Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-06-10

we have time. 1t accomplished about
as much as we expected it would or
could. II is one thing TO ge. together in
public meeting and listen an hour two to
what a parcel of lawyers and others
who are accustomed 10 talk, and are
fond Of it, caa say in relation to what
/ or IRE think, and another and quite a
different thing 20 amend Code of laws.
This the people will find out, if they
have not already done so, to their entire
satisfaction.
We are satisfied from the result Of
this meeting, and from the papers, tina.
there is settled design TO make polit
cal capital out of the Code, as political
capital has been made out of the River
Improvement, and in fac! all the other
miserable legislation OF the State. L, is
very convenient to have laws which al
ways need amending Ion which dema-
gogues may noun, just before elections,
and on which they may base extensive
promises, and ge; up party excitement,
and bring the party to the scratching
point. We charge that these men are
no. seriously opposed to the Code, or
that they entertain any settled purpose
70 amend, or improve il, so as to furnish
the people with permanent system of
laws so perfect that they viii need no
amendment, and consequently cease to
be political hobby. They intend to
use the Code as every body knows they
used the old Statutes; 10 go on piling
amendment on amendment; repeating
and re.enacsing; dove-tailing, piecing and
tinkering up, until the laws of The State
become SO complex and mixed up that
the best lawyers and the Courts them
selves can make neither heads nor tails
of them: until in fact we shall be without
any ineligible statute upon any subject;
saGdling The State all the time with the
enormous expense of legislating US to
death, printing whole Libraries, binding,
&C., to the end of the chapter, if its end
can be found or hoped for.
The only way TO block this game on
them is to send men TO the Legislature
next winter, of sterling integrity, Of in
dependen, principles. ample business
qualifications-not full of abstract theo.
ries-but with minds soundly balanced
upon convictions derived from their own
experience and the experience of others;
men whose action 10 the Legislature will
be governed not by resolutions of meet.
ings hastily gotten up, and conflicting in
different parts of the State, but by what
they know the best interests of the
People require, a practical, common
sense, permanent. body of laws, under
which the people can live secure in their
persons, property and life, and employ
their industry, and expend their energies
in promoting their best good, without be-
ing ground TO death by taxes; cor PEELED
to mortgage soul and body TO "raise the
wind" and wander around here in the
midst of solitude, profound and unbro-
ken by the whistle of the steam engine,
the sweet music of the artisans hammer.
the hum of machinery, or the thousand
and one improvements, not alone project
ed. but completed, under the operation of
wise, just and necessary laws.
We shall before long rscur TO this SUBJ
ject again especially that portion of Il set
ting up the pre;ence tina: the Code, which
is giving rise 10 SO many of these party
meetings; which is occupying SO exclu-
sigely the party presses. and forms the
basis of SO many party resolutions, is
not after all party sn easure.
There is generally vast deal Of hum
bug floating abou. in the political atmos-
phere; but on the subject Of this Code
the supply is jus. now very abundant in
this market.
80