Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1855-01-12

appointment of men of business on juries is
made at a sacrifice to their time and private
duties, and thus hardship to the citizen.
But by far the most important feature in the
bill under consideration is, that which provides
for the amendment and codifcation of laws.
AS we have before remarked, the laws which
prevail in the District of Columbia are for the
most part taken from the Maryland statute
book, framed before the deed of cession. The
code is, therefore, entirely inapplicable to the
wants and condition Of the people. Congress
has taken but little interest in this subject, and
has failed to make provision by law for the
changes which have been gradually going on
among the people of the District That stimu-
liant to legislative exertion, which arises from
responsibility to constituency, is wanting here,
where the community is governed by power
irresponsible in its relations to the people, and
uninterested in the operation Of their laws
What does the honorable representative from
Maine or California, for example, care for
law applicable to the District of Columbia, a
law which his people will never see, and which
reflects no lustre upon his reputation at home
Is it not far more important to him that he
should exhaust his hour in the loquacious
Committee Of the Whole, in sectional abuse of
one-half of the confederacy, or in defamation
and touching sympathy in the present contest
between Russia and Turkey? Such a course is
not only natural, but is absolutely pursued and
thus while session after session is devoted to
subjects of this character, while Jellaby sym
pathies and Chadband philanthropy are ex-
hsusted on European politics or Arctic expe-
ditions, the people Of the District, in which, but
not for which, they legislate, are suffering for
code, which if it were even adequate to their
wants and their protection, is so badly admin
istered as to amount to an absolute denial of
justice. IF it were not that such neglect is so
serious in its effects, it might serve as matter
of amusement to refer to the laws Of the Dis
trict, to see the full grown proportions Of a
commercial community squeezed into the
awkward habiliments of colonial legislation
anu Lie CLdTSCS dhu lcSc VI JuuiSioi ohie0io
estimated in pounds of Maryland tobacco.
The bill which is now before the Senate,
proposes to reform these evils. 1t provides
for the appointment of codifers learned in
the law and competent to the discharge of
the duty, to reform the code-to incorporate
such provisions from the laws Of Maryland,
selected because Of its parental relation to the
District as in their wisdom may be deemed
proper and expedient-the system so provided,
after due time and consideration, is to be sub.
mitted to the people of the District, and sub
ject to the ratification Of Congress.
We have thus briefly considered the several
points involved in the reform proposed for the
District Of Columbia. We have contended
that from the peculiar relation subsisting be
tween Congress and the people Of the District,
it was bat right and fair that the people
should be consulted, and their views respected
with regard to questions involving such vital
interests. We asserted that the constitutional
posed in the judicial system was clear and un-
questionable-and that such changes were as
wise in policy as they were constitutional. We
regarded the control exercised by Congress
over this judicial system as resulting from the
clause in the Constitution vesting in them ex.
elusive legislation over the District of Column
bia, and not from the clause relative to the ju-
dietary. We advocated the changes proposed
in the jury system, and in the amendment and
codi6cation of the laws; and, above all, We
contend that the submission of the question
of these changes to the people of the District
is just and constitutional, and is properly con.
sistent with the republican idea Of popular So
vereignty.