The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-02-17
How Legislatures should Legisla.e

--------------------
How Legislatures should Legislaie,
This inquiry involves one Of the most
important problems in political ethics. In
all monal chical governments legislation is
simple. 1t involves only one inquiry, and
that is as to the will of the monarch. In re-
publics the rule changes, and involves two
essential points of inquiry: first, The will
of the people; second, the welfare of the
public. The will of the people is always
to be respected, and where it is coincident
with the public welfare, it should be
obeyed.
In all governments, however-whether
absolute, Tree, or mixed in form-one rule
invariably prevails, or should prevail, since
it is laid down as an elementary principle in
all legislation, and is this: that laws should
be framed, as far as possible in reference to
generalities, that is, in reference to gen.
eral principles applicable alike to all. The
grandest pandect of human ethics is
contained in ten precepts governing, or in
tending to govern, all human actions; and SO
the grandest code of laws in republic is
that which reduces all governing precepts
to the fewest possible principles affecting
human action.
The world-accepted dogma that "that
government is the best which governs the
least" covers wide range of legislative
subjects. 1t makes manifest the rule ofleg;s-
lation for republics best form of gov
eminent, as conceded by all classes of po-
litical writers, where the moral and intel
lectual grandeur of the people, combined
with true patriotism and love of country,
admits of its being permanently sustained ;
which is, that all general rules Of legis-
lation should be exhausted before resort is
had to what is known as special or class
legislation. This sort of legislation is eva
sive of true republican as well as true
democratic principles of government, and
really seeks for the favoritism of monarch
les, in which class legislation is permissi-
BILE on the ground that the good of the gov
eminent demands that the monarch shall
effectually hedge himself in by all possibil.
tiles fguaranty, ofsecurity, and of self-pre.
servation. 1t is in this way that he links
all the powerful monetary and other infu'
ences of his subjects to his individual in.
terests as monarch.
But no such rule can apply to republics
especially such small republics as the sew.
eral states comprising larger united OF
confederated republic; and, hence, the gen
eral rule laid down by our best writers or
political ethics should prevail in the legis
gislation of our states; which is
that all laws should be genera
as far as it is possible to make them so
and as few special as the absolute neces
sites of the people shall demand.
Let our General Assembly apply thu
test to the business now before tina
| body, and it will have no diff
Guilty in dispatching all the business be
fore it within the constitutional limi
of its sittings. At least two
thirds Of its time is no0 oc
cuped in the consideration of specia
grants, charters, and privileges, the object
ofwhich could, in nine cases in ten, be NOR
advantageously reached by general legisla
ton. The principal contests thus far hav
been in reference to this class of speeia
grants. The passage of general railroad
law, such as that offered by Mr.. Sutherlil
of the House, would at once dispose o
one-half the legislative wrAngling now de-
laying the consideration of other and NOR,
important business in both houses of tn,
General Assembly. Let this law receiv
at once the consideration it dema ads at The
hands of our Lawmakers, and be passed a
the interests of the people require, and
one-half of the time of the Legislator
may be saved for doing the remaining bust
ness before it.
Just ride this bill right in over all othe
railroad business before the two houses
and the whole work Is done. A genera
law becomes special one in the interest
of all, and all this fight as to who shall b
at the top of the heap in railroad monopo
| ly in the State will be at an end.
| =----------=
The Pneumatic Tube at Washington