The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-02-28

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II the fundamental error committed BY our moder
I innovators consists ID not preparing with du
t circumspection and meditation the plans q re
form which they attempt to execute The
/ never dream of examining with care the law
u which are in force, and which they propose
y modify; to see what are the vices and defect
: which ought to be remedied, and what supple
: mentary amendments are necessary; but with
: out any knowledge of the anterior, law the
, boldly and rashly bring forward bill to cor
i rect some conjectnral defect or to supply som
! imaginary omission in the law, which IS goo
enough as it stands. They dash brayely on
ward in the career Of experimental Legislation
and reckless innovation, knowing and carInE
! little about existing laws, or the consequence
] which are likely to emanate from their acts
IN truth they are not aware of the extent OF tn
changes proposed by them, or whether they ar
J in harmony or conflict with antecedent eglsla
I ton. We are well apprsed of the motive
, which occasion this incessant tamperIng VIII
the law They are such as are unworthy Q
} Legislators, and merit the lasting reprobatlon
the people. They are founded on no enlarged
philosophical principles, profound acquaintance
with the elements Of jurisprudence or legisla
ton, calm and continued meditation orlntlmate
and comprehensive knowledge ofthe springs O
humanity, but every change is prompted either
BY the caprice, egotism, restless love Of change
for the sake of change, or the self-interest, OF
/ passions Of the shallow pated representative
who originates it. II an illiterate pettifogger
should lose law suit through his own igno-
rance, he proposes . change il the law, So
/ that be may gain it on second trial a son
to whom the parent has made an advancement
for his establishments life is compelled by his
co-heirs, after the demise Of the parent. to col
| late, and lie moves resolution in the legisla-
ture, the object Of which is to repeal or modify
the law relative to collations. Another ind-
vidualhas lost criminal case because the Judge
recapitulated the evidence and charged the jury
that if they gave credit to lit was adequate
to the conviction Of the accused, and on the
meeting of the Legislature a law is enacted de-
priving the Judge of this power. The supreme
court reverse two verdicts ofjuries, and the par
ty who suffers tit, or his counsel, besieges the
legislative body to take away from the court
the power to revise the finding of juries Such,
in few words, are usually the incentives to the
legal changes which are wrought every year
by that mandatory of bad laws and unintelli-
gible jargon-the Louisiana legislature. Each
own case, or the case of a constituent, and does
not pause to consider its bearings on the COM
munity-his object being to benefit himself
All special and precipitate Legislation is obnox-
ious, as it never fails to superinduce long re-
tinue Of evils. The body Of our jurisprudence
is deranged and married by it; principles of the
most venerable antiquity and consecrated by
the wisdom Of sages, are sapped and subverted;
long established interests are assailed, and a
mass of superhuous statutes are accumulated
upon each other, until all the efforts of indus
try and learning are baffled in endeayoring to
ascertain the law which is to govern given
case. Our courts are made the authorised in
terpreters of this nonsense, and are compelled
to torture their wits to make that ineligible,
which has no meaning at all, and was hot I'M
derstood by its authors. 1t has always appear
ed to US, continues the Bee, that much of our
legal reform has commenced in the wrong way.
The great editice Of jurisprudence should not
be repaired like an ordinary building, when
carlous or injured spot manifests itself here
and there. In the latter instance, the architect
can remove the decayed and mutilated materi-
ais and replace them with new and sound ones;
but not SO with the former. Partial repairs,
without comprehensive survey and explora-
ton ofthe entire edi6ce, will disfgure its beauty
and impair its soidity. Unjust be symmetrical,
consistent and harmonious in its materials and
proportions. The tout ensemble must be free
Of all ncongruities and Irregularities An har-
monious combination can only be effected by a
complete examination Of all its parts before any
particular department can be touched The
laborious class society is generally inert and
passive, and wishes Cor nothing except to be
protected by government, and to be let alone.
rarely nterferes actively in the affairs Of State
and is patient under suffering until it becomes
intolerable. Political experinenters know this,
and hence it is upon this class they make expe-
rments of their wild theories and insane social
dogmas. They suppose the people capable of
bearing any weight of suffering, and disinclined
to resist any exercise Of authority how unjust
and oppressive soeyer it may be. But it would
be well to reflect, that human patience can be
exhausted, and that there is limit beyond
which endurance ceases to be bearabe: and
when the people do rise to defend themselves
against wanton and long continued aggression
their oppressors are apt to lament their own
folly and injustice. In casting our eye over the
meagre reports Of our legislative proceedings.
which the wise men of Baton Rouge permit MS
to see, we have been astonished at lie boldness
and precipitation with which resolutions and