The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1868-03-19
From Des Moines.
The Twelfth General
Assembly.

000OAAVAys
The Evils Of Oyer.Iegislation-
The Great Eish QuestiOn-A Ne.
gro In the Wood Pile The Rail.
road War-COurts-State House.
Special Correspondence.
DEs MONIES, Iowa,
March II, '68.
One ofthe greatest evils with which
the present generation is afflicted is
over-legislation. The chronic ankle
ty which large-a very large
number Of men here TO incorporate
their insane ideas into law is some
thing which may well engage the at
tsntion of all thoughtful people. To
say that the world is too much gov-
erned is to express an old but equally
correct idea in . maxim 80 trite that
it has-perhaps for this reason
ceased to be received with respect,
much less with the force Of authori-
ty. It would seem strange that,
with all the legislating this state has
had, its laws are 20 fearfnlly imper-
feet and insufficient, yet five are to
Judge Of the necessity for more legis.
lation by the number of bills which
have been presented to both houses
Of this legislature, we may we'll con-
clude that We are emerging from a
state Of barbarism. Almost five hun.
dred bills have been presented for
the consideration Of this General As
sembly. Ifthey wore oil printed in
compact form they would comprise
volume much larger than the "Re>
vision Of 1850" Many Of them are
for the amendment ofold laws which
arc imperfect, and many are TOR the
enactmentof laws much needed. Both
these objects are desirable; but when
We consider the appalling number Of
worthless pages which must take the
precious time Of the legislature for
their consideration, it may be ques-
toned whether hepeople do onotsend
representatives here to defeat bad
bills instead otto enact good ONES
1t is but just to the large majority
ofthe members, however, to say that
few Of them give their concurrence
to the greater part Of the monstroci-
ties laid before them. These prepros-
ferrous documents are generally the
result of kind feelings to crazy and
importuntate individual constituents.
To give. your readers an idea Of
the condition of things, / insert copy
of the draft of a bill which was re.
ceived a few days ago by a member
of the House, who I am please to OBJ
serve treats it with the consideration
it merits-none at all. The case is
one Of q thousand instances:
HcNoRED SIR:
Sir allow me to Drop you A few
Lines Making . Request Of A part
Of your Servises As Rep.
I Request you for the Benefit ofSuf.
fering Humanity to offer Before the
Hows Of Representatives the Sub
stance ofthe following Which you
Will understand and Shape to your
notion / that Where as Be il Enac-
ted By the General Assembly of the
StAts Of Iowa that there Shall be three
Professors ReSldcnts-of the State Of
Iowa Appointed or Commissioned
BY the proper Authorities to visit
Each County Seat of6aid State on Q
6ertain Giving time of Which Said
Professors Shall Civ notice there Of.
And Examin All Persons Practising
Medison under q Charge Of fees 3
And Be it Futher Enacted That oil Of
Sutch Said Practising Passions Who
Are found By Said Professors to Be
In compatant to Practis Said Nedi.
sons or Acting With out q Proper
Diploma in Sutch Capasity. Shah Be
deemed Guilty Of Monhomise and
Shall Be fined: in any sum not Less
that IS 90 nor more than $1,000. dol.
lars and Be Confined in the States
prison at Hard Labor (not Less than
Six months nor moro than 2 years
for Each 0fYAnce z And Ra Il Euthar