, 1873-11-07
SlHPLiflCATf0N OF THE LAWS.

btooMfaaToSt ILL.,, Nov. >, 1873.
10 The Editor Of Tile Chicago Tribune;
SIN: In Donglas Jcrrold's "Firosido Saints"
tho following passage occurs: ia voice Of
wailing nnd misery, 4 sobning, q groaning, us
from cruclliol spirit! Though the notes aro
flno, an unsophisticated cur may catch thou
From whence this undying lamontation We
answcr, from poor Comno,t senRo. locked up
syved, diatigurcd, raclod by thousand monials,
son,o called Whereas, some Notwithstanding,
aonao Aforesaid, aud some with names of gih-
berish counting more syllnb1cs than the Epan-
iard. Even US the dainty Ariel was imprisoned
in the rino by Sycorax, that bluc-cyed hag, 40
is poor Common Sonso captive to an unrolenting
DetllaM."
1t is subject OF 6oriouo complaint, among
| the common people Of our State, tint our COM
10 fllod up with words, phrases, and repetitions
thnt the real interest end meaning Of many
lava aro so hidden away and covered in With the
rubbish OF pllraseoloses end unmea1tins words,
NJ to hide tho 1neaning completely. 1t ii further
urged TINT the largo amount Of business before
| our courts Of law s caused to 4 great extent by
t)lia serious evil; tint tho common poup1e have
| neither time, tnlonta, nor patience sufficient to
study out tue points far enough to koop out Of
it. We havo q State Superintendent oil Public
instruction, Who is tho chof advisory officer Of
Our school laws; and, after every session
of our Legislature, Ito is compelled to issue d.
| pamphlet of instructions and explanations on
tho Roliool laws nearly as largo rs the laws them,
Ro1yea. Il similar officer is as much required for
| township organizations, to explain the compli-
| Gated nets on bridgeb, TownHtlip-T Trustees,
| sehool-Droctore their Duties, and tho tine Of
| election, ,-lroylt1cd tho tlutics do MOI conflict
| With tue State Superintendent and, in that
case, it will only require another officer to tell I'D
| tho reason and give 1ls III explanation. A 6u-
perintcnlent Of Public Justice would noxt bo re-
CURED, whose dntiea Should be to analyzo and
rs to bring them within tho understanding of
"Wc, tho People OF thu Stats OF illinois,"
! 1t would Indicate III d high degree osr prog
ross, If . Bureau Of Royisioa was appointed to
prune of and grub out Of our statutes nil tho
souee!ess repotitions Of words and phrases, and
reduce them to about olle-te!istl their rreaont
size, 80 that mum in ton could understand or
comprehend them, while, in tllair present form.
] not ono mnn In ten thollsa,ia ctu ccEni'rehana
their meaning with largo dvaushtu Of nharp
guessing.
The same evil peryadcs all Of our deeds aud
conveyances OF real eBtato The nnnle repetition
Of words has been crowded tito t,so. unit! 4
sheet OF pnper large enough for rich n:a'.
bcd-Qult Is roqUlrod to convoy picco Of ground
laf that size, Thou e. strip OF paper eight Mchos
Alua:o could oohteln Nil that Is necessary. and
injuro one bit the lleeoraor, by cutting down
! his fecs Of office.
habit Of eloctine Tor our Legislators tho groateat
talkors Of tho timos who always lloat into oflleo
on tho surface Of public opinion, while our deep
| thinkers, rho would mako our best Legislators,
aro born to blush unseen and wafto thoir
fragrance OIL tlioir 6slont homes.
We want for oitr htas,ltes lava which arc short,
| plan. simple, and comprehensive, aud Tor conl-
mon use, such lis tho platn tencliilgs OF common
sense rcqnito end tlto common People '!ntlos..
stand. Laws Which .nre pnased at nllo session OF
| tho Legislature, 1s.d require I'LL nlno1ilmeht ut
tho noxt, sow that tlloy Avo not tho right ring
ubout them: aud such lawa an require M export