Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-02-29
FOR THE SPECTATOR.
Mr.. EDITOR,

FOR THE SPECTATOR.
Mr.. EDITOR,
The medium of the press is doubtless
one among the greatest liberties that
mankind can enjoy; and it is really de-
sirable that each individual would care
fully and attentively endeayor to avoid
the abuse of that privilege. It is pri-
vilege whereby any individual may lay
before the public, for their scrutiny, any
of the official conduct Of the most emil
nent characters, who hold the reins of
government in their hands. We have a
sample of it now in the public papers
1t is to be regretted that the first legis-
lature Of the state of Illinois has unfor-
tuna,ely made SO many blunders, in en-
acting laws for the government of the
good people therein. 1t is unnecessary
for me TO enter into detail of these
.blunders, inasmuch as they have alrea-
dy been exhibited to the public, or at
least some of the most prominent fca-
lures of some of their acts, by some of
the most eminent writers anonymous
perhaps in the state. have felt willing
in some degree to excuse them, as will
appear by reference to the twenty fourth
number of your paper, believing that it
was entirely owing to their inability, and
not to want of integrity. have at diff
ferent stages ofmy life engaged in some
mechanism; and after laboring faithful
fy, and sparing no pains to make my
work complete, would fall far short of
accomplishing my design, though COM
pleted my machine so as to render it We
ny beneficial, and would answer my pur-
pose in great degree. But when my
neighbors would come to see it, some of
them would think it would do very we'll,
while others would think it was suscep-
tible of improvement; and perhaps
others would think it should have been
constructed entirely different. So it is
with the acts of the legislature for there
nro some men who are not SO wen read,
who don't make the law their study, that
would think they might do very we'll, and
others who have acquired greater know
ledge in law matters, and able to Disco
YER and point out the defects, will con-
clude they are susceptible of improve
ment, and others think they had better
be entirely new constructors l have
thought that there are but few laws now
extant but what would afford considera-
Bile argument when criticised by politi-
Clans, in Judging of their perfection; and
IT this be the case, why should we ex-
pect that the people of any new state
could select from among them, men that
could make laws that every one would
justify them in. For my part have not
a distant idea, that if the Farmer, or
Tuebor, or either of them had the sole
power OF making laws for the state, but
they would notonly discover thattheywere
susceptible of improvement, but would
be forced to acknowledge that their con-
struction was radically wrong, or at least
some Of them; and they would then dis
cover that it was not SO easy matter to
make good laws, and such as would
please all the people, as to point out
the defects in laws after their enactment.
Tuebor has undertaken to expose the
legislature by reciting the first section
of an act for the relief of the poor; and
when first looked over his +" catalogue"
] was struck with the impression that he
had come higher exposing himself than
the legislature. He appears not to M
Intended candidates for the next session
oS TIE legislature.