The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-08-26

FREAKS OF LEeIsLAToRs-THER INTERFERENCE
WITH WHAT DOES NOT CONCERN THEM.-The Legisla-
ture OF Pennsylvania, having nothing TO do, we sup
pose and being under the impression, perhaps that it
better TO commit mischief than be idle, passed
law, the other day, prohibiting the circulation of
the small notes of banking institutions Of other
States within that commonwealth, and infhcting
penalty of twenty-five dollars all who should
not respect il. 1t is said TO be the height of alb
surdity 10 attempt dam the falls of Niagara with
pitchfork but il is not a whit more 80 than for
the Legislature of Pennsylvania to pass such an
enactment, and expect the people to obey it, The
result is just what might be expected-the law Is
dead letter The forbidden bank notes are as
current as they ever were in Pennsy vania, and,
from the reception which il has met with, we
think il very likely that any person who should
institute prosecution under that absurd law would
be very apt TO receive coat of tar and feathers
for his pains There is similar law our
statute books but, notwithstanding its pains and
penalties there are very few Of our merchants
who decline receiving the notes of banks of ether
States-even those of Pennsy lvania-in payment for
merchandise. That statute remains nomiually in
force; but it is never alluded to, except an evil
dence of the judyism of the sages who passed 1t !;
and we think the same fate is in store for the
enactment recently passed by the wisdom OF Penn
| sylvania, in Legislature assembled.
State Legislators frequently commit great alb
surdities. The combined wisdom of this State, at
their last session in Albany deliberated upon and
discussed for several weeks the opinion of the
people ofthe Empire State on the subject of slavery;
and, after great deal Of wrangng and disputation
the blockheads gave an opinion an opinion,
"a thatr in IA off he
poviso being extended to the new territories; 1and
they accordingly, with delectable degree ofimpu-
dence, INSTRUCTED" the New York delegation in
Congress to oppose any government for these terri
tories that did contain prohibition against sla
very. 1t was only the other day that the Legisla-
ture of New Hampshire thought they would give
the different railroad companies in that State the
benefit of little of their wisdom-of which sub
stantial and valuable commodity they doubt sup
posed they possessed a superintendent share-as well
as help them along in the management oftheir bust
ness. They therefore passed la forbidding those
companies giving free passage TO any person
over their roads Now, we have yet to Learn that
railroad companies, or any other corporations, are
generous in the matter of Transporting passen-
gers free, in New Hampshire any other State, or
that the men who control them are incapable of
of the legislature. If the railroad companies in
New Hampshire are an exception to the general
rule, they must be controlled by very liberal men
indeed. II we not much mistaken, the Lee
gslature of that State, too, "instructed' the New
Hampshire delegation in Congress, to the way in
which they should vote on the territorial question
We think the present is a fitting time to give
State Legislatures a little piece of advice, and we
hope they will take it in good part. We will give
TO them free gratis, and for nothing too, because
our Legislature has not yet gone so far as to pro-
hibt us from doing such kind action without pay
ment Our advice, then, is, gentemen-"B BE good
enough TO mind your own business, and NEEDLE not
with the affairs of your neighbors, who pay you
for attending to your proper duties, at the rate Of
four or five dollars day, which is more than many
of you are worth Let the cobbler stick to his
last"