The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-02-12
Tnc COdc.--An Answer to InTUIrlcS.-'
a Card from Speaker Fleming.
House OF DELEGATES,
WHEELING Feb. e!

House OF DELEGATES.
WHEELING, Feb. IL, 30.
To tho Editor OF tho Intclligencer:
have received so many letters dur
ing the past few weeks from various
parts OF the State, asking when the Code
will be ready for distribution and COM
planning of the delay, and these inqui-
ries continue to come so thick and fast,
that / am compelled 10 ask little OF
your space to answer them all at once.
1t will be remembered by all familiar
with the fuCts that Immediately after the
completion of the Code, at the last ses-
sion, a bill reported from the ReVisOry
Committee, providing for the speedy
preparation and publication ofthe Code,
passed the House OF Delegates with
entire uunnimity. 1t provided that
the work of preparing the Code for
the printcrs-such as the marginal
notes and references, tables of con-
done by James II. Ferguson,
Esq, who as a member OF the House
and as chairman of the RevisOry Com
mittee had performed very arduous
labors in preparing the Code for the
action of the Legislature. 1t was be-
lieved by the House that Mr.. Fergu-
sons remarkable abilities, his expert
ence in such matters, and his intimate
| knowledge OF every part of the Code,
would enable him to do this work more
| rapiuly and more advantageOusly to
| the public interests than any one else
who could be found to undertake it. 1t
was believed that because he could do
It in less time he could do it more
cheaply than any one else. The bill,
however, vested in the Governor full
power to fix the compensation, so that
there was no possible danger the
interests OF the State could suffer in that
direction. This bill was sent to the
Senate. Several members of that body
were absent; and eight members, If
mistake not. for the reason, rs then al
| legged, that Mr.. Ferguson was not the
person who they preferred should dc
this work, succeeded in defeating the
measure altogether at that session, sc
that the Legislature adjourned without
making any provision whatever for
the publication OF the Code they had
spent months and tens of thousands OF
dollars in making.
At the commencement OF the present
session the subject of this publication
was referred to the Judiciary Commit
tee in the House, and that Committee
reported precisely the same bill passed
by the House and rejected by the Sen
ate at the last session. This bill was
passed by the House on the second day
OF the session with the affirmative vote
OF every member, and sent down to the
Senate, 1t was Immediately referred Il
the Judiciary Committee of that body
at the instance Of Mr.. HOke, the chair
man, and that is the last that has beer
heard of 1t. What reason that gentle
man has had for refusing to report
the bill to the Senate, or why the Sen
ate has been willing to let it lie there
three weeks without attention, do moi
undertake to say. / do undertake tC
say, however, that the course OF The
Senate and OF the chairman OF its Ju
dietary Committee in this matter seem:
to me, to say the least of 1t, very muct
like child's play and tri1ling with thI
wishes, the convenience and the inter
ests OF the people of the State. Thi
Code by its own provision is to go int
operation on the first of April, less
than fifty days hence. Had the Senate
concurred with the House at the clOs'
of the last session, the Code would hav'
, been in the hands OF every officer o
the State by the time it goes into effect
Now suppose that is impossible; ant
the course OF a few gentlemen in tht
Senate is making the matter worse
every day.
, l write this, as have before said, a
an answer to the numerous inquiries
T which are addressed to myself, and
suppose similar inquiries are addressed
, to most OF the members of the LeRisla
3 ture. 1t is due to the people OF tn
State and to all parties in the Leglsla
l ture, that it should be known wher .o
3 the responsibility for this delay rests
: The House is not responsible. 1t ha
l done all it can. Nor is the Senate as
whole to blame; but part of that bod.
3 Is 10 blame, if there is any blame In tn
3 premises; and of that those who sen
us here to execute their wishes will
judge. Respectfully, s. s. FLEMING