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The Orphans' Court consists of the Chancellor and a Judge of the Supe

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Common Schools. The system provides a free school within reach of every family. The districts are laid off, numbered, and incorporated. 236 of them are organized. Each district entitles itself to a portion of the fund by establishing a school, and contributing towards its support not less than $ 25. But any district may lay a tax on itself of $300; or (by a special vote) may increase it to any sum deemed necessary for school purposes. Towns or populous districts may unite their resources and form schools of higher grades; the only condition is that they shall be free. The number of free schools in operation in the State was 236; number of scholars (in a white population of 71,169), 10,230; receipts from school fund and contributions, $ 57,738.95; expended for support of free schools, $49,469.30. The following table gives the statistics of the schools in the several counties, as well as in the State.

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the 2d Wednesday in Jan., 1858), Use of a furnished house, and $3,600

THOMAS W. LIGON, of Howard Co.,

Nathaniel Cox,

Dennis Claude,

of Baltimore,

of Annapolis,

Secretary of State,
Treasurer,

1,000

2,500

W. Pinkney Whyte, of Baltimore,

James Murray,

Michael McBlair,

Lemuel Roberts,
Joshua R. Nelson,
Moor N. Falls,
Charles R. Stewart,
Wm. P. Ponder,
Richard Swan,
John N. Watkins,
Edward Lloyd,
Elias Ware, Jr.,

of Annapolis,

of Baltimore,

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of Talbot Co., Pres. of the Senate, $5 per day dur. ses.

Speaker of the House of Delegates,

[$5 per day during session.

of Baltimore,

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1851, Chief Justice,

1861, $2,500

1851,

Associate Justice, 1861,

2,500

66

1861,

2,500

66

1861,

2,500

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John C. LeGrand, of Baltimore,
John T. Mason, of Marlboro,

Wm. H. Tuck, of Upper Marlboro, 1851,
John B. Eccleston, of Chestertown,1851,
William A. Spencer, of Annapolis,

The Court of Chancery, by the new Constitution, was abolished on the 4th of July, 1853. It had been continued from the adoption of the constitution to that date, to give it time to finish its business. The judicial power of the State is vested in a Court of Appeals, and in Circuit Courts.

The Court of Appeals has appellate jurisdiction only. Its judges, four in number, are elected from districts, by the voters therein, for ten years, unless they shall before reach the age of 70. They must be above 30 years of age, citizens of the State at least five years, residents of the judicial districts from which they are elected, and have been admitted to practice in the State. The Court of Appeals appoints its own clerk, to hold office for six years, and may reappoint him at the end of that time. When any judge of any court is interested in a case or connected with any of the parties by affinity or consanguinity within the proscribed degrees, the Governor may commission the requisite number of persons, learned in the law, for the trial and determination of the case. The Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, designates one of the four judges as chief justice. The office of Attorney-General is abolished by the new Constitution. Judges of the Circuit Courts.

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The fifth Circuit comprises the city of Baltimore. The judges of that Circuit, all of whom reside in Baltimore, are:

William Frick,

Judge of Superior Court, 1851 Wm. L. Marshall, Judge of Court of Com. Pleas, 1851 Henry Stump, Judge of Criminal Court, 1851 Chas. J. M. Gwinn, of Baltimore, State Attorney, 1851

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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 six 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.
State Debt.

The whole nominal debt of the State was, September 30, 1853, The sinking fund of the State, representing, in fact, extinguished debt, was, November 30, 1853,

State loan to Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company included in nominal debt, the interest of which is paid by that company, Tobacco loans, the interest of which is paid out of proceeds of tobacco inspection,

$15,132,909.00

$2,922,751

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3,616,043

163,689

5,623,083

-12,325,566.00 $2,807,343.00

Productive capital of State, consisting of bank stocks, railroad stocks and bonds, paying dividends or interest, including Tidewater Canal bonds, about,

Leaving,

the interest on which must be provided for by taxation. Including the income from the productive capital of the State, the amount to be raised in 1854 to meet the interest on the public debt is estimated by the Treasurer to be $673,837.

In addition to the productive property above described, the State owns unproductive property, the value of which is estimated at $ 17,172,634.16. The new assessment gives the value of the real estate in the State, $166,754,455, and personal estate, $94,489,205; aggregate, $261,243,660. The former aggregate valuation was $ 192,781,579. Increase, $ 68,462,081. The former rate of taxation was 25 cents on the $ 100; it is now 15 cents on the $ 100. The school fund on September 30, 1853, amounted to $160,542.66.

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."

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State tobacco inspections Baltimore, 20,118.34 Contingent fund for library,.
Licenses, Marriage,

10,991.55 Indigent deaf and dumb,

1,147.91

38,250.00 Tobacco warehouses and inspectors, 17,882.47

4,619.45

9,044.04 Library, increase of,

406.05

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State Penitentiary.-O. P. Merryman, Warden. November 30, 1852, there were in confinement, 305 prisoners; received during the year, 112; in all, 417. Discharged during the year by expiration of sentence, 52; by pardon, 10; by death, 5; by process of law, 1; in all, 68; leaving in prison November 30, 1853, 349. Of those received during the year, 67 were white and 35 colored; 102 males and 10 females; 99 were first-comers, 8 second-comers, 2 third-comers, 2 fourth-comers, and I for the eighth time. This latter convict is 45 years of

age; was first sent to prison at the age of 13, and has since spent there 25 years. Of the 10 females 1 is white. 76 were sentenced for stealing; 4 for murder; 4 for manslaughter; 5 for assault with intent to kill; 5 for burglary; 6 for horse stealing, and 3 for arson. 263 were Americans, and 86 foreigners; 86 were temperate; 152 could not read or write; 56 could only read; 10 received a good, and 2 a classical, education. For punishment during the year, 1,223 stripes were inflicted, and 47 days of confinement in cells were passed. Earnings of the prison for the year, $45,198.22; expenses, $ 40,659.98; excess of earnings, $4,538.28.

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Stafford H. Parker,

Register of the Land-Office,

2,000

2,000

Jonathan B. Stovall,

George W. Clutter,

William L. Jackson, 2d Aud. and Sup. of Literary Fund,

Charles S. Morgan, Superintendent of Penitentiary,

H. St. Geo. Tucker, Clerk of the House of Delegates and Keeper of the Rolls, $150 per week during the session, and $200 annually for keeping the

rolls.

Shelton C. Davis,
R. W. Hughes,

Clerk of the Senate,

$100 per week during session. Sup't of Weights and Measures, $300 per annum.

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Archibald Graham, President, July 1, 1855, ($1500 per annum, and trav

Edward J. Armstrong,

Thomas J. Boyd,

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ceed $250 per annum. $1,300 per annum.

William R. Drinkard, 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, and Auditor are elected by joint vote of the General Assembly for two years. 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 combined, consists of 50 members elected for four years, one half every two years, from single districts. The sessions of the legislature are biennial;

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