Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-07-29

made in committee to report which has been made in
the shape of BILL and it has passed through three sue
ces>lre readings Then some gentleman offers ryder
to the bill making anapPrnpriaton perhaps Tor large
amount, which read the first second anu thiri time
and passes tbs house without the due consideration
which bills of that character should receive 1t seems to
me that remedy Of some kind ought to be introduced
10 order to cure this evil in Legislation which every
body must admit to be an evil.
Mr.. " ALLACE should have supposed that this
clause reported by the legislative committee w"udhave
recei ed far warmer eupport than has from the gen
tien!en Of that body. do know who constituted
the majority BY which this provision reported to
tile house, but 1t Certainly deserves the most hearty
support ut our hands If understand the scope OF the
provision intended to be inserted here by the gent
from H.nrco. (Mr BorTs.) in the place of the provision
reported by the Legislative committee, il would not be
an ecc 'i protection against fraudulent improper
Legislation The object of this Convention called for
rcorn iouid be to purify the legislation of The State,
so that in future tlue gentleman can rise md speak
OF the Legislation then do OF the legislation OF
past years. That there shall be no future exhibit Of
such mode Of transattng business ~ existed in the
las! Legislature, and was portrayed BY the gentle
man from Augusta, Or. SnEFFEY.) upon vcsier,la
Our object SHOULD be not only t" bring about pure c,
laon but to prevent the evil effects of hastv legislation
The gentleman from Henr:co Mr. DoTTs saws this pro
vision Is only Incorporated i'll the constitution OF Lpuisl
ana a. far rs he understands do not know where The
committee got II FROM but if look tn, cul.;i,,:-
lions OF great many o the States OF the MON We will
find thls same provision Incorporated in their organic
law. The recent Reform Convention of MARYLAND has
adopted it. admit that the legislature Cannot pass
bills with auch railroad speed as it has in times past
since have already adopted provision requiring
that bills should be read three several times upon three
several days but this provision of the committee will
be al additional safeguard. Under present lrgsla
ton what is the practice To local bill of the most
tritiug character, member moves ryder providing
large appropriation for railroad scheme and thus YOU
lnrlrc NJ C1,i into
bill trivial III its character and perhaps, before it ia
finally adopted, all sorts Of amendments ncon.ruous
with the original bill and entirely dissimar in their
character Incorporated into it, and the simple loo
| bill becomes omnibus of Most portentous aspect
The whole elect OF the proposition of the gentleman
from Henricn CIR Borrs) would be to the cgs-
lature amend the title as we'll the body of the bill
and he thinks that this Is MS far with safety
90. think that il the n.ate of New York gels along
with such II provision the proposed herr--if the
State Of Maryland and other States in which autarv
rciors have been aimed incorporate it into their
constitutions check upon hastv and improper lciis
laton, it we'll becomes this Convention looking IL the
past legislation of the State to give il tral While
do not believe il will throw such stumbling block in
the way OF legislation TO prove serious impeachment
To action sincerely believe that it will have Sendency
revent hasty aud fraudulent legislation. deslrs to
prevent state of things which. IN Judgment, h
dsgraced the State OF Virginia within the last three or
four years-wlch ha. made her legislation by-word
and rcproacl among ali her people While conceie
there would be slight protection in the proposition
altered by the gentleman from Henrico, Or borS.)
do think 1t would have the effect 10 remedy The evil
implanted Of, and We should sustain the report Of the
committee.
