Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1846-05-26

"SNh ~o'"S wv" o"o S'0'touSiy tdAou W
the established church, once pla-carded in
the streets of London the following signii-
cant words :-"Give us more bread and
fewer priests" The masses in this country
may we'll say:-Give US more Justice and
| fewer laws. Sir William Blackstone who
wrote ages ago, is still regarded as the
great apostle oflaw; his legal maxims are
esteemed by the profession, to be high au-
thority. One of his maxims is, that crcry
man is bound to kno,o the law. A more
ridiculous impossibility could ever be I'M
posed upon the people Know the law?
who knows itf Chancellor Kent says that
it requires thousand volumes to make
good law library; and who is there that has
waded through the Macy labyrinths OF thou
sand volumes. and acquainted himself with
the almost num6erless phases Of the law?-
Ii is true that statute law, forms but an in
considerable portion of this vast mountain
of books, but in many of the older states its
Accommodations have been very great. Hih-
erto it has been attempted to cure almost all
the ills that flesh is heir TO, by legislation
When government and law shall be con-
fined to their legitimate purpose, we shall
have fewer laws, and these few far better a.
dapted to the promotion Of the true interests
of society.
Biennial sessions of the legislature have
been objected to as not being democratic; it
is said that the ofiener the people have the
exercise Of the law making power, the bet
ter and the more democratic il is Now it
would doubtless be mole democratic if tho
whole people were allowed to meet once a
month and determine by the popular voice
what shall be the iule of action, yet no one
believes it would be expedent or conducive
to the best good of the whole. Our gov
eminent is ono of delegated power in the
matter Of legislation, and the question is,
how frequently is it expedient that this pow
er should be exercised All agree that the
legislature should not be continually in ses-
sion, hence it is necessary to fix upon Pc
RODS oft time; If annual sessions are more in
accordance with democratic principles than
biennial, SO are semi-annual more than an
mail
But it is said that questions of public in
te!est arise as often as once year, which
require the exercise of legislative authority.
1t is true, it sometimes happens that matters
of importance arise, which seem to demand
the aid oflegislative action without delay,
but when case of imperious nece,si.yoiihis
kind does exist, the Executive is always in
vested with power 10 convene All extra $685.
ion. We do not believe however that our
general laws, will need amendment, and al.
iteration every year, if they are framed with
any degree Of care. In great majority of
cases where immedi,te legislation is de.
manded, the interest is of a local character:
and we trust the convention will have wis
dom enough to provide for all legislation of
local kind, by leaving it to be man
aged by local bodies, thus rel eveing the leg
islatnre from the trouble of it. Whoever
will look over the lists of acts passed annu'
ally, will find that large proportion of the
business of tho Legislature is of local char.
acter; this business might far better be tran.
sacted by the Board of Supervisors in the
several counties. We have not heard any
objection raised in any quarter, against con.
ferrng upon the boards ofsupervisors all 10
cal affairs, affecting-alone the interests ofthe
people of county. All parties in the
state of New York, are seeking 10 have this
salutary reform incorporated in their new
Constitution. This arrangement would les.
sen the business oftho Legislature one half,
besides. ii would be more likely to secure
justice, by allowing those who are best &C
quainted with the merits of local measures,
TO decide upon them.
The frequency of Legislative enactments,
and the amending and repeating ofaws, has
been felt in this Territory to be source of
great Inconvenience and perplexity to the
people. Instances have taken place of laws
being passed by the legislature, and by the
time the people generally were Informed of
their contents, they were repealed by a
subsequent legislature. BY the time the
laws Of one legislature are printed aud gen
orally distributed, another legislature meets
and chsnges them; so that the people in
many particulars arc obliged to act without
knowledge of the law; and all this too,
while our judges and courts are acting upon
the maxim that erery man is bound to know
the lop!
u The Madison we are gratifed 10
learn has been repaired, and will leave here
on Thursday next for Buffalo She is still
under the charge Of Capt. McFAYDEN. ono
of the most efficient seamen on our inland
waters. Mr.. MOORE, the Clerk, is no, to
be beat in the discharge of the station