The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-12-20
For the Register.

Of Parliament, prepare and mature all
important bills, which, in their opinion.
The immediate interests of the country
tequrc. Other bills are brought in by
others, but these matured governmental
measures are tho great matters Of the
session. They are framed in consisten.
cy with all existing cnactments, and are
Ilshapcd and spread out SO as to meet as
far as possible, all the existing exigen.
cies Of the public interests, for which
they are intended to provide. This me-
ccssarily requires not Only high legal as
we'll as literary attainments and ability,
in the craftsman, but much care ,dclibcra-
ton and time. And this work is done
by Legislators of large experience of
eminent attainmeuts in Jurisprudence,
and familiar acquaintance with the wants
of he State.
The genius of the U. S. government
requires different course Neither the
President of the L. s nor the governors
of the States have a lcgislati We council
to prepare and mature business for tho
House. This must all be done BY COM
mittces. appointed early in the session,
except the business introduced by mem.
bcrs on their individual responsibility.
The task assigned to these committees
necessarily requires much diligence, in
dustry, arduous labor and time There
fore in the t. S Congress and in the
Legislatures of Mass, My. and Pa as
well as in some other States. a long time
clapscs before any important business is
completed, or even brought before the
House. This is a necessary result of
the oncrous duties imposed on commit.
tees, aud of the work to be done. Time
must be taaen, to bring measures re.
quiring legislation to maturity before
they are presented. And in these inciri
cnt preliminary measures haste is unwise
aud pcrilous | know the people may
begin to find fault, bring tho charge Of
idlcness, waste Of public treasure. aud
,rcacbcry to the public good, but this
does not alter the case Patience, labor,
and much time must bs expended in this
way which is the only way to expedite
the business of legislation.
Bat how is it in these respects in Yer
monte The Legislature yushcs into the
Rel resen'ative Hall, rushcs through it.
and fushcS out Of it. Elections, petit
tions, resolutions, memorials. rcmon-
strnnccs and bills. fall upon the Assem-.
bly, as shower and are thrown of in one
way or another,ns sheets from the steam
press, or as leaves in autumn. and ap-
parcntly, sometimes, as much or more at
random Committees. and all working
men arc taxed to the extremity of on
DURANGO, or beyond it, Minis not we'll
disciplined aud enlightened, act withou.
due consideration and caution The
minds the best diciplincd and qualified
for legislation, are too much taxed and
burdcncd to act the most easily and de-
eide the most correctly. The engine is
driven too hard for the safety of the in
icrests of the state. The talent sworn
to be faithful to the interests Of the
state is not worked to the best advantage
All are driven to decisions pro or con
affecting the public interests, with a
haste, which no prudent man would jus
tify, in the ordinary business of private
life. Every thing is done in a hurry, as
when our dwelling is OIL fire.
Think Of it In four or five weeks,in
addition to namelcss other things, some
four hundred bills are manufactured a.
vowedly considered and passed upon. re.
jectcj or declared laws More than n
hundred bills are disposed Of in n single
session Laws are thrown IF upon the
people with the velocity Of shingles from
the circular saw, and sometimes, nppar
rcntly, with as little intelligent agency
Is this legislation,--thc laying Gown of
Fundamental principles, enforced by pen.
altes seriously affecting great public ;n
tercsts7 Is this the way to make good
laws.-laws which will bear the test Of
enforcement, and the scrutiny of judicial
investigation Who will affirm it?
At best it is mere hasty patchnork
Look into the Representative Hall. At
one time you see bill 60 to third
reading go to the judiciary commit
tee, returned to the House and passed
entitled, AN act to punish Instructions
of streets and highways and thi:
grammatical error goes to the Senate, to
be corrected At another, you witnes,
the passage of resolution at an expense
perhaps Of 800 to the state..to demnify
from the State Treasury, an unfortunate
member, who has been left minus bis
coat by the discourtesy of the thief
Many hours and days, you 6nd the
House hastily aud inconsiderately doing
business to be reversed in one hour BY
wiser and more cautious men,. Again
work done by the Senate will be hastily
undonc. All this and more like it has