Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-02-14
The legislature.

7 fRhA sHN tthatBAI AA8aAIA ~ HAtA~A
our laz-makers are at work. !, is evident
either that few laws Of value to the
State viii be acted upon during the pres
ept term, or they win be hurried
through during the closing hours Of the
session without discrimination or re-
Election. Il has long been the cure Of
our legislation, that those laws of most
importance and interest to the people
are postponed until near the Gloss Of the
session when, in the hurry and eonfa-
sion attendant upon their passage. shrawd
and designing men tack on 70 them
some odious amendments which 90 far
to vitiate their usefulness The early
and uiost valuable part Of the session Is
filtered away ia silly and contemplate
gabble about tissues aud parties,
and all business bearing directly upon
tho people, for whom they are elected 10
change old laws or make new ones, is
postponed or procrastinated until the
last moment, and then the Bills are frs-
quenily put through amid ribaliry and
drunkenness--the flight Of paper-wads
and ink-stands Many Of tbs most i'm
poriaat laws apon our slAtute books
have passed both Houses when they
were the scenes Of disgusting uproar
and confusion. Those acqaaintsd with
the hs'ory Of State egislatiea kuow we
do not exaggerate.
We expected the present Legislature
would inaugurate = new era. We
thought il would be Known in the future
as the working Legislature. Having the
labor Of two or three OF It's untsithfnI
predecessors devolviug upon Il, in addi-
ton 10 lis own, We Hattered ourselves
that business work---wonldb be the order
Of the day continually, and that all nee
essary legislation would be completed
before the hour Fixed BY ihs Constitutions
for il. adjournmeuE arrived. We conf
dently expected that the applaudit won ID
be heard ringing throughout the State
Well done, good and faitful servants. ="
But our reasonable expectations bid
fair to meet with disappointment. Many
Of the members, ofwhom We looked for
better things, are not present IN their
seats more than oue-third the time.
Elected to work Tor The people, they are
spending much Of their time working
for themselves Others eonsume 50 mnch
valuable time in talking that the State
would prove the gamer II they, 100,
should stay at home The Legislature
is no place TO be eetsrnallY harping about
politicians aud parties Upcn the gresl
political questions that agitase the eoun'
try, our legislators, IS a general thing
are qualified neither by education nor ex
perienee to throw any light Especiall,
is II folly for them to waste their tins
talking about questions of this eharae
ter, after they have undergone tb'
searching criticism and investigation o
a great political campaign.
Just now the msmbers OF our House
of Representatives are wasting days o
precious. time discussing the prophet
OF passing a resolution approving th
amendment to the Constitution Of tn
Z. s, abolishing Slavery. This que'
ton has been debated again and agai
by our Congressman, and upon 1.-THE pes
6 pie have fully made up their minds. Th
legislative discussion is only maxim
foggy what TO the people was perfeetl
clear. Not a vote will be inueneed eiths
one way or the other BY the speeeh'
! that are made. No advantage und'
the sun, will be derived by auybod
from these speeches tits nothing but
malicious waste of time, which ought
I be devoted to practical legislation.
Legislators must talk why can't they
I. SO upou such measures as legitimatsl
: come before them, and which their co
stituents know but little about If
Law is passed that viii be for the int
est or against the interest Of bis co
ssisuents, member Of the legislatG
, is not only justified in talking but it
= his duty TO talk. Bat on political qu'
lions which have already been acted q
on by the people in their sovereign {
7" pacity, it is worse than folly for the Il
islature to be wasting its time. '
: hope an early improvement in this p
ID. ticular may be recorded.