Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-12-08

ent year can ye; be made. Il is believed,
however, that they will fall far short of
those Of the last year. The surplus Of the
revenues now on hand Is, however, so
large, that no fur her appropriation from
the treasury, in aid Of The revenues Of the
Department, is required for the current
fiscal year; but an additional appropriation
for the year ending June 80, 1858. will
probably be found necessary when the re-
ipts Of The first two quarters Of the fiscal
year are fully uscertuined.
In his last annual report, the Postmaster
General recommended a reduction Of pos
aioge TO raies which he deemed as low as
could pruden,ly be adopted unless Con.
gress wasIprepared TO appropriate from The
treasury for the support of The Depart.
ment, n sum more Than equivalent 10 The
mail services perfor med by itfor the Gov
ernmenl. The recommendations Of the
Postmaster General, in respect 10 letter
postage, except on letters 10 and from Call
ifornu and Oregon, were adopted sabstan.
TALLY by the last Copgtess. He now re-
commends adherence to the present letter
rates, and advises against a further reduc-
lion untiElusli6ed by the revenue Of the
Department.
| He also recommends that the rates o {
postage on printed matter be SO revised "a
to render them more simple, and more uni
| form in their operation upon oil clauses Of
printed matter. | submit the recommend.
a,ions of the report TO your favorable con-
siderotions.
The public statutes of the United States
have now been sccumufkting for more than
sixty7year and, interspefsed with private
acts, are Scattered through numerous vol
umes, and from the cost Of the whole,
i have become almost inaccessible. to the
great mass Of The community. They
also exhibit much Of thss incongfuity and
imperlecion of basty legislation. As it
seems to be generally conceded that lthese
is no "com mon law" Of the United States
to supply the defects of their legislation
should be as perfect as possible, defining
every power intended TO be conferred, every
crime intended to be made punishable, and
prescribing the punishment to be inflicted.
In addition to some particular casses spoken
of more at length, the whole criminal ,de
is now lamentaby defective. Some ofens-
es are imperfectly described and others arc
entirely omitted; SO that fragrant crimes
may be committed with impunity. Tho
scale Of punishment is not in all cases grad
uated according to the degree and nature Of
the offence, and is citen rendered more an-
! equal by the different modes Of imprIson-,
ment, or penetentiary confinement, lP tho
different States. 5'N tzfEA
Mnny laws Of a permanent character
( have been introduced into appropriation
bills, and ii is often difficult 10 determine
whether the particular cIause espmesS vi h
The temporary acI OF which il ;sa taE, or
eont;nues in fofce. Il has nlso frc9penlIy
happebed thai enac,ments and provisions
Of law have been introduced into bills, ~iih
4 The little or general subject Of ~hiehI they
have little or no connection or relation. -
In this mode oflegislalion so many enac'-
me,i,s have been heaped upon eoch other,
| and often with bu, little consideration, that,
in many Instances, i, is difiicalt 10 search
out and determine what is the law.
| The Government Of The UEhed States IS
emf hatieolly governmental wriuen laws.
The statutes should, therefore, ps lar os
I! practicable, not only be mhde accessible To-
all, bat b expressed in language so plain
and simple as to be understood BY all, and
arranged in such method assto give rercip.
icuisy TO every subject. Many Of the
States have revised their public acts with
grea, and manifest benefit; and recon
mend ha, pro, ision be made by law for the
appointment ot n Commission TO revise tha
! public ST, tuies OF The United States, arrnng-
ing them in order, supplying deficiencies.
correcting ineongrultes, simplifying their
lang uage, aud reporting them TO Congress
for its action. .,s ,.- ,.-s.
+ An net Of Congress approved 30Ih Sep
lember, 1850, contained provision Tor
the extension Of the Capisefr according To
such plan as might be approved by tho
President, and appropriate one hundred
thousand dollars to be expended under his
direction by such architect as he ahou!d op.
poiIt to execute the same. On examining
the various plans which had been submitted
by different architects, in pursuance Of an
advertisement by n committee Of the Sen
ale, no one wns found TO be entirely satia-
factorv, and it wns therefore deemed sdvis-
bic 10 combine and adopt the advantages
Of several. t.s.- ,i5stfs- = s.
The great object TO be accomplished was
10 make such an addition MS would afford
ample and convenient halls for the deliber~
alons of the two Houses of Congress, with
sufficient accommodations for spectators,
and suitable apartments for the committees
and officers of the Two branches OF the
Legislature. 1t was olse desirable no, TO
:nnr the harmony and beauty OF the present
structure which as specimen of architee-
lure is so universally admired. Keeping
these objects in view, concluded to make
the addition by wings, detu' ched from the
present building yet connected with it by
corridors. This mode Of enlargement. will
leave The present Capitol uninjured, and
aford great advantages for ventilation and
The admission Of light, and vii! enable The
work to progress without interrupting the
deliberations of Congress. To carry this
plan into effect have appointed an ex.