The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1851-12-06


ed matter. | submit the recommendations in
the report 10 Your favorable consideration.
The public statutes of the L. States have now
been accumuating for more than sixty years,
and intcrspcrsed with private acts, are seat
tered through numerous volumes. aud from the
cost of the whole have become almost inaccessi'
BILE 10 the great mass Of the community. They
also exhibit much Of ncongruiiy aud impcriec.
tiou of hasty legislation. As IL seems to be
generally conceded that there is 10 common
law of the United States 10 supply the defects
OF their legislati0n II is most important that
legislation should be a. perfect as possible, def.
ming every power intended 10 be conferred. eve.
~ crime intended to be made punishable, and
presenting the punishment intended to. be in.
ficted. In addition 10 some particular cases
spoken of more at length, the whole criminal
code is now lamentably detective. Some oilen.
ccs ire impcriectly described aud others entire
~ omitted so that fragrant crimes, graduated
according TO the degree aud nature of the of
fence, and as often rendered more unequal by
the different modes Of imprisonment by peniten.
iary confinement in the different States. Many
laws of permanent character have been INTRO
duced into appropriation bills and IT is often
difficult To determine whether the particular
clause expires with the temporary act Of winch
IL is part, or continues in force. IL has also
frequently happened that instruments ana Plo'
visions of law have been introduced into the
plll WIN lnc tlllc or Ethcfhi su'J'St VI N"i'"
they have little or no connection or relation. In
this mode of legislation many cnactmcnts have
been hcaped upon each other and often with
but little consideration in many instances TO
search nut and determine what is the luw The
government Of the u. States is empha tically
government of written laws The statute should
therefore, as far US practicable, not only be
made accessible TO all, bu, be expressed in Ian
guagc so plain and simple as to be understood
bp all, and arranged IN such method as to give
pcrspicuity to every subject. Many of the
States have revised their public acts with great
and manifest benefit, and recommend that
provision be made by law for the appointment
Of commissioner TO revise the public statutes
of the L. States arranging them in order, sup
plying deficiencies, correcting incongruities
simplifying their language, and reporting them
10 Congress for It's action.
An act Of Congress approved Goth Sept 1850,
contained provision for the extension Of the
Capital according to such plan as might be ap
proved by the President, and appropriated SlOO,
900 to be expended under his direction by such
urchitcc, as he should appoint to execute the
same.
On examining the various plans which had
been submitted BY different architects, p ursu.
ant to an advertisement by Il committee Of the
Senate, 10 one was found 10 be entirely salts
factory, and it was therefore deemed advisable "
combine aud adopt the advantages of several
The great object to be accomplished was to
make such an addition as would afford ample
and convenient Halls for the deliberations Of
the two Houses OF Congress, with sufficient ac.
comnodatons for spectators, md suitable apart
menis for the committees and officers OF the two
branches OF the Legislature. II was also desira
bic not to mar the harmony and beauty Of the
present, structure, which, ms specimen Of ar.
chitcctnrc is 80 universally admired. Keeping
these objects in view, | concluded to make tho
addition by wings detached from the present
building, YET connected with 1t by corridors,
his mode OF enlargement will leave the pres
cht Capitol uninlured, and nt.ordinC advantages
,,'', AUG 'no ADMISSION OF hgh'' ana
W" '"u"r ',' ""th 10 progress wI'hout inter
80 , ."o T''"',I''ons OF congress 10
~ '"'.'' , navy uPPp"t,u u" cape
.".'" az" eo'"Pot'ht afchi'ect Inc corner
aG"' ""s '1'u oi ''c 1'' nay OF July ias'' wan
',''o' 't s-s'hce "hich tihe me "orh
- % ,"','u WIN eou'H'chudoie tapiaiv' ana
Wv 'unuI''o''S VI ooth wings are no" nearly
'oi'P'te".
the interest. of The D;.,,ic, n, CoI",nt;a s.nJ
deem i, only necessary TO remind you that. AL.
Though 1t, inhabitants have no voice in the
o",,Ied - -, n''t1..'a'l,'I ,ney are not Tue lcss
your lrgisn,;on wn~lt aan;r ;,'';, "
iention to the recommendation for the appoint.
mrni ola esmn's',ener to settle private claims
nEa''. 'ne on's'@ Ssa.es' Justice to ihd,vidu'
Inand, tha, some more convenient and cxnr DID,
,ious mode ihau sfIeppsal to Congress should
be adoPtedl
II Is oceay 1et.ed' IT several instan'
inr to execn M fr the ,e,n -, " o[ Tnpi.
,ises from labor. hsve been openly resisted and
their effort frustrated and defeated by violent
ino1' mat IN one case such resistance resulted
or. ser;ons n;nru m,d ~, e,tsu" mo III o.ni
to individuals who were using their endravor,
TO sustain law.
Prosecutions have been instituted againsk,he
alIedged offenders so far as they could be idcnti.
n.G, 'h mo-, one s,ll pending, have regarded 1t
in nv power 10 the rmcorce,ocnt Of The Inw:
and shall continue 10 do 80 wherever and vi hen
eyer their execution may be resisted The &C,
10, aoi tne return OF 'nsl.l'es rom Id
press OF wards Of the constitution.
The constitution declares tho, m ros ran
held 10 service or I.bor IN ons Sac ma,
the laws thereof and e.cariro ;u,o ,nn,Lsr
S.s,e, shall in consequence or anv law ar
regulation therein be d;.cb,,ced c,om ,,ch