Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-12-11

| nenbu'eu al lHt btillc IhNb Nv NnHl'ih Il
the Army, further suggesting that gener-
OF provision be made for Chaplains to serve
at hospitals as well rs with regiments.
The report of the Secretary of the Navy
presents in detail the operations OF that
branch of the service, the activity and en-
ergy which have characterized its admin
istration, aud the results of the measures
to increase its efficiency and power. Such
have been the editions by construction
and purchase that il may almost be said n
navy has been created and brought into
service since our difficulties commenced
! Besides blockading our extensive coast,
squadrons larger than ever before assem-
bled under our flag, have been put afloat,
and performed deeds which have increas.
ed our naval renown.
would invite special attention to the
recomme- dations of the Secretary for a
more perfect organization of the Navy, by
introducing additional grades in the SER
vice. The present organization is defective
and unsatisfactory, and the suggestions
submitted by the Department, will, it is
believed if adopted obvate the Difficult
ties alluded to, pr )mote harmony, and
! increase the efficiency of the Navy.
of the Supreme Court two by the decease
OF Justices Daniel and Mclean, and one
| hy the resignation of Justice Campbell. !
have 80 far iorborEe making Nominations
to fill these vacancies for reasons which
will now state: Two OF the out. going
Judges resided within the States now
over un 10y revolt, so that if their success,
sors were appointed in the same localities,
they could not now serve upon their Cir
exit, and many of the most comye'ent
men there probably would not take the
personal hazard Of accepting to serve even
here, upon the Supreme Bench. ! have
been unwilling TO throw all the appoint
ments Northward, thus disabling myself
| from dong justice TO the South on the
return OF peace, although | may remark
that TO transfer to the North one which
has heretofore been in the South, would
not, with reference to territory and pop
ulation, be unjust.
uring the long and brilliant judicial
caree: Of Judge Mclean, his crcait grew
any one Judge to give the Courts therein
more than nominal attepdauce, rising
in population from l,470,0lS in 1880, to
6,l5l, ,4O5 in 1860 Besides this, the coun-
Try generally has outgrown our present
judicial system. If uniformity was at an
intended, the system requires that all the
States shall be accommodated with Cir
Quit Courts attended Wy supreme Judges,
while, in fact, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa,
Kansas, Florida, Texas, California and
Oregon have never had any such Courts.
! Nor can this well be remedied, without
a change OF the system, because The adding
of Judges to the Supreme Court, enough
for the accommodation of all parts of the
country with Circuit Courts, would create
Court altogether too numerous for iu-
dicial body of any sort, And the evil, if
/ it be one, will increase as new States come
into the Union. Circuit Courts are useful,
OF they are not useful. If useful, no State
should be without them. 1t not useful,
no State should have them. Let them be
provided for all, or abolished to all
Three notifications occuc to me, either
of which think would be an improve.
ment upon our present system. Let the
Supreme Court be of convenient number
in every event. Then first, let the whole
country De divided into circuits o! conyen-
lent size, the Supreme Judges to serve in
n number of them corresponding 20 their
own number, and Independent Circuit
Judges be provided for all the rest or,
secondly, let the Supreme Judges be re-
i leved from Circuit duties, ard Circuit
Judges provided for all the Circuits; or,
thirdly, dispense with the Circuit Cour.s
altogether, leaving the Judicial functions
wholly to the District Court and an inde-
pendent Supreme Court.
| respectfully recon- mend to the con-
sideration of Congress the presen. condi-
ton Of the Statute Laws, with the hope
that Congress will be able to find all easy
remedy for many of the inconveniences
+ and evils which constantly embarrass
those engaged in the practical adminlstra-
ton OF them. Since the organization OF
the Government, Congress has enacted
some five thousand acts and joint resou.
tions, which fill more than six thousand
closely printed pages, and are scattered
through many volumes.
Many Of these acts have been drawn in
haste and without sufficient caution, so
that their provisions are pften obscure in
themselves OF in conflict with each other !;
or, at least so doubtful rs to render it We
.ry difficult for even the best informed per.
son to ascertain precisely what the statute
law really is 1t seems to ne very impor
tant that the statute laws should be made
as plain ard intelligible as possibe,a be
reduced to as small a compass as may con
sist with the fulness and precision of the
Legislature, and the perspicuity of its lans
guage. This, well done, would, think,
greatly facilitate the labors of those whose
duty it is TO assist in the administration of
.he laws, and would be a lasting benefit
to the people by placing before them, in
more acceptable and Ineligible form,
the laws which so deeply concern their
interests and their duties | am informed
by some, whose opinions respect, that
all the acts of Congress now in force, and
of a permanent and general nature, might
be revised and rewritten, so as to be EN-
braced in one volume, or, at mosl, in two
volumes, of ordinary and convenient size,
and | respectfully recommend to Congress
to consider on the subject, and it my sus-
gestion be approved, to devise such plan
as to their wisdom shall seem most proper