The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1855-11-16
WHAT THE PEOPLE EXPECT.

| ing majority and therefore the people vii
hold them responsible for all the bad that ma,
be done, or the good left undone, during tht
session now near at hand. As this party ha
always profeSsed to have in view the greatest
good OF the greatset number, and TO care only
Tor the welfare of the people at large il may rea.
sonabiy be expected OF IFS representatives thai
they should leglsate, not for sectional Interests
but ior the whole State-not for classes, but fol-
the whole people.
There are various measures. in the nature oil
reforms, WHICH are more particularly expected
OF the new Legislature; and we have thought
that brief reference to them might not be "a
miss.
And lst. The people expect short session.
The appropriations are the chief and most i'm
portant business of the Legislature, and they
should claim It's first attention, instead Of being
leit To the last moment, and then hurried thro'
with haste that never fails to work injury
All the legitimate work can be easily done in
sixty days, and every day beyond that time,
that the session is prolonged, will be useless
waste oitlne and money.
%. The people expect a strictly economical
appropriation OF the public mony. The taxes
are heavy and hard 10 pay; and as long as the
weight OF debt bears upon US, and payment of
interest, simply, absorbs 50 large portion OF the
resources OF The State il is the grossest injustice
to make any expenditure not demanded by DO
solute necessity. At d time when a large por-
ton OF the people desire sale of the States
mails and railroads, the appropriations OF single
dollar 10 any rev project otpublic Improvement,
would BE- fragrant wrong.
Sd. The people want no special legislation
OF the sort that last winter consumed SO much
time, and called forth SO much dissatisfaction
The fewer private bills passed, the better for the
public good: and as for the multitarious corpora
tions for which every Legislature is importuned
with pertinacity worthy of better object,
very few OF them are of character 10 deserve
any consideration. An act of incorporation
generally carries with it the grant of privileges
to iew individuals which the mass OF the peo-
pie 90 not enjoy; and is, in so much, direct
violation OF tue fundamental democratic prncl-
pie SO beautifully illustrated by Andrew jack
son, when he SAID that ss,fhe blessings of gov
ernment, like the dews of heaven, .shonld de-
there are very few proper subjects of legislation
that cannot be reached by them.
4th. The people expect check TO be put
paIativeIy liberal grant of Bank charters last
session has excited. Applications tor seoenfy-
sir new Banks, and for the re-charer of thir-
teen old ones, are now pending looking to an
increase OF the present banking capital oil the
State, to the enormous amount OF THIRTY seren
millions. This would be a trightiul picture,
were the people under any apprehension that
the facility with which the last Legislature
gave charters to new Banks, would be lmltated
by the next There may possibly be an isolated
case Or two in which Bank might be desirable,
and find useful business; but no one can say
with truth that any increase of our aggregate
banking capital is necessary at the present t'n'e'
This being the fact and public sentiment being
SO decidedly against such increase, the true Po-
licy of the Legislature is to turn deaf ear to all
new Bank applications, and conhne ITS action
upon Banks TO the re-charterlng OF such OLD ones
as have maintained a good credit IN the pursuit
OF legitimate banking business.
9th. The people expect the slug Law to be
repealed 1t was passed in opposition to their
previously expressed willis one OF those ultra
and fanalcal measures which, by their uncalIed
for severity and rrstrictiveness, defeat the OBJ
iect they seek-and cannot be executed without
individual right and liberty for which the peo-
pie of Pennsylvania have long, and pre-emi-
nentlv, been characterized. They want no pro-
hibition Of that, as criminal, whose use is per-
fectly lawful, and in whose abuse alone con-
sists personal and social evil. A judlclous IL
cense law, so framed as to prevent and punish
all intemperance and excess in the use OF IL
auors, and hedge arouud the trahc with such
wholesome restraints as will deter irresponsible
and disreputable men from engaging IN 1t, IS the
measure of true temperance which our people
desire, and which they viii cordially respect
and obey.
9th. The people want no more legislative
Excursions and ''Banquets'' al the public ex-
pense There is a time for all things, and the
time for which the peoples representatives are
paid to attend to the public business, is certain
ly not the time to be wasted 10 teastina and
pleasure trips. Ifmembers are fond OF ''bow-
out" let them take it. either before the session
opens, or after it closes; and pay for II Out OF
their own pockets. But when they go to Har-
rsburg, and take their seats, lei them earn their
paw by doing the work they are sent to perform,
lust as earnestly and iudustriousIy as they
would set about their own private business.
We might lengthen this list considerably but
enough has already been mentioned TO show IN
what direction the peoples expectations tend
The task is an easy one for members who hon.
esty wish TO obey the known will of their con-
stituents. To serve the people, IN the way
of their own pointing out, is the first duty o
Democrats in all public stations. That tht
next legislature of Pennsylvania may eonsc
entiously perform that duty, we hopefully
trust - Reading Gazette and Demobnt.
THE Masonic Professionally procession
yesterday, exceeded in chaste display, any thlns