The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-02-06
s. G.
Tdssaay >4orpink .Fsbrqary g, le7s.

,--@LAAl- - - A..
The Revision OF tho statute Laws.
It appears BY the phbllshG proceed
ings Of the LegiRlat re, that on the Sd
instant, the Speaker OF the House at
tended in the Senate. where certain
Acts and joint resolutions were ratified,
and. among others. an ''Aot to approve.
adopt and make of force the general
statutes aof South Carolina, prepared
under direction and by authority of the
General Assembly" Thus, without the
decent formality Of a reading, with an i'll.
advised haste that would have disgraoed
the minutes OF the "Young Mems, ,Afri-
-canus Debating Club" the Legislature
OF South Carolina has sealed It'd sanoticn
70 law which sweeps Into oblivion the
whole body cs the public statutes Of this
State. and Substitutes in their stead the
'ereport" Of commission. As the mea.
sure can in no way interfere with the
Governors pet speculations, We have
little hope that his E1oellency will
think the matter worthy of his atten-
tion; so that we may look upon his ap-
proval as thing foregone. Tomorrow,
the veriest tYfo at the bar may De as ca
pable Of giving legal advice as the gray
haired veteran. Neither will be truat-
worthy until they have unleafned the
.time-honored laws OF the, State, and
applied themselves diligently to the con.
.struction Of Mr.. Corbin's revision. (2)
In what we have to say n pom this aub-
jeot, we believe ourselves wholly free
from prejudice. We have no captious
objections to make. We have always
recognized the necessity of revision OF
our statuts laws, and believe that the
scheme adopted to effect that object was
wise. But the work was one OF great
delicaoy. and required rare combina-
tion of qualities In those who were to
undertake it. On this SCORE, considera.
BILE apprehension was felt, vhen so i'm
portant, a trust was Conadsd to men with
out professional anteoedents, lest they
should prove wanting in that legal learn.
ing, diligence and tact 80 essential for
their task. The event hes proved that
these apprehensions were not without
foundation. The report of the commits
sion, adopted in the form above given,
is embodied in O moderate volume, at
least for law book, Of about 800 pages.
This volume is supposed to contain the
whole body of the public statutes Of the
State, carefully revised and disencum-
bered Of all obsolete and redundant
matter. The commission. with becom-
ing modesty, in submitting this report,
say that they are not vain enough to be-
lieve their work is perfect. It can, there
fore, be no offence to say that We are
altogether OF their mind. It is by no
means. perfect. Indeed. we may go 80
far as to cay that there are glaring de-
fects contained ia it, which were made
patent to our mind on the most oursory
examination, and which indicate both
carelessness and ignorance in the honor
able authors of the compilation. Let
as first, however, mete out what praise
is due. The plan and arrangement of
the work has seemed to US both philo-
sophioal and convenient. If this be the
merit OF the commission, so far, they
deserve commentator. II. on the other
hand, their illustrious exemplars OF the
State Of Massachusetts are to be credited
with that portion Of the work, it would
be gratuitous offence TO the modesty OF
our codi6ers to bestow on them the
praise which is due to their compatriots.
Another matter in favor of the commits
sion is that, so far as it appears to US,
&hey have been chary Of original sng-
gestions. To have contented themselves
with compilation of tho enactments of
our barbarous and benighted ancestors,
when they had the whole range of New
England laws, pregnant with moral
ideas, at their command. must have been
great self-deninl on their part.
But we confess We thank them for it
When these things, however have been