The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-11-23
special ana Private Legislation.


special and Private Legislation.
General laws like The constitution. apply TO all per-
sons and at all times alike. They are supposed to be
based upon principles Of justice and equality, and tend
TO promote the common good. Like the dews OF
heaven they fall upon all alike" In their preparation
and the wisdom of the legislature is employed
and in their approval the President gives them the
lion Of his deliberate judgment The law making power
fully exercised in placing them upon the sa,utebook
and the electors, later pass judgment upon
their proprety aud illness Special legislation provides
only for particular cases, and lie usually limited in its
operation to particular individuals and principally to
those having claims upon the government Special laws
for the relief OF individuals founded upon &c pare
statements and evidence considered by
members OF committee; and generally the action upon
them is regulated far by the confidence reposed 10
that examination than by any knowledge members pos
sess OF the facts principles involved The physical
ability Of the President s unequal to the labor OF examn-
ing the facts in each case From the manner Of framing
such laws, they disclose the principle upon which
they based With few exceptions, he takes them
upon his faith in the two houses and approves as a
matter OF From necessity, his duty of examn-
ing them has become mere matter Of form. instead
of one Of judgment. Consequently il may be af
filmed that the President, well As the two houses
OF Congress, may be said 10 act upon the confidence
that is reposed in the committeeman who reports the
BILL They mus, do this defeat most Of the pr
vate bills, as neither possibly examine Them fully
There are about twelve hundred large closelyprined
pages OF private passed by Congress- providing for
some five or six thousand cases. causing dIaught upon
the treasury for an anount How many of these
received full coasl of the whole law making pow
err and how many passed matter of faith
tell The principles involved not disclosed in the
acts and often not in the reports of committees, when
made in writing Neither the President people
possibly learn the principles which governed the
lion of Congress or the committee. The grounds
Of action are never searched out, even by those who
have access 10 The means OF information, except
as preceden,s for other private applications. The Princ
PIE Of action by Congress in such is wholly
known to the country large, and only be learned in
this city at heavy expense. In judgment, this kind
of legislation is wrong in principle il is known TO
be Objectionable and unsafe in practice Every and
valid law must be based upon some principle sanction
ed and approved by the law making power. II the pu
cple presented for consideration is wrong the bill should
be rejected but right should appear in the act ITSELF
and apply 10 all cases coming within it, This is the
tion) and custom-house, patent, STANDARDIZATION, and
many other laws They Nply to all cases where GER
lain circumstances exist If i, is right in principle
to dispense with any condition which either imposes.
/, is equally right to dispense with it in ALL all have
under the same circumstances. the same right Equal
Justice is due to all II ], is right grant pension
A. whose service day less than prescribed by the
general law it is equally jus, that all others similarly sit
uated should have one II il was right 10 grant the
widow of a revolutionary soldier, not provided for by
the existing acts pension Tor lle because she bad
meous children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren
as recently occurred, il is equally right to provide for
all others whose claims have the foundation. II ii
is Just relieve preemptoner from the consequences
OF mistake in bis action it is equally just to relieve all
others who have committed the same mistake. II it is
just and proper extend, by law, patent for term OF
years. ii is equally jus, and proper that all others, under
the same circumstances should have like extension
U is the duty OF Congress to compensate him whose
house destroyed in time of war because 1t was made
depose for military stores, the same duty re-
ques tina, il should provide for all like cases There is
case. where Congress has properly passed aw to re.
lleve individual, but what equally proper 10 de.
clare and enact the principle upon which it was based
and allow all. under the circumstances to par,ici-
pate in its advantages No will pretend that the Eve
or six thousand private laws based upon as many
different principles. They all stand upon few prin.
cples, and justice requires that these should be i'm
bodied in general public laws, TO which ali may re-
sort. may arise in all future time IL a case
should be presented to Congress where il would be un
safe make general law TO it, that fact would
be conclusive evidence that il ought to be rejected
Nothing be more unsafe than to essla,e with ref
erence TO persons instead OF principles Congress ia no,
appropriate tribunal to pass upon the qualities OF men
II j, could dvest i,sef of the influence of party af
fnes and social relations but it is suitable body for
acting upon and ngrang upon national code. great
principles which applicable TO all men, Irrespective Of
their POLITICAL social, other relations Let Congress.
provide by general laws, for all that may arise I'M
der the circumstances, and their committees will be
relieved from needless drudsery, and the members from
opportunities little short Of persecution Thus the two
houses will be enabled to devote their whole time TO
matters strictly public, and may well shorten their ses
aons and diminish our legislative expenses Then
Ia he al hy