The Kansas herald of freedom., 1858-11-20
Dis'csiiapeolps..
From Freedoms Champion.
The Next Legislature.

q
dividing that county into two counties,
and making Doniphan the county seat Of
enc and Iowa Point the county seat of the
other. The Chief denounces the move
ment, as well as all others of the same
kind, and hopes that the Legislature will
attend to its legitimate business, and have
nothing to do with schemes Of the kind.
We fully concur with the Chief in its
views. And we trust that the members
OF the next Legislature will calmly con-
slider the duties which devolye upon
them, and what the effect of these
schemes for the local ACKNOWLEDGMENT of
particular sections, must be. The imbe-
Gle folly which characterized the action
of the Legislature of last winter; the
singing rebuke and merited disgrace
which followed the members Of that BODY
In their homes; the almost fatal effects to
| the Free State party, whose stern denun-
citation and unqualified reputation of the
acts of these men alone saved it from ir-
retrievable defeat, all warn the new Leg
islature to beware how they follow in the
footsteps of their predecessors.
1t is misfortune Of Kansas that spec
ulation overtops all other considerations
swallows up principle and party, and has,
heretofore, legislated only for itself. The
common good of the whole people, and
the preservation, of the good name of the
party, has always been secondary con-
sideratisn when pecuniary motives were
at stake. Principle has been abandoned
for local interest, and party ignored for
local advancement. The members of the
Legislature seem to have considered that
their individual interest was the first duty
of their Official position, and they follow
ed out their supposition, by totally disre-
garding subjects of general importance
and general good, to invent plans by which
to re-organize counties, change county
lines and locate county seats, with total
disregard of the wishes of the majority.
and sublime indifference as to whose
rights were infringed upon, or whose in
| terests were ruined, so that their own
were attended to and subserved. Our
laws were in state of ridiculous compli-
cation, and yet not the least effort has
been made to remodel and reform them.
Justice is unknown, and murder and rob-
berry, and every species of villainy es-
capes unscathed. Fraud runs riot, and
officers and judges are defed, because the
attention which should have been given
10 the government of the people, has been
wasted in incorporating paper town sites,
with charters forty-two pages long, grant
lug unheard-of and unparalleled privi-
leges; locating airline Railroads from
Minneola to Oxford, and from and to eve
~ other place in which the Representa-
tives had an interest.
To remodel and reform our laws, and
! place an even-handed Justice within the
reach of all, is the work which is before
the next Legislature, and the object to
which they should give their whole at
tention. 1t is task which we know is
dificult'> To make every statute perfect,
we do not expect Of them, and to please
every one is probably an impossibility.
But to gain the respect of their constitu-
ents, aud the appreciation of the majority
of the people, by striving to effect the
| greatest good for the greatest number, and
by refrainiDg from local Legislation, is easy
to do. Let them attend strictly to the
law-making power invested in them, and
they will be honored and respected by
their constituents, and merit the esteem Of
all good men. i-1 e-
But. in justice to the Territory, in JUS
tice to the Free State party, which will
be held responsible. for the actions Of next
winter, in justice to their constituents, nay,
IN justice to themselves and their repre-
/ cal at Lat ,Dk ~ 81.
next Legislature renew this system of To-.
cal legislation II they have any regard
for the welfare Of Kansas, if they respect
1 the party which has honored them with
its confidence, if they would be trusted
and hOnored again, let them Danish this
reproachful local jealousy, this disreput-
able local rivalry, this baneful, disgrace
full local legislation, and attend to the le-
climate and proper duties confded to
their care. Let them enact wise, whole
some, judiciOus and impartial laws, hav-
ing for their object the good of the whole
people. Let them blot from our statute
books the entire codes of the former
bodies, and 60 to work anew, and with a
| good and noble purpose. For, if the acts
/; of the "Ru6ian Legislatures were notori-
Gus for their infamous usurpation, and
dark, bloody, truculent ferocity, the acts
of the other. characterized only by their
scheming exclusiveness and fayoritism,
and pocket-bo cunning, are equally as
disgraceful and as bad.
Our whole system of laws and regula-
tons is wrong Everything seems but
half done, or done too much. Many laws
passed by the last Legislature directly
contradict each other, and confusion aud
inlbecility are the characteristics of the
whole as ode Our laws regulating the
county officers and prescribing their duties,
are absurd, and 10 many respects an out
rage on the people. For instance, almost
the whole business Of the counties is con-
fided to the Board of Supervisors. One
member Of this Board is elected from
every township, by the people of that
township. Thus few men, who do not
think OF the importance which attaches
to the Office, may meet and elect some
dolt who does. not know how to write his
name, as one Of the Board. And as the
county increases in population, the burden
OF tax imposed upon the people to support
1 these Boardsiof Supervisors. will be enor-
onegs. New townships must be formed
70 accommodate the people, and il is not
unreasonable TO suppose that in . few
years there will be IS many as thirty
townships in Atchison county. As each
township sends its member Of the Board,
and as each member receives So per day
for his services, an expense OF nearly
\ 500 per day would be imposed upon the
4 county. The Boards hold monthly meet
ings and viii rarely sit less than Ase o
six days. Thus an expense Of over sou
per month, or 5000 per year, would De
incurred to pay thirty men for doing
what Hree officers, selected by the people
| Of the whole county, could do in much
I better manner !; for, where selected blythe
iiwaole people; having ain view the fitness
| ard cosnnatencv Of the person for the