Washington sentinel., 1855-01-07
C0m m munitate0.
For the Washington Sentinel

In connection with the subject of the reform
of the Judiciary and Laws OF this District our
attention has been directed to the cogent and
pertinent remarks Of the Hon. Mr.. MASON of
the Senate, delivered in that body on the 10th
of December, 1850, upon the bill to extend the
charter of the Potomac Insurance Company.
After commenting upon the peculiar relation
of Congress to the District Of Columbia, and
aptly comparing the latter to mouse under
receiver in the hands of a philosopher, he holds
the following language: "The people of the
District of Columbia are deprived by the su-
preme law Of the power of legislating for them
selves and that power is vested in body not
responsible to them. But this anomaly exists
in free government that the people here are
subject to the rule Of others, and your action
to be their will. And, according to this great
principle, yon must adopt the win of the people
if you can ascertain what it is. And having
ascertained what is the viii and desire Of the
people you are to govern, you are to conform
10 it, provided it does not infringe any of the
great and fundamental principles Of our Gov.
ernment."
Those desirous of ridding the people of the
District of the enormous grievances under
which they have suffered the past half century
and still do suffer, ask most earnestly, at the
hands Of the Senate, the practical administra.
ton Of the principle so ably expressed by the
distinguished and learned Senator. They most
earnestly ask that the bill, which they believe
has the hearty approval of three-fourths Of the
people Of this District, may receive the earliest
consideration consistent with the onerous du-
ties Of that branch of the Legislature before
which it is now pending and that the unparal-
leled concurrence Of opinion in its provisions
may have that weight to which, according to
the views of the honorable SENATOR it is so fully
entitled. They know that the enemies of re-
form-those in favor of perpetuating the exist
ing abuses, and some OF whom are directly in
terested in those abuses--have been sedulously
active in promulgating the opinion that the
majority in favor Of the bill has been over.
rated. We have not yet heard any one reck-
less enough TO assert that this bill has not the
hearty approval and support of large
majority of the citizens of the District. But
if those who now seek by one arti6ce and
another, By cavilling and picking flaws in a
measure more repete with advantages to
the District than any which has ever occu-
pied the attention of Congress- measure
which secures the single judge system and all
concentration Of responsibilities court Of ap-
peals--an improved jury system, which will
afford to suitors the services Of the most COM
petent jurors-the speedy and economical ad-
ministration Of justice--the abolition Of the
present excessive levies of the clerks Office
and above all, code Of laws which shall en-
body and illustrate The ideas Of The present cen.
tuyy-we say If those who now seek to defeat
such a measure desire more precise informa-
ton rs to the state Of public opinion, we would
suggest that they have attached to.tbe bill a
proviso that it shall not become q law until ap-
.cl L.. - -ofSl L.. rf Al
trict. No obstacle would be interposed by the
friends Of the measure, but, on the contrary,
one and oil Of them would gladly accept the
issue when thus proffered, unless the champions
Of the dust and flesh pots of the present system
tender such an amendment, while the friends Of
the bill will regret its absence, they will be at no
loss to Judge correctly the object in view, nor
the means by which that object is sought to be
attained. V0X POPULI.