The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-04-28

much doubt ii any of it, predcces.ors
ever received a 1.-THE Of tho abuse that
has been hoaped upon the members
composing it, FROM tue beginning OF
the session until the adjournment, Ger.
tain portions of the pIblic press have
laborsd earnestly and systematically to
bring the Legislature as body and
the members composing 1t into disro
pate.
This was the assumed task Of the
leaders of tue Republican party. Dis.
appointed and embutCred by their de.
feat aud loss ofpower, they have strivpu
to draw consolation from the abuse of
their successful opponents. Like the
bear with sore head. they set out
with the determination not to be
pleased with anything the Legislature
nigh, dc; so day after day their penny.
a.lIuers have filed their Journals with
all manner of abuse and misreprcsenta.
lion Of the members and the measures
adopted by tue body.
Owing to the remarkable severity Of
the winter and tue consequent isolation
Of Charleston caused by tho closing of
navigation on the Great Ksuawhs and
Ohio rivers, the enemies Of tue L,eis.
Iaturc were greatly aided IL their work
Of misrepresentation anil de,rsctiou
Taking advantage of tue ignorance Of
the mass Of mankind in regard to tho
process Of Legislation tue Republican
journals have charged the members Of
the Legislature with wasting time and
squanderiug the public money. Some
Vi these wIsUacrcs Talk AID write as il
the consideration aud enactment oil
laws requires no more time and labor
than it takes them to drink glass Of
Deer or consume a plate of oysters.
Legislation resembles, in some res.
poets, farming. There must be seed
uyie aRd harvest First come, the
resolution and reference to the com.
miItue, the consideration Of the sub.
ject BY tho committee, aud their re
port. II the committee to whom the
subject was referred deem it proper
Que for legislation, they report a bill
but before it eau become u Law, It must
De considered aud passed upon gu three
different days in each branch Of ths
Legislature. Alter the first reading
he bill reported ia generally printed
AL this takes time. But the pripcipal
Cause Of delay in legislation is that al.
most every bill submitted has to 20
through series Of amendments. Soma
ucmbe suggests this and aud another
that alteration. lis enemies offer
amendments for the purpose of killing
it, aud its friends to make it better.
Each amendment, as well rs the bill
llself, must be debated Thus much
lime is spent in porfecting the various
measures before they become laws.
Now it eau be readily seen that 10 4
body composed Of large number oil
men, with many new measures before
them, much time must necessarily be
consumed.
The members Of the Legislature had
a great deal OF work before them A
new constitution had been adopted by
the people, making many aud it /. be.
Ileved important aud desirable changes
III the organic Law Of this State. The
laws bad to be altered Or modified saa.
to conform TO this new condition of
Affairs, and a great portion of tue Code
had to be remudeled. There were over
three hundred bills before the Lcgi.la.
ture. The representatives. Of the yari
Gus counties aud districts of the State
each pressing this or that measure
which be deemed important to hi, im.
mediate constituents
People who abuse the Legislature of
1878 for consuming time, .hou!d
remember that the Legislature Of Viz.
glnla wIisl enacted the Code 81 1919
met on tue first Monday Of December,
ISIS, to consider the report of the re.
visers, aud continued in session until
tho following October. That LsgisIa.
ture had nothing like the amount Of
work before them that the West Yir.
gInla Legislature just adjourned had
There had been no now constitution
adopted, requiring the consequent
adaptation cI the great body of the laws
IL tue new state Of things. They had
merely to consider aud act upon the re.
port Of the eminent gentlemen who had
spent four or five years 10 revisisp
thS laws, aud which had been duly
printed from time lO time as their re.
ports bad been madO. We heard no
abuse Ol the Legislature then by the
press or people because they took timr
'nd dclIbsra'ei upon the important
matters before them. On the contrary
they were almost universally CON |
nrndcd
We DO not wish to be understood q.
approving all tho measures aud laws
passed at the late session Of tho l,cris.
laluto. Like every other similar body
Of men, there was wide diversity Of
talent in it,; bat us whole it will ntI
least compare favotably with any VI its
predecessors.
EStDR, GEoROE D. MoRRw, Dent.
i'l, will visit Wc.tonabout the LIT of
MAY, and remain teudlys. Office at