Mr. SLOAN. Ibelieve very desirable object to be
accomplished in this Convention, is to cripple the log
rolling system much as possible. rse merely L"
say that my experience has taught ME To believe that
this habit Of anal anating different sub ect- in the
bill, by way Of amendment and ryder is the longest
and strongest handspke which has ever been used III
! tue business OF log-rong
Mr. CAMDEN My apology for troubling the COM
mittes upon this subject is, that member Of the
eg latve committee, wish to make brief expau ma
ton wig we reported this provision. then thought
aud still think that the provision would have sautarv
effect upon the saon oil the country By reference
to our statutes it will found that it frequently hap
pens that matters wholly inconsistent with each other
are found and the of the general assem-
bly We know that in the State Of Pcnnsy vana the in
corporation OF railroad bill III some local act pr"du
ced great excitement there. Now. know what occurred
during the last Legislature. On bill TO incorporate
II little townin the county OF Wood. provision with
Reference turnpike road in another part of the conn
" was tackled Well it has this bad effect. The regu-
lar business before the legislature progresses ucc"rn
to the calendar and gentleman who introduces pro
position his bill tkin the regular corrse is cut short 10y
these propositions by way OF amendment ut the heel oi
the session Legislation should Systematically carried
on and statute law should embrace but single !,ct
because if you nIny attach another second object,
there is no restriction whatever put III act
to Incorporate town All net to establish railroad aud
i'll ,u nc establish railroad proriai" with refer
encc 10 oysters anu tcrrapins.
Now the ONLY object that have in seeking 10 intro.
duce this provision the constitution is that the sta.
tutes may be properly drawn and to prevent nasty
and ncol-derae legislation aad suppose the gentle
III an from Hampshire is right in saying that it will have
very sala'n:y effect upon the practice OF oyroing
n ink lie gentleman from Hcntico will find that tbs
Stu, of louisiana is not the only State that his adopt
ed th provision in its constitution, but II las been
adopt ID in most Of the States Of the Union
Mr WILEY. wish to say to the gentleman from
He ,rc., that ii he will make verbal amendment in
his amea daent will for it, and that is t" strike
u,, The Mord clearly and leave it simply expressed III
th. title" II YOU retain the word CLEARLY cUnst
ton u lIfc tles might arise, because the oiyccl hl
not pe clearly expressed in the title according to the
cons ttu!!":. 49,,
Mr. CAMDEN. One word with reference to the title
The ii Le is usually fixed upon after the law passes 81
TIM; i, may contain the various amendments
Mr DENEALE. | wish TO ask the gentleman from
Harris III 4 que=ti"a If there is law passed by the
epslat sre embracing two objects, the acc"n!noda
ton If onmercc and another the payment Of dividends
RI III, teckholders-twu oIjectS-woutd not that law
be set as lie as unconstiiu:iona, act Cause it con-
tanned two objects instead nf only? Surely the
effect will be 4, crush every bill that can come before
the Icc,la turc Vf the commonwealth
Mr. 30 IT'S. l have 40 objection to the rcrbn
amendment susSe, ted by the gentleman near me (Ai!
WuIEy) ] have ut one object IN view and that ;:
10 avoid as much as ossibe all difficulty III legislation
Now il seems to me ti'a gentlemen here rather to-
des i,s OF throwing difficulties in the WY OF lesisla
lion. We oa,ne here to AMEND and to improve tie lc
ri,lasoh an not to chez and arrest il, and tia
Seems to be n very large degree the eiicc: OF tho
proposition, oil gentlemen. Instances have alrcad!
been cited by two gentlemen who have preceded me IL
which laws would be clearly because re
ference would be made NOR, than one object. have
not yet heard one gentleman aisign reason why more
than one object sh pud not be embraced in law the
are congruous SUI hjects ann certainly DESTROYS o
preventing the in PRODUCTION Of ncongruous matter
into the same bill but if You can Introduce forty dfet
ent subjects into this bill and save the necessity
forty different bliss ask il the name OF Heaven II
il not desirable 10 10 So What more do you want tha
that each object 81 ,a be expressed in tie title 50 tia
when YOU want 10 refer TO either of them there shall b
no difficulty in as ertaning to what bill to refer to-
The gentleman from Logan SAYS tina, this pro'isio
has been adopted in other States than louisiana !
the gentleman taes that suck is the fact eonclut.
that il is So bu it is enough for me 10 know that u
the State of Lo Iisiana-T have been Informed OF IN
fact more than nce have heard it asserted on man
occa,on,-that rovsion in tie constitution has bee
found to work st disasrousy and Instantaneous!
to the State and tlat laws of the highest importahc
have been decl: lred by the judicial aulho'iHes -