660 
the King’s debts were first required, the 
fundholder was unknown,’ Fundholders 
have since become a considerable. part 
of the community, and there is no rea- 
son why they should not be candidates 
for the Shrievalty, as well as for seats 
in either House of Parliament. |. Upon 
the landed interests of the country the 
burthen has always lain, and it cannot be 
better placed :*—but it should lie equal- 
ly, and bear, in just proportion, upon 
all «classes: of landowners’ throughout 
the kingdom. The best method of doing 
this’ appears to be to charge it upon the 
counties in their rates, under certain 
restrictions. The whole passing, as with 
other county expenditure, through the 
hands of the Bench of Magistrates in 
sessions, they would be sufficiently able 
to judge if the charges were just ; and, 
separating these:from: what arose out 
of the vanity and extravagance of ‘the 
Sheriff, allow merely what appears equi- 
table; avd leave’ the price of his own 
folly to be paid from his private purse. 
This would ‘sufficiently check any dispo- 
sition to expense, in a prodigal-minded 
man ; not only because he would, have 
himself to pay for his.extrayagance, but. 
all. fears, of \the reproach, of not, doing 
his duty in: a!handsome manner would 
bel:removed, and» -the'~state attending 
Sheriffsithtoughout ‘the kingdom more 
nearly equalized. A’ certain sum would 
be considered’ ‘4’ reasonable’ maximum, 
and all, beyond would be looked upon 
as superfluous. , 
~The county, should, be;. moreover, 
answerable for the debts of all its pri- 
soners; and not the Sheriff, whose 
powers are, by recent acts, very much 
restricted—much of his authority over 
the county gaol being now ‘placed in 
the hands of visiting magistrates! Pro- 
vided any wilful neglect can be proved 
against the Sheriff or, his,,gaoler, let 
either, or both, take their trial ; and if 
proved before an impartial jury, then 
let him be amerced in such a fine as 
shall be deemed competent’ to the 
offence. ‘That the debts of any’ man 
should be paid out of another's for- 
tune, is an injustice, which, at the time 
when such a measure was adopted, was 
never anticipated. It would be no diffi- 
cult matter to procure an arrest for a 
fictitious debt ; while, in many gaols, 
barren honour to one description of per- 
sons, and the profit and they power 't 
another. —EpIr. , , 
* What, then, have we to do with the 
fundholder ?—Enir. 
.is, charged. 
On the Office of Sheriff: 
an escape might be effected, even with- 
out ‘the gaoler’s connivance, for the 
object ef recovering .a sum of money 
from a Sheriff, The prisoners’ being 
in the Sheriff’s, custody, is, now, done 
away,, except in, 1dea:—they are con- 
fined, .without.,,his.-knowledge, in a 
building erected by the county,-and put 
under. charge! of a:gaoler, who! is, to- 
gether with his’ turnkeysy paid’ out of 
county rates ; and'who applies, upon all 
questions’ which regard his prisouers, 
not to the Sheriff, but to visiting magis- 
trates. 
Iam aware, that at this time,.d Com- 
mittee of Members of the, House of 
Commons, is) sitting to. consider. what 
expenses can: be deducted from the 
county rates... Few items,-however, of 
any magnitude, can generally'be taken 
off; But, by the Bench of Justices 
examining, minutelyand jealously, every 
expenditure, the rates may be most 
materially lessened every where: and . 
even if the Sheriff’s claims were added 
to them, and, at the same time, a rigid 
system of .economy, adopted,, 1 much 
doubt if the rates would be; at.all in- 
creased:—I am inclined to think: they 
would be diminished. Charges, unless 
the occasion of them can bev actually 
removed, must, it is clear, exist in some 
shape or other; and removing them 
from the county would only be to 
charge them elsewhere, which, unless 
the party receiving the benefit should 
pay for the benefit so received, would 
be an. injustice, such, as at. this. time 
exists, in the manner in which a Sheriff 
In. many. things, as’ in 
bridges, &e., the county might be re- 
lieved, and that part of the public which 
receives the benefit of a bridge might 
pay for it. In like manner, the Sheriff’s 
office ; as the public receive the benefit, 
the public should pay. There are three 
ways of doing this: either directly from 
the Crown, from the county, or from 
increasing or putting on fees upon all 
who derive any advantage; but, of 
these ‘the second plan appears by far 
the most eligible.: It is certain, that 
where, a, loeal -expense is incurred, a 
local. check and. knowledge of the cir- 
cumstances is necessary:.and this can 
best be had in sessions. But, whatever 
plan can be’ adopted, less partial than 
the present, would be worthy of the 
times we live in; when improvements in 
every ‘other respect, are advancing, and 
it is inthis solitary instance that we 
are obliged to follow the unjust sys- 
tem of our forefathers. - 
THE 
