The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-05-19
From the Keokuk Despatch
Democracy and the New Code.

Democracy and the New Code.
The "Des Moines Republic, the democratic
organ Of WapeIo county, is the first of the
papers Of the Valley to take fair and decided
position in favor Of the "New Code" Its
course is clear indication of the sentiments
and purposes of many of the Democracy.
While wing papers and wings in general, are
grunbling and growing over the bad parts of
the Code, and making captious and frivolous
complaints, and false accusations against the
democracy, democrats are as usual leading the
way to find out what the people want, and, then,
to accomplish it. Let the people speak out in
their democratic papers, and their wishes will
be carried out by their Representatives. The
following is the article from the sRepublic :"
THE New CoDE.-We do not wish to dictate
i, the people what course shall be pursued with
regard to the Code Of Laws given them by the
last Iowa legislature, but, at the same time, we
have an opinion upon the subject and We feel
it our duty to state it without further delay-and
we do more for the purpose of eliciting a
general discussion, than for the mere purpose
of railing against the entire Code and the Leg
islature which adopted it,
The revenue law contains impe rfections which
should be remeded. All revenue laws shculd
cause each tax payer 10 pay according to his
ability--no more nor less
We also take ground against the Road Law
believing it too expensive and not calculated
to accomplish what the people desire in that
p.rlicnlar, namely, good roads at the least pc S.
IDLE expense We shall favor the abolition OF
the office of county Supervisor, and a return
to the old fashioned mode Of Township or
District Supervisor, ell, Give by the people.
The office of Assessor should be separated
from that of Sheriff. Thus relieving the Shrr.
1T of superabundance of duties, which tina,
officer is forced to do hurriedly and sometimes
imperfectly. The duties of Assessor should be
committed to the charge of one man-to be
elected by the people.
The office of county Recorder should be
separated from that Of Treasurer and Co!lec
tor.
The duties Of county Judge-now amount
ing to an absolute burden in many counties
should, in some way, be reduced.
There should be an Interest Law created
limiting the rates for the use Of money to six
per cent, with heavy penalty for receiv ny a
higher rate. We are satisfied with the expos
ion of the argument that, in The absence Of all
usury laws, money would fl W into our State
in such abundance as to reduce its price.
There is one other reform that seems to be
demanded by the people, namely: paying the
county officers fees instead Of salaries from the
county Treasury:
In future numbers Of our paper we shall
endeavor to show why these changes in our
laws should be made. And we offer the free
use of our columbus to any and all others who
may wish to write upon the subject.
We are not so firmly lied down to the reforms
we have here proposed, as to reject entirely all
others which the people in their wisdom may
propose and wish adopted We are OPP to
conviction, and anxious to assist in doing the
greatest good to the greatest number