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

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oil provision be made for Chaplains to serve
at hospitals as well as 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 charact erized its admin.
istra,ion, and the results of the measure.
TO increase its efficiency and power. Such
have been the editions by construction
and purchase that it may almost be said Q
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 ahoat
and performed deeds which have increas.
ed our naval renown.
would invite special attention TO the
recommec dations of the Secretary for a
more perfect organization of the Navy, by
introducing additional grades in the SER
wee. The present organization is defective
and unsatisfactory, and the suggestions
submitted by the Department, will, it is
believed, if adopted, obviate the difficult
ties alluded to, promote harmony, and
increase the efficiency of the Navy.
There are three vacancies on the bench
Of the Supreme Court; two by the decease
OF Justices Daniel and Mclean, and one
by the resignation Of Justice Campbell.
have 80 far iorborLe making Nominations
to fill these vacancies for reasons which
d, will now state: Two OF the out going
Judges resided within the States now
over, un by revolt, so that if their success,
sors were appointed in the same localities
they could not now serve upon their cir
cait, 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 Rench. 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 circuit grew
into an empire altogether too large !or
any one Judge to give the Courts therein
more than a nominal attendance, rising
in population from l,47O,0lS in 1880, to
6,l5l ,4Oj 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
i States shall be accommodated with Cir
! cult Courts attended w 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
= oh 6 lI., hn,o,,ca "a q, din
of Judges to the Supreme Court, enough
for the accommodation Of all parts of the
country with Circuit Courts, would create
II Court altogether too numerous for .u'
dical body of any sort, And the evil, il
it be one, will increase as new States come
into the Union. Circuit Courts are useful
or they are not useful. If useful, no State
should be without them. IT not useful
no State should have them. Let them be
provided for all, or abolished to all
Three notifications occur to me, either
of which think would be an improve.
ment upon our present system. Let the
Supreme Court be of conveCient number
in every event. Then first, let the whole
country De divided into circuits o. conyen.
lent size, the Supreme Judges to serve in
q 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-
lieved 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-
| tion of the Statute Laws, with the hope
that Congress will be able to find all easy
remedy for many of the inconvenience
and evils which constantly embarrass
those engaged in the practical administra'
ton OF them. Since the organization OF
the Government, Congress has enacted
some FIVE thousand acts and joint tesou,
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 often obscure in
themselves OF in conflict with each other
or, at least so doubtful as 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 ineligible as possible, and be
reduced to as small a compass as may con
sist with the fullness 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 1t is to assist in the administration OF
The laws and would be lasting benefit
to the people by placing before them, in
a 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 permanent and general nature, might
be revised and rewritten, so as to be EN-
braced in one volume, or, OF most, in two
volumes, of ordinary and convenient size,
and respectfully recommend to Congress
to consider on the subject, and il my sus-
gestion be approved to devise such plan
as to their wisdom shall seem most proper
fnr the attainment of the end proposed.