11 Ga. 207 | Ga. | 1852
By the Court.
delivering the opinion.
This is not all. By the Act of 1810, the Justices of the Inferior Court are authorized to issue, in their own names, for the use of the County, execution against any Tax Collector and his sureties, who may be in default for the County taxes. Cobb’s N. D. 1056. When in default for the State taxes, execution is issued by the Comptroller. Here is a remedy provided for the Counties. The Act of 1810 was re-enacted in 1815. Cobb’s N. D. 1062, And with greater clearness and
1st. The order was granted at January Term of the Inferior Court; and there is by law, no such term for the Inferior Court of Bibb County.
2d. Because the order was taken and the execution issued for a larger sum than, as turned out in evidence, the Collector had collected and held in his hands at the time. And as part and parcel of this position, they say, if they are void in part, they are void as to the whole.
4th. Because the execution was made returnable before the Inferior Court, wdien it ought to have been returned to the Superior Court, the Inferior Court having no jurisdiction of the cause.
5th. Because the execution does not follow the judgment or order upon which it is founded.
All these grounds were assumed before the Court below, either in the illegality, or as exceptions to the admissibility of the execution in evidence, and were overruled. It is not material how the questions are made — they are here for consideration.
The principles upon which public agents act, where they are authorized to issue process for the collection of public money, wThen stated, afford a sufficient answer to several of those exceptions. The execution in this case was issued by virtue of the Act of 1825. The first section is as follows: “In all cases where there maybe any tax due to the County, in the hands of the Collector of any County, and collected by the Tax Collector of any County, and not paid over to the proper authority on or before the first Monday in December next, after the same may be collected in any year, the Justices of the Inferior Court, or a majority of them, in each County be, and they are hereby authorized, immediately to issue execution against any Tax Collector and his securities, so neglecting or refusing to pay over such tax.” The 2d section makes him liable for 25 per cent, interest. Cobb’s N. D. 1066.
The law makes it the duty of the Collector to pay in the County taxes on or before the first Monday in December. If he fails to do it, he and his sureties are immediately liable to process of execution. The execution is to be issued by the Justices. They are to determine what amount is not paid. Clearly there is but one way for them to ascertain that fact, and that is, to give him credit for what is paid of the County assessment, and issue execution for the balance. It is an unfair construction of the Act of 1825, to say that it intends that execution shall issue only for the sum that he has in fact collected and holds in his hand. If this be the true construction, then, the Collector is perfectly safe, if he folds his hands and deolines to collect a single dollar, or having collected the
Nor do we perceive that there is any force in the objection that the execution does not follow the order. In point of fact it follows the order very closely. I cannot find wherein there
If this proceeding had been instituted against Bassett and' his securities, on a bond given under the Act of 1821, the execution would then have issued in the name oí the Justices of the Inferior Court, for the use of the County of Bibb, as counsel contend this execution ought to have been issued; because, that bond is taken, payable to the Justices of the Inferior Court. This execution is issued to charge Bassett and his securities on his general official bond, which is made payable to the Governor. It follows the bond, and was legally issued in the name of the Governor, for the use of the Justices of the Inferior Court of the County of Bibb. The Governor is the obligee of the bond, and the Inferior Court, as agents of the County and trustees of its funds, are the users.
and the Common Law will not permit it. No matter how slight the interest which a Juror may have in the issue, if he has any,the Common Law will not permit him to try it. The law will not trust the rights of parties to the passions of mankind. The Sheriff who impannels the Jury — the Jury and the witnesses, must be indifferent between the parties. Thus profound is the sense of the importance of impartiality, which our civilization entertains in the administration of the law. “ The law, (says Lord Mansfield,) has so watchful an eye to the pure and unbiassed administration of justice, that it will never trust the passions of mankind in the decision of any matter of right. If, therefore, the Sheriff, a Juror, or a witness, be in any sort interested in the matter to be tried, the law considers him as under an influence which may warp his integrity or pervert his judgment, and therefore will not trust him.” 3 Burrow, 1856, ’7. 12 Mod. 669. Hob. 87. 1 Salk. 396. 2 Johns. R. 194. 1 Bay, 230. 8 S. & R. 444. 2 Tyler, 401. To exclude a juryman, it is not necessary that he be entitled to a part of the recovery. His incapacity arises from a bias in the facts which he is to try; “ and whatever be the facts which that bias touches, he is incapable of trying those facts.” Burrow, 1857. We are not disposed to relax this Common Law rule, except in cases situated as this is. I am rather inclined to the opinion,
Let the judgment bé affirmed, generally.