American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-02-13
Communications.
From our Harrisburg Correspondence.
HARRISBURG. Feb. fSt


From our Harrisburg Correspondence.
HARRISBURG, Feb 1867.
MAJ. ANDERSON, Sir: Fhe Governor
in his message recommended general laws
and to avail special legislation as much
as possible. No reasonable man will dis.
putc the fact that there is too much spe-
cial legislation, the tendency Of which is
to destroyer al least to impair the efii>
cheney Of even good laws. If people
think they can get legislation to cover up,
or make legal, ii-legal acts in official ca
pacities and otherwise; will they not be
les5 careful in their maEner of doing
business For example, take the local
bounty law of Butler county, who will
not say, that it would have been better
for us to have accepted tie general law
and to have strictly and rigidly adhered
to its provisions ? No one man or dozen
Of men are responsible for the local bounty
law and numerous supplements thereto
in Butler county, the workings of which,
have caused consi derable difficulties in
some townships and much litigation.
The people are responsible-all are more
or less responsible.
When we have too many supplements
to our bounty law aog, will it mend the
matter to have more? This is a uestion
for the people to consider.
| have been led to write as above from
the numerous applications from different
townships and boroughs in our county,
for changes in the bounty law, as to their
respective districts-probably the appll-
cations are all right would say, how
ever, that questions of this kind-espe-
cially ifpower to levy and collect additional
taxes is asked fOr-should be we'll ma
tured at home, and if after that a
petition is sent, let it be so strongly sign
ed that the Legislature cannot mistake
that it is the will of the people Any
other course is dangerous to the peace Of
any ueighborhood or district.
The following bills Of general or local
nature affecting our county have been read
in place in the House, to wit can Act
repealing the act passed last winter grant
ing an annuity to soldiers of the war of
1912 or to their widows in necessitous
circumstances-thi bill has been par
TALLY considered in the House and |
think will pass-'he law aforesaid has
been greatly abused through the instru>
mentality of agents, so said at least by
the Auditor General, who recommends
its repeal.
The law strictly construed is a good
one, the repeal of which, while it would
take the annuity from many that are
worth thousands would be taking the
bread out of the mouths of many old
soldiers md widows of such, that depend
mostly or said annuity for support. If
it is repealed without some provision for
the needy, | must say, Shame. on the
Legislature of Pennsylvania that can vote
half a million to the rich citizens Of
Chambcrsburg, and do such a thing -
Also can act to enable Wm. S. Zieg>
Ter to act as Justice Of the Peace in the
Borough of Butler while residing with
out the limits of said Borough. Also, an
act relating to bounties in Mercer town.
ship, Butler county. Also, an actrelating
to the pay of county Auditors, making
the same equal to the pay ofcounty Com
missioners Also, an act relating to boun-
ties in Marion township, Butler county.
More again.
Yours truly,