Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1843-02-04
OUR LEGISLATURE:


We have witnessed with regrc. the
course pursued BY a majority Of tho lie.
g'slature, in passing laws that arc no, on.
" unnecessary, but many which, never
will, nor never can be enforced, and mist
become dead le,tor on our statue book.
Our Territory has, from i,s very organi-
cation, been afflicted with over legisla-
ton, and we ha'! hoped ,ha, the time had
come when such laws only would be Ell
acted as were actually necessary for the
administration Of justice and tho govern.
ancc OF society, but in this we have been
disappointed. A large number Of the
members Of the present Legislature have
not only introduced laws entirely unne.
cessary, but they have dabbed in mat.
te's which We conceive no legislator has
the power TO touch. 1t appears from the
proceedings, that almost every petition
presented has found soma member to
frame and introduce a bill granting the
prayer Of the petition; no matter whether
that petition may have been signed by a
minority Of those interested, or even by
q single individual. Obedience TO the
will OF his constituents is certainly prais.
worthy IN every legislator; but we can
SEQ no ground Tor o1cying the will Of u
minority, where the majority are ad-
versely interested, notwithstanding that
majority should lie dormant to their in.
forests. Our Territory, a. before re-
marked, has been overburdened with le.
gislstion. Our statute book is alreudv
encumbsred with private acts, and unen-
forced laws, until the very best and most
nccdful enac.ments have failed to accom-.
rlish the ends Tor which they were in.
tended. II is we'll known that we have
FIRST and last warred sgains. monopolies,
be their tendency widespread, or confin.
cd to the limits 0f ths smallest political
division Of our inhabitants; and, we had
thought that she present Legislature
would have refused to grant any more
petty charters for incorporation, which
experiences has shown are neither benefi
cha! to the Territory nor to majority Of
those interested. We had felt confident
toe, that the present Legislature would
have refrained from intermeddling wit!
those matters which are properly, and
should be exclusively, within the jurisdic.
ton Of our courts. We mean the grant
ing Of divorces. This 10 4 matter which
should undergo tie formaii,ies Of cour,
Of justice, be the circumstances Of the
case what they may. In nine cases on,
Of zen, tbs applicant for divorce pe,i
tons The Legislature for the purpose Of
saving expense; or IN o.her words, le
have tke expenses paid ont Of the pockets
Ct The peor'e 'nslead Of his own. Every
q vorce granted by the Legislature, costs
The people ten times Wat ii would an APP
p!lcani before court e.' justice; and yet.
year after ye"f. these applications are
receive; aud acted upon bj Our Legisla
!ure.
W. have received q copy Of nearly all
the bulls introduced duriny the present
session. and Wa hesitu,e not in saving
That cae third OF the number will il they
become laws, do more injury than good
Political economy has, as yet, received
TOO lI.iie attention, A minority seem
more disposed 10 rack their brains in The
Manufacture oil something tat Will con
sumo time, aud insure TO themselves q
per diem OF So, rather than to the dis.
patch otsuch business as is absolutely ne
csssary. What may be- the present el.
feet upon the pockets O, the people, mat
ters not. Such course OF legislation is
q dangerous precedent, and, when Iowa
become. State it will be TOO severely
scit. there are principles, too, which
must Le effected by such course, and
these principles should 30 maintained BY
every one who processes them. 1t IS
peculiarly gratifying to sse that the true
democrats III the Legislature have nd.
hered TO their principles, by opposition
10 this over legislation. Tau, they have
i'sss a'ia 'asl opposed the incorporation OF
petty ,nonopoiies, und have nobIy stood
their ground in face Of wing majority
Who seem determined to maze the most
o.. the short time they WELD the leglsa-
live ).>.wer.
GOOD AND e.. ORlOUs NEWS FROM
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF A DE.
MOCRATIC UNITED STATES Sc
Major.
E. a hAssEeAS. Esq. (Dsm:) was
elected : Senator Of the U. s. for six
years from The 4,h Of March. by the
Legislator Of Indiana, on the 24,h ut,