REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON TERRITORIAL EXPENDITURES ON A CON. MUNICATION OF HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR. The committee on territorial expenditures to whom was referred the communication of his excellency, the governor, con cerning the communication of Edward Outhwaite, relative to extra compensation for taking census of the county of Brown, in A. D. 1847, having had the subject under consideration, respectfully submit the following REPORT: That they are satisfied from the facts stated in the several communications that the circumstances under which the census of Brown county was taken, that the person taking the same is equitably entitled to an extra compensation for his services rendered, over and above the one dollar per hundred persons enumerated. But your committee do not deem it a proper charge upon the territorial treasury. By the law authorizing the taking the census, it is provided "that each county shall pay for taking the census in its own limits, and for the abstract copies of the same, in the same man. ner as other county expenses are paid." Your committee do not regard this claim as, being an exception to the above provi sion as to the source from which payment is to be made. We cannot bring ourself to the conclusion that the county of Brown can justly refuse to pay a meritorious claim of the character of the one under consideration. Neither can we consider it as a proper subject of legislative action. The principal object of providing the rate of compensation by law, as we regard it, is to enable the agent taking the census to know before hand what he is to expect, and by what rule his accounts are to be audited, and to produce uniformity in settling the accounts. But where the taking of such census is under any extraordinary circumstances, as to the time in which it is to be done, or the distance to be traveled, it is a matter that recommends itself to the supervisors or commissioners of the county, to whom all these circumstances can be made known, and an adequate compensation fixed. Your committee are of the opinion that no legislative action is necessary, and that none that could now be had would increase the obligation of the county to pay. The legislature having made general provisions on the subject, and the work having been performed, it has become a proper subject matter for the boards of commissioners or supervisors, the comptrolling agents of the counties for the time being, to make provision for the payment of both ordinary and extraordinary compensation, when the justice and equity of the case" requires more than ordinary compensation. From this view of the subject, we are of the opinion that the whole subject matter is properly within the control of the board of the county of Brown, and ask to be discharged from the further consideration of the subject J. E. HOLMES, Chairman. |