The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1856-02-08

nS admitted l1aL q IQit return 10 tue license SYS-
TEN, in operation prior TO the passage OF the
present law, is not demanded by enlightened
public sentiment, and would not promote the
good order or happiness oi the community
That the laws then in existence Were imperfect
and failed to check or control the evils OF IN
temperance, is proposition too plain to be
doubted that they needed revision must also
be conceded. In our large cities aud towns, the
evils OF the system were more severely felt
The facility and cheapneSs with which licenses
were obtained, operated as a premium to vice
and immortality, and multiplied tipping houses
and places where intemperancr, under the au-
thority of law, was not only permitted, bat en-
couraged. MY immediate predecessor, IN his
last annual message TO the Legislature, IN rel
eTence to the then license laws, says: $50 far
as relates 10 The CITY Of Philadelphia, they are
peculiarly prrjudicia to public morals, and seem
to have been constructed TO promote the conve-
nipnce of drinking far more than 10 restrain It's
consequences" In this opinion fully concur.
That a remedy was demanded, ali will concede.
Whether the law of the last session was the
proper remedy, it is not my province now to
determine. Enacted by the representatives oil
the people, | gave that act my official approval
Recognizing the people as the source OF all po-
litical power, and their representatives as the
immediate exponents OF their wil, upon you
will devolve the responsibility Of further legIs-
Iation, # any, on this subject. In all It's reIa-
tions, economical, political, social and moral,
the question is important, and its proper deter
mination involves fealful responsibilities. II
deserves. and should receive. your serious con-
sideration. If action is had, may we not hope
4ha - ,,.tH h, ~. he
morality, and true interests of our people and
Commonwealth.
Legislation, so far as practicable, should be
general and uniform. Local aud special lrgis-
Iation should not be encouraged, when ,hr de-
sired object can BE- obtained by general laws.
Such legislation is not only local and special IN
its character, but frequently temporary the act
Of one session being repealed by the act OF the
next, and perhaps replaced by one still more
Objectionable, which, IN turn, soon shares the
fate OF lis predecessor. 1t crowds the statute
book with useless aud unnecessary laws-vio-
lateS private rightS-crtateS confusion and an
certainty-destroys uniformity OF practice and
observation-disclosures the session of the LeglSla-
ture, ana increases the public expenses. Our
general laws regulating roads, highways and
bridges, and providing for the support and EN-
poyment of The poor, constitute well dgeSted
system for the accomplishment OF those objects:
and vet, under the system of local legislation
heretofore practced, we frequently find in DIFF
ferent townships OF the same county, local
laws regulating these subjects, not only differ
ering materially from the general law, but from
one another. Reform in this regard is rrquir-
ed, and 10 this respectfully ask your atten-
tioG.
s:Omnibus legislation having been condemn
ed and abandoned, should not b. permitted a
gain to sully the records of legislative action
Ii cannot receive my approval.
Numerous applications will doubtless b. made
for the Incorporation OF insurance, gas, and water
companies. To facilitate action on these cues
tions --economise timt-reGuce the expenses OF
egslatlon-secure uniformity and conhne the
companies thereafter incorporated to the legltl-
mate purposes of their creation, l would recon-
mend the proprety OF enactlng general laws
regulating such corporations. Already laws OF
this character for coal, iron, canal, railroad, turn
pike, plank and bridge companies have been
found highly useful and economical. Such laws,
well regulated and carefully guarded, would be
productive of similar results, their application
to insurance and the other companies named.
The proprirty of limiting and restraining cor
poratve bodies to the objects and purposes Of
their creation, will not be denied or controver-
ted. Tn relation to the powers and privileges OF
insurance companies, this plain principle has
been overlooked aud diSregardrd. By success
sive acts of legislation. many ofihese institutions
have acquired diScounting privileges, and near
~ all the powers of banks without their guards,
restrictions and liabilities. THIS has been ef-
fected by the magic OF some general provision
in the act incorporating the company, or by re-
ference TO some forgotten supplement concealed
in the folds OF an s!otnnibnS bill, or lost IN the
mazeS Of the pamphlet laws General laws.
whilst they would confer on such companies all
the powers necessary 10 accomplish the objects
OF their incorporation, would at the same time
prevent an extension OF privileges foreign to
such associations This subject is commended
to YOUR constellation.
The jurisdiction Of the courts in relation tC
real estate, trusts, the incorporation OF literary
charitable and religious societies, manufacturing
and other associations, has been greatly extended
by recent legislation. This enlarged iuriSdc-
tlon was conferred for the purpose of relieving
the Legislature from the pressure of numerou,
applications for special legislation in the prpmi-
srs. The courts are, therefore, the proper tri-
bunas to determine such questions; and in al
cases where the subject matter is within then
jurisdiction, the Legislature should refuse to en-
terrain the application.
Divorces, unless in cases Of extreme neceSsi-
ty and clearly beyond the jurisdiction Of the
courts, should not be granted hv the Legislature
By the act OF the 9th of April, lS45, emit
tied Gan Act TO increase the revenues and d.
minSh the legislative expenses of the Common.
wealth. it was provided that thereafter no pri
vate bill, therein described and taxed, should bt
enrolled in the office Of the Secretary Of th.