The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-01-12

what the Legislature nau expressly gran
| ted. Such state of affairs is scarcely
consistent with the dignity of great State
and certainly demands an efficient remedy.
Some ofmy predecessors have urged the
General Assembly to change this system,
and in several previous communications,
have suggested the propriety and justice
of passing each proposition separately, at
least so far as the objects where diSsimilar.
But the evil still exists and | am deep
Iy sensible of the difficulty which the appli-
cation of the prompt and effectual remedy
must always present to the General Assem-
biz. After much reflection on the magni-
tude Of this evil-its yexatious inroads up
on private rights, and its demoralizing
tendency upon the interests OF the people.
and the more elevated purposes Of legisla
ton, | have determinedt to cooperate with
the General Assembly in the applications
of the most efficient mears whah their
wisdom may devise for its removal; but in
the mean time, as a restraining part of the
law-making power, Imust beg to be indul-
ged in clliming the privilege Of consider
ing each subject of legislation separately,
and on its own merits, as contemplated by
the spirit of the Constitution Henceforth,
therefore bills containing variety of sub
ljects of legislation, dissimilar in their char
acter and purposes, carrot receive the sane
tion Of the present Executive.
! Another branch of the evil, and if pos
sible still greater one, consists of special
and local legislation. 1t is to this prac-
tice that we are mainly indebted for an an
nual volume Of laws Of most unseemly di-
mensions, and for separate code for near
Ily every locality in the State The rene
DIV for this must be found in the adoption
Of few more general laws, and the rigid
administration Of those already in exis-
tence Special acts, you will agree with
me- should in no instance be passed where
the object car be reached under general
laws
The law Of 119l and its several supple
ments make provision for the creation and
amendment Of corporations for literary,
charitable and religious purposes, and 10
create beneficiary societies and fire engine
anl hose companies, through the instru-
mentality of the Attorney General and the
Supreme Court. The act of the 18th OF
October, 829, extended this power to the
courts of the several counties. The acts
of 1886 and 1883 make provision for the
association Of individuals, through the IN
strumentality of the Attorney General
and the Governor, for the purpose OF man.
ufacturing iron from mineral coal. In ad-
dition to these acts, the law to encourage
manufacturing, passed III l849, and its sup
| limentS provide for assosiatioGs for the
purpose of manufacturing wooleH, cotton,
fax and silk goods or for making iron,
glass, salt, paper, lumber, oil from roSln,
mineral paints, artificial slate, and for prln-
ting and publishing; and the supplement
of 1853 extends its provisions, in modi-
fed form, to the business Of mining of al
most every description.
On the subject of erecting new townships
and Incorporating boroughs the courts
have unlimited power; and in the matter
of selling real estate, the property Of mi
nors, guardians, executors or others, acting
in fduciary capacity, the act of last ses-
sion on this subject VII, in my opinion,
reach every imaginable case Its pro-
visions should not be infringed for the sub
ject belongs most legitmately to the courts.
/ can see 20 reason why the over to
| designate election houses should not be
confined to the commissioners Of the several
counties These officers are usually famil-
lar with the localities and can readily de-
termine what arrangements would best
subSerye the convenience Of the electors
In addition to the fact, which will not
be disputed, that this business receives but
II 1,,o H. r
is Objectionable, because Of the great space
it annually occupies i'll the journals and
laws. | am aware, however, that it has
been suggested that the laws of the Uni
ted States provide that the places for hol-
ding The elections for Members of Congress
shall be fixed by the Legislature of the
several States, and, that, therefore, the
end in view cannot be attained. In an
swer to this objection, it may be remarked.
that the Legislature having in other instan-
ces delegated doubtful powers, such as the
right to make paper money, it is scarcely
necessary TO raise the question of the right
to delegate function so expressly confer
red.
A large number Of the laws of the last
session consist of special acts to incorpo-
rate companies to construct plank roads.
This object, right and proper in itself, might
it seems to me, be reached by a general
law, authorizing the association of any
number of citizens to construct these high
ways on proper conditions.
In former communications, | have held
the doctrin, that but little legislation of anv
kind was essential to the ends of mere bus
mess enterprises-to promote objects un-
derstood by all and within the reach of
moderate means; and that most certainly,
whatever might be deemed expedient
should he general in its character. That
-he Legislature had nomoral right to grant
special advantages to one citizen and de-
ny them to another; and | have declined
o approve any act on the subject, where
he corporators were not made liable in