Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-06-07
THE REVISION and CoDTICATION
OF QUE STATUTE LAWS.

the Legislature BY several Of the Governors
Of the State Fruitless efforts were from
time to time madein the Legislature to pass
the measure. The difficulty seems to have
been 10 agree upon the Commissioners Of
revision. divers motions having been made
to strike out Alexander Thompson and
insert Hugh Bellas' strike out Horace
Binney aud insert George NJ. Dallas, &c.
Finally on the 33d of March, 1880, resolu-
tons were adopted authorising the Govern
or, George Wolf ''to appoint three Com
missioners learned in the law, to revise, col
late aud digest all such pubicacts and statutes
Of the civil code, and all such British stat
utes in force in this State, as are general
aud permanent in their nature.
By virtue of these resolutions Gov. Wolf
appointed William Rawle and Thomas l.
Wharton. Esquires, of Philadelphia, and
Joel Jones, Esquire. then of Easton, to be
the Commissioners.
The statute laws were at that time the
accretions Of one hundred and thirty years
No attempt had been made to revise or cod
ify them from the year 1900. More than
six thousand six hundred acts bai been
adopted ,ince the commencement of the
eighteenth century The Commissioners
brought to the work assigned them great
legal learning and diligence, aud reported to
the Legislature at different times, bills on
on the following subjects:
!. Registers and Registers Courts.
?. Orphans Courts.
3. Last Wills and Testaments
1. Descent and Distributions Of Intes-
tate's Estates.
). Executors and Administrators
s. Counties and Townships, and County
and Township officers.
7. Weights and Measures.
8. Relating to the Organization Of Courts
of Justice
Q. Roads, Highways and Bridges.
10. Inns, Tayerns and Retailers of Lii
quors.
II. Support and employment Of the Poor
L. County and Township Rates and
Lcyies.
l3. Militia
IA. Elections
l5 Inspections.
IS. Jurisdiction of the Courts.
II. Commencement of Actions by Sum
mons, Capias and Attachment
Is. Actions concerning Real Estate,
10. Lunatics and Habitual Drunkards.
20. Assiguees for the Benefit of Creditors
and other Trustees.
q. Domestic Attachments
%. Writs of Quo Warranto and Man
damus
%. Liens of Mechanics.
"A. Attachment of Vessels
p. Suits on Penal and Official Bonds.
26 RepleVin
q. Reference and Arbitration.
IS Executions.
% Iusolvent Debtors.
Their first report was made January 81,
1881, and embraced the first two bills named
above. which we're enacted into laws in
March, 1892
Ofthe twenty nine bills reported, twenty
six were enacted for the most part, substan
tally as reported. The 18th, 18th, and Goth,
as above enumerated, do not seem to have
been enacted
The revised laws were not at first received
with favor by the profession; the older
particularly objected to them
Some reading and study and change from
established modes, was rendered necessary.
Old lawyers were put upon plane with the
members of the bar, and deprived
of the advantage which familiarity with the
old laws and methods Of procedure gave.
However, in few years, when the laws had
become better known, it was generally con
coded that tie Commissioners had done
their work well, and that the revised code
was great improvement, so far as. 1t vent.
But their work was incomplete Al
though their labors and reports cover
period of six years, from April, $780, the
date Of their appointment, until January,
1886, the date of their last report, great
deal Of the statute law then existing was
left untouched This is to be collated and
codifed by the present board, which is also
to revise, collate and codify the public and
general acts passed since the former reFi-
sion, which constitute an immense aecumu-
lation of legislation, for volume of pam
phlet laws now is thrice the size Of one of
forty years since.
A thorough revision and codifcation of
the public and general statutes is pressing
necessity, which the flight of time makes
every year more urgent. 1t is to be hoped
that the gentlemen appointed by the Gov
ernor will give the work-a most arduous
and responsible one--their undivided at
tention, and that their labors will result not
only in abridging the size ofthe Digest, but
also in superseding the necessity for so much
special legislation, thus reducing the pom
derous and unwieldy volumes of pamphlet
laws into a more convenient and reasonable
shape.
seg~ The Copperhead County Convention
comes off on the 10th inst. Already the
''little tubs, which are usually thrown to