The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1852-02-07
Letter from the West.

KEoKUK. Iowa, Jan. 1Th, 1852.
The greater part Of my last letter was taken
up with description of our embryo city. will
now speak more fully of the State, which think
is destined to make one Of the greatest members !
Of the Conf-dcrncy-Iowa. For with an area
Of 3G,S00,000 acres of as fine and productive
soil as ever was broken by the rloush-sharr "l
the farmer, and adapted to all kinds Of Nericul-
tural products-a mi Id and healthy climate, and
vast undevelopcd beds Of coal lead, and other
minerals, what can reiard her growth and pros
pcsy.
Endowed BY nature with all the capabilities
and resources necessary 10 make her wealthy
and lourishing. and her people independent and
happy, Iowa has but to look we'll to ,h" govern
mcnt, and the moral and intellectual education
Of her citizens TO become one OF the frSt States
in the Union. Already is she far ahead OF
m.iori,y of the older States in many respects,
and, like u youthful giant is marching boldly
forward-anward and upward.
Ample provisions have been made for tn"
support and government of schools within her
borders; and those who have given the subject
their attention and study, and are capable OF
Judging, say the Frcc-schoo system Of Iowa is
one ofthc best that has ever been trained.
The new "Code of Iowa. which went INTO
operation on the Fourth of July last, contains
many wise and wholesome provisions, which
the older States would do we'll to profit by and
follow. With the hand of n bold relormer il
spoils the symmetry of the Common Law, that
relic of ignorant and slavsh ages, which Black
stone in his indIscriminate laudation styles the
"pcrfection of human reason" and Inetes out
justice in accordance with the principles OF
common sense and Democracy. The legal YER
bage with which the people have been so long
blinded has been swept away, and the whole
system so simpitied that volume OF AIS octave
parc. contains the constitution and code of
Iowa.
The technical !orns of pleadings and the dis
tinc,ions between actions, which the wIseSt
members of the English bar, few years ago
contcndcd must be preserved to insure the llher-
ties of the people, have been aholished-ntterly
abolished here; and yet the people retain their
liberties-jusice is administered TO them, when
ever their petition for redress shows n suhs'an-
,iai cause OF ncton and conveys reasonable
certainty of meaning TO the cominmon UNDER
.,anGiny-whcthcr il be filled with nonsenscal
words. and drawn according 10 "Chitty" or not;
and scoundrelS are not suffered to escape be-
cause the indictment may happen to be drawn
by "a sunsliny lawyer who has, through nadver-
IL h,,I
for the hcnef, Of your readers who are bored
with Deeds and Mortgages which cover from
three TO eight mortal pages OF foolscap, and cost
from $50 to Sl5 for drawing, recording, &C.,
let me give YOU the copy of an Iowa deed Here
il is:-"For the consideration o! five dollars,
hereby convey to A. b. the following tract oil
land" describing it.) There. that is a deed IN
fec simple. The word sheirs" or other words
of inheritance are unnecessary; and every con-
yrvance of real estate passes the gran'or's whole
,nteres, therein. Private seals are also abolish
ed, and the absurd distinction between written
instrument with a seal or scrawl at the end of
the writers name, and one without such scrawl
is done away with, and whole volumes ofnw on
seals &c., rendered, thereby, worthless, except
"a. wrapping paper. For writing Deeds, Mort
cages, &c., here the Lawyers charge 81; but
their services will soon he dispensed with in
this line; for every man will draw his own in
strumcnls of writing without fear Of being cheat
ed out of his property, because they don't hap
pen to be done according TO rule laid down by
sapient legislators and ptttilogging knaves.
Lawyers, however, are thick as cicles in De-
cember. In fact the whole West is over-run
with Doctors, Lawyers and Merchants. The
supply is far greater than the demand; Or greater
than il will be for years to come yet; and how
they all manage to ''scrouge" along no one but
themselves can guess. Lawyers are at least
fifty per cent more numerous in Iowa, according
to the population, than they are in Maryland.
In this (Iee) county with population Of 10000
the same as Cecil, we have in the nciehboThood
of SO Lawyers; and every few weeks brings
new recruit who hangs out his single, and
sits down to waste his time waiting for clients.
1t may sound strange 10 some Of you Mary
landers when I say Bible is never used here
in administering oaths. But so it is. have
never yet seen Bible thumbed and kissed BY
witness, in court or ont Of court. Persons when
sworn or affirmed simply hold up the right hand.
"a And yet as few perjure themselves in Iowa as
in any other State. And although no one is
excluded from being witness OH account OF his
belief OF disbelief in the Christian religion, the
truth is elected here as well as in states where
witness is rendered incompetent for his honest
opinions and belief.
Travel in which direction you will through
thi. State, yon will find the bars ofall the tav-
rrus empty, and nothing on the counter, Blu, a
pitcher Of pure cold water; for the retail of in
1o1ica,ing liquors "by the glass" or "by the