Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-01-14
1856.
s73 O6s

pairs, &c, Q 50l Repairs, 900
Stationery, 2W stationery, 900
Printing Is 500 Printing II SOC
s73 o6s 500 225
Beside Clerks in the Public Offices.
Stitching, Binding Indexes, and puLlica-
ton of the Journals, say $40 600.
The average length of the annual
sessions of the Legislat ure for the last
ten years is ninety-one days, yielding an
annual product of about one hundred
and fifty special and seventy five general
acts. Ofthe general acts two thirds at
least will be found TO be acts 'to amend.
additional to- 'to repeal, 'explanaf ory
Of defining and 'to simplify former
acts. OF the private acts. the great
proportion were acts "to incorporate"
companies for the promotion of various
private enterprises, and which could all
be done as we'll under general act for
that purpose, without application to the
Legislature, while the object to be ac-
comp;shed by the resolves in most cases.
might properly be con6ded by general
power to some other department Of the
government, or heads of departments.
Thus it will be seen the law making
power is legislating, enacting. revising.
amending. explaining, defining, simplify
ing, and repeating, full one fourth of
the political year, while the people are
pretty busy, arranging for, attending to,
engaged in and determining the elections
of Governor, Senators, Representatives
cou ty aad municipal officers the bala nee
of the year That there is too much
legislation is proverbial. That it costs
too much is obvious. That the cease
less itation incident to annual cleo
tons is prejadicial to that calm dignity
which should characterize the election Of
our rulers and legislators will not be
doubted. The burden is not the less
grievous because the result OF a self-im
posed system. The expense is not the
less real because it is the voluntary ex-
pense of time and labor, nor on that
account the less useless; and the ultimate
result not the less prejudicial to the
general prosperity because it is the cheer
full homage of the , tizen to the Common
wealth. Prospectively without resources
to meet the current expenditures of the
government, except what shall be drawn
directly from the pockets of the people
by t xatioi, and these expenditures con-
stantly advancing. it becomes question
Of vital Importance whether it does not
cost to much in money, time and labor.
to govern the State: Whether the real
interest of the State may not be as well
cared for with less attention bestowed
upon political and party questions, and
leaving more leisure for business pursuits.
Considering the perfected state Of our
laws with general laws for private cor
porations and with reasonable adherance
to the law authorizing anfecedent notice
upon all legislation effecting private
rights, it is believed less than one-hall
the time and money spent in annual sess
ions and elections would be adequant to
all the demands for legislation.
With annual SESSIONS there is little
hope Of reform; so large portion of the
time is ordinarily spent in the prelimin-
aries that the aspirations even of the
members for short session die out, with
positive lanyuor consequent upon mac
ton before the actual business is broug ght
before them.
With prevalent and universal d mand
for short session. less legislation and less
expense, the State annually exhibits
marked uniformity in time consumed,
quantity of legislation and amount of ex-
penditures. Biennial essions and cleo
tions, in my judgment, ould do much
to relieve the burden of which there is
such universal complaint. | therefore
recommend that you propose to the
people a change Of the Constitution of
the State providing for biennial instead
of annual sessions and elections-and
for change of the time Of holding the
election from September to November,
the day of the election of electors of
President and Vice President. and there
by obviate he necessity OF an additional
election each Presidential year.
Our State. it need not be doubted,
possesses the elements of prosperous
Commonwealth. Its physical geography
clearly indicates the path Of its future
progress. No people should be unmind-
full of, as none can long successfully
struggle against, the natural characteris-
tics of the country they inhabit Its
natural features and relative position a,e
quite decisive in modifying the present
and pred, termining the future. We
cannot hope to escape the influences OF
similar causes. The general physical
facts, peculiar 20 our State,ar its great
ly diversified soil and clinate-the form.
er fruitful, yet not exuberant; the latter
severe, yet pure and salubrious i'm
mense forests, its mineral resources. its
numerous and mnequaled waterfalls, its
navi able rivers and extended sea coast.
From careful scrutiny of these natural
features, we may not inaccurately esti-