ending Sept. 30, 1856, the receipts are stated to be, on account of the Commonwealth, $3,283,056.34; Literary Fund, $193,163.23; Board of Public Works, $2,493,631.86; Sinking Fund, $1,665,895.49. The disbursements for the same periods are said to be, for the Commonwealth, $3,267,118.84; for the Literary Fund, $163,507.64; for Board of Public Works, $2,536,955.29; Sinking Fund, $1,614,169.86. In regard to taxation and the contracting of debts and the payment of the State debt the Constitution provides as follows: "The yeas and nays shall be taken on all tax and appropriation bills. No incorporated company shall be released from its liability to the State, nor shall the faith of the State be pledged for the debts of any company. Seven per cent of the State debt existing January 1, 1852, shall be annually set apart as a sinking fund to redeem said debt. No loans shall be contracted irredeemable for a period of over 31 years. Whenever a debt is contracted, there shall be set apart, annually, for 31 years, a sum exceeding by one per cent the aggregate amount of the annual interest agreed to be paid thereon at the time of its contraction, which sum shall be a part of the sinking fund. Stocks held by the Commonwealth may be sold, but the proceeds must be applied to the payment of the public debt." Banks. For the number and condition of the banks in Virginia, in January, 1857, see the table, ante, page 221. Schools.-The returns are very imperfect. See the American Almanac for 1857, p. 284. |