Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1851-12-05


vi-es against further reduction until jusiiGc,
ly tic revenue Of the Department
He also recommends that the rates of post
age on printed matter be 50 revised as to rcu,
der them simple, and more uniform in their
operation upon all classes Of printed matter,
submit, the recommendations of the IMPORT Ia
your favorable consideration.
The public statutes of the l'niicd State,
have now been accumulating for more than
sixty years, and interpreted with private
acts. are scattered through numerous vol.
umcs, and, from the Gusts II the whole, have
become almost Inaccessible to the rrea, mass
Of tie community They also exhibit much
II the incuuguily and impcrlccilou uf has,y
legislation. Asii seems Ia h. generally cum
cc,lcd that there u no a" common law oTihc
United States tn supply the defects II the lee
islalion, It Is mns, lmporau, that Legislation
should be- a. perfect as possible, defining cv.
cry powcr intended In h. confcrrcd, every
] 'liNt lWl'N'u y" W hl'"' VWWlHUanltt anu
prescribing the punishment 10 he inflicted
I Ia addition To somc particular cases spoken II
more at length, the whole criminal coic j.
now lamenlably defective. Somc offences are
imperfect, described, and other, arc entirely
omitted 50 that haCranl crimes NAV be- com.
united with IMMUNITY The scale IT punish
meni - not IN al eases graduated accounting
to the degree and nature ol the uiIrucc. and -
often rendered more unequal hy the different
.hodcs Of Imprisonment, or Pcntcntry cuuinc.
mcnt, in rhs dIlTrun, States.
MANY laws IT permanent character have
hccn inlnduccd into appropriation bills, and
It Is often dliIicull L. determine Nheihcr the
particular clause expire, with the temporary
&C, ct which It Is part, or continue, 10 force.
1t has also Frequently happened lhl, cnacr.
mcnis aud provisions IT Law have bcru intro.
duccd into bills With the title NJ general sub.
ioct IT which they have lulc or uo cnnncNIou
~ relation. IN this muic IT legislation ~
many cNacimcnrs have hccn hcapcd uIon zach
other, and - often With bot little cousidrra.
uou, that. ~ many instances, II b. drlTcll, lo
sclrrh oui and determine what is the Law.
The Government ct the Uni,d State, is
cmphaicalIy government Of written laws.
The statute, should, therefore, A. Gar as prlc.
uclbIc, not nnly b. made acc,.>.,hlc ,n 40. bot
b. oppressed ~ language 80 PLAIN and simple
a. Ia b. understood by an, and arranged IN
such mc,hoi as tn ci,c pcrsplcw,y In every
subject Many Of the States have revised
their public acts With great aud manifest byn.
cit and | recommend tia, provision h. made
b' IA" ior the appointment ol a cumms.roL
,o revise ihc public statute, Ut lhc 4. =, AZ.
ranging them IN order, supplying drdcrcncic,,
correcting lncougu,ltc.. simplifying their
language, aud reporting lhcm To Congress lor
IT. action.
An Act Of Congress approved 3oth Scplcm.
bcr, lsjO, contained provision Tor The c,lcn.
.ion Of the Capitol, according to- such a plan
as might b. approved hy The President. and
appropriated one hundred thousand dollars ro
b. expended under h', direction, by such ar.
chliccr rs be- should appoint To execute the
same. OncNamlulug the ,ari"us plan, which
had been Submitted by different architects. IN
Pursuance 81 an advertisement hy committee
1T The Srualr, no one Nas found ,u he entire.
" satisfactory, and II vs. therefore dccmcJ
advisable ro combine ADD ADOPT the ad,ann.
o.. uf several
The great object iu b. accomplished was io
make such an addition as would afIorI ample
and convenient halls for the dcIibcnrun, of
the two House, Of Congress, with sufTc,cnt
accommodations Tor spectators, and suitable
apartments Tor the committees and oric,r- of
the two branches 81 the Legislature. Twas
al.o desirable not To- mar the harmony and
beauty of the present structure, which a. a
specimen ui architecture, j. ~ universally al.
mlrd Keeping these objects iu view Icon.
rlud,d ,o make the addition by wings, dclach.
cd nom the prc-cn, buildrng, Vet connected
With u by corridors Thi. mode of enlarge.
mrntwill leave the pfc,cu, Capitol uulnjurd,
auj afford great advantage, lur,rnuIaltun and
the admission Of lch, and Wlll enable tie
WORK to progress without lnlcrupliug the de-
alterations Of Congress. 10 carry this plan
into effect ! have appointed an experienced
aud cumpc,rut architect The cornerstone
vas laid ou the ilh day Of july last, with suit.
able ceremonies, since which time the work
has advanced with eommcndlblc rapidliy. and
the foundations or bath wings are now nearly
complete,
lagain commend to your hyurable regard
the interests uf the Disinct or Columbia, and
deem d, unly necessary to rcmlnd YOU, tina,
although rs inhabitants have M voice IN the
choice Of representatives to Congress, they
are no, the les entitled To a jus, and liberal
consideration IN your legislation. Nv opln'
ION. ON tins subject were more fully express.
ed IN ms la, annual communication.
Other SUBJECTS were brought To the alicn-
ton Of Congress IN Inv last annutl message,
to which | would respectfully refer. But
there was one Of mole than ordinary interest
To which ! again invite your especial ailcn-
ton. allude to ihs Recommendation fur the
appointment IT a commission tn settle private
claims against the United States. Justice to
individuals as well As to the government i'm.
pcrall,cly demand. that some more convenient
aud eIpcdiuous mode than an appeal to Con-
grcss should be adopted.
/ l, is deeply 10 b. regretted that in several