The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1851-12-10

-t| N"| N|'|' ~ ~ .N
a-Fsi Sf.l ar lllly aksrfiainfl.
IN IA i4si nnnu 4 sepnri he l'.s<lnDassr
i;enrE EresmmeutIr.i = re.sns,ira = psi
age 70 rasrs vlrrsl Ne s.~enFd - los >
uould b. pt4.itnlIs z.iapled. nnIvss tn
zress A. prepared H. sppfnpsisle lraa
the ifsasft. 90 si.e supPos' ~ slse Ite
paslmrni. sum mare Than rqni.as rng h
fihs mad sefr,cts l~sfnr.ard lis II fn III
fspsrrnmrsa. Tile recommendations q
ne I's>tnsslrr :rnerai. in tespecs snies
sef postage. excerpt on ieiiefs ftnm and 4
california and Organ. were substantial
| ~ sdppird rs she last congsess. III
now recommends sdhernse 10 -ihc pre-
sent lrslrr ralcs. aud -dsisrs against . far
sIsrr frslnriisn uniiI ja-siiied BY tie ierr
me af sir Department.
lie aI<n lerpmnrnds IIial Inc rates q
postage ON printrd nlaiirr be 80 rerisrs
as 10 rrndfr llsem more simple. and
more rnifofln in lhrir apr1s.ion upon Al
classes az printed matter. I suhnii iIst
recommendations ef lie report 10 you
f.rnrsi,le considerations. @
The public statutes Of the UHited
States have now been accommodating for
more than sixty years. and, interspers-
ell with private acts, are scattered
through numerous volumes, and, from
the cost Of the whole, have become al
most inaccessible TO the greet mass of
the community. They also exhi6tmuch
Of the incongruity and nnperfection Of
hasty legislation. As it seems to be
generally conceded that there is no
"common law" of die United States 70
supply the defects Of their legislation.
il is most important that that legisla-
ton should be as perfect as possible.
defining every power intended to be
conferred, every crime intended 10 be
made punishable. and prescribing the
punishment To- be inflicted. In add;s
ton to some particular Gases spoken Of
more at length, the whole Grim inal code
is now lamentably defective. Some Of.
fences are imperlectly described, and
others are Atifely omitted; so that
hagrent crimes may be committed with
impunity. The scale of Punishment is
not in all cases graduated according to
the degree and nature Of the offence,
and is often rendered more unequal BY
the different modes Of imprisonment.
or penitentiary confinement. in the
different States.
Many laws ola permanent character
have brel Introduced into appropriation
bills, and itis often MISUNDERSTANDING
whether ihe particular clause expires
with the temporary act Of which il is
part. or continues IN force. II has al
so frequeDily happened that enaciments
and provisions oflaw have been intro
duccd into bills, with the title or gem
eral subject Of which they have little or
no CONNIE xion or relation. In this mode
Of legislation so many cnactments have.
been hcapcd upon each other, and'olten
with but little consideration, that, in
many instances, tits difficult to search
out and determine what Is the law.
The Government Of the United
States is emphatically government Of
written laws. The statutes should,
therefore, as Ear as practicable, not on
" be made accessible to all, but be ex-
pressed in language so plain and sim
pie as to be understood by all, and ar
ranged in such method as to give per-
spicuity 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
commission to revise the public sta
tutes of the United States, arranging
them in order, supplying deficiencies,
correcting incongruities, simplifying
their language, and reporting them to
Congress for its action.
An act Of Congress approved 50th
September, 1850, contained provis- |
ION for the extension Of the Capitol, ac-
curding to such plan as might be APP
PRAYED by the President, and appropri-
tied one hundred thousand dollars to
Dc expended under his direction, by
such architect as he should appoint to
execute the same. On examining the
farious plans which had been submitted
" different architects, in pursuance Of
IN advertisement By committee of the
senate. no one was found to be entire
y satisfactory, and it was therefore
Ieemed advisable to combine aud adapt
he advantages of several.
The great object to be accomplished
vas to make such an addition as would
lfford ample and convenient halls for
he deliberations of the two Houses Of
congress, with sufficient accommoda.
ions for spectators, and suitable apart
ncnts for the committees and officers
IT the two branches Of the Legislature.
t was also desirable not to mar the
and beauty Of the present
structure, which, as a specimen of
is so universally admired.
Keeping these objects in view, | con-
luded to make the addition by wings,
detached from the present building, yet
with it BY corridors. This
node Of enlargement will leave the
present Capitol uninjured, and afford
,reat advantages for ventilation and