Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1843-01-11

OF If1e OISne1di hSSeIlDiy is dlSO d Ill
which the people are deeply interested, and
which will, of course, claim your most careful
consideration. The basis of an apportionment
bill on this subject should be equality, fairness,
and Justice to all sections of the State. In no
other manner can the various interests be faith
fully presented. The fundamental principles OF
a republican government and our own Constltu-
ton, guarantee these rights 10 every county IN
the State. The apportiohment bill passed on
the 10th June, 1886, will not, conceive, be re-
garded as g precedent, or an example, but as
beacon 10 be Stunned, by every legislator who
understands and is honestly desifous of carry
ing into execution the nlunctlons ot the Constl-
tuition No extraneous considerations can JUS
tify departure from it, and on all occasions
when a departure has been attempted, it has re-
coied with ten fold force on the heads of those
bv whom it was made.
| have repeatedly called the attention of the
Legislature to the subject of selecting jurors In
the several counties in the State. | cannot for
bear to urge II again upon you, and to add, that
there is one grievance very much complained OF
in those counties, where it exists, under the
law that is. that where separate wheels are
kept far the purpose of drawing jurors for dit,
ferent courts, there is much complaint as 10
the manner ofselecting the names put into these
different wheels. 1t has been suggested that if
the panels of Jurors for all the courts were
drawn, this objection would be in great meas
ure obviated. | will merely further remark,
that the system ofdrawing Jurors would be very
greatly perfected, If the selection and drawing
of the same were to be done by the commission
ers and sheriff in open court, under the SUPER
vision of one or more of the judges. Recent ex-
perience calls aloud for The protection OF the ju
~ box from even the possibility of suspicion. .
My views have been so fully expressed II
! former messages. in favor of the support OF
liberal and enlightened system OF education by
common schools, that need scarcely repeat
them. | will content myself by reiteratIn8
| that a sound education, based upon proper mo-
raj and religious training, is The best legacy a
parent can bcqueath to his child, and the best
provision patriot can make to secure tie
! permanence and purity OF our republican IN
stitutioas. refer vow 20 the very full and
elaborate report Of the Superintendent, Tor the
condition and details Of our common schools,
academies female seminaries and colleges.
The report Of the kdjutant General VIII
| be submitted to you. shall be exceedingly
happy to unite with you, in any measures that
would render the present militia system more
efficient, and less burthensorHe to the commu-
nifty. Perhaps the encouragement OF volun
teers would be the best means that could be
|
Pennsylvania has inst reason to be proud OF
her volunteers: in number discipline and
martial spirit, they can vie with those of any
other state in the Union. Should any emer-
gency ever arise TO require II, she could, on
! he shortest notice, muster upwards or thirty
five thousand of these intrepid defenders OF
her soil.
The completely and obscurity of many Of
the material provisions of the act entitled!
"An act to abolish imprisonment for debt, and
to punish fraudulent debtors" have rendered lts
operation almost nugatory. 1t seems to nave
lproduced little benefit to the debtor, and
much Inconvenience to the Creditor Its pro-
visions certainly require thorough revision
and if any law of the kind be deemed neces'
sary, it should be one, very different IN many
Of its leading features from the present. he
penal sections, contained in the same OIL
however well designed, were drawn with SO
little precision as TO have led TO most lntoler-
able abuses.
Freouent complaints have been made in
Philadelphia on the subject of the power oi
l Aldermen and Justices Of the Peace in crimi-
nal cases. Some mode should be prov ided fol
defining and regulating their jurisdiction. or
this important subject, so as to guard against
extortion and oppression on the one hand, anc
laxity and impunity to crime, on The other
The tendency of public opinion. for mum
Der of years past, has gradually been 10 weak
en- and relax the execution of the criminal
laws. This morbid feeling has even reached
Jurors and other functionaries engaged in the
f administration of criminal justice, so that 1t Is
not an unusual spectacle to see courts and Ju'
ries convict and sentence on the ciearest testi'
mony criminal on one day, and recommend
his pardon to the executive the next hest
appeals thus sustained address themselves will
great force to the magistrate entrusted with The
power of pardoning offenders, and it is not TO bt
disguised, that unless some check be put upor
it, il will in the end lead to great injustice anC
abuse. These remarks are made not so much
with a view to invite immediate legislation
on the subject, as TO influence and temper
the action Of the legislature on subjects connec
ted with the criminal Jurisprudence of thu
State.
I 1t has been stated that certain loan compa
, nies, insurance companies, and other similar
corporations which have sprung into existence
within the last ten years, effected their organ
zatiOn, and obtained their charters, withou
: conforming strictly to the acquisitions OF the
law, or after having obtained their charters
t perpetrated acts, whereby they would be for
: feited; and have, through sundry devices
, procured the passage OF laws, designed, with
? out having the objest expressed, to screei