Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-11-20
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER Is, 1878.
LEGISLATIVE TINKERrNGs.


LEGISLATIVE TINKERINGS.
1t has been orr duty repeatedly to cry
out against the growing inclination of
the people to try legislation as the pane
cea for all evils that society is heir to.
An agitation of religious subjects takes
place, and at once we hear Of conven-
tions being called to provide for the pro-
motion of divine truth by law, and
thousands have clamored, at one time
and another, for constitutional provis-
ion acknowledging the existence of a
God, as though, if the laws of the land
proclaimed and required Deity, that
people would rest more confidently in
their hope of final salvation and faith in
the teachings of the gospel. We don't
believe men can be made Christians by
law, and we hope it wont be tried. The
Congress of the United States once I'M
dertook to fix the price of gold by law,
and made just such disastrous failure
as all law-making bodies must expert
ence who ask to usurp functions that
don't belong to them, and interfere with
schemes of human progress that belong
to other departments of organized social
life.
| There is probably not a citizen who
has ever felt desire to correct any of
the abuses of society, or to advance his
race in the sphere of moral and social
| ho1 OF
wished for a law to be enacted for that
purpose The old English doctrine of
the omnipotence of parliament, is deep
ly rooted in the hearts of all people who
have seen the high culture and prosper
ity of English speaking nations, and it is
too often attempted to carry into effect
the theory that law is the foundation OF
reform; but we ought to remember that
there are things which legislation can
not reach, besides spreading christianity
and fixing the price of gold and silver.
We find upon our statute books nearly
or half its pages are filled with these
monuments of folly, and still the cry is
for more tinkering of statutes; a panic
arises in finance, schemes are at once de-
vised for creating an elastic currency
women feel that they are hampered too
much by circumscribed industries and
the burdens of fashion and of social re-
quirements, and they cry out for more
special legislation; usurers Cypress the
poor by high rates and demand their
pound of flesh, and it is supposed that a
prohibition of taking more than six pei
cent win cure the evil. A few moments
candid reflection will satisfy reason
able mind that none of these evils can
be remedied by law, and so it is with
thousands of other subjects upon which
law is demanded.
Next to the burden which unnecessary
laws put upon a State or community,
that of having them uncertain is next
upon the list; and when rule of action
prescribed by the State is certain and
well-known, it is always inconvenient,
and sometimes unsafe, to go to changing
it, even when the change promises to be
an improvement, unless the advantage is
manifest, and the probable results bene-
fetal. There can be no better illustra-
ton of this folly in the constant tink-
ling of laws than the case of the notori-
Gus Rosenzweig, who was discharged
from States Prison in New York, on
Wednesday, by Judge Sutherland. Our
readers will remember this case, and the
| atrocious nature of his crimes. In 1868
the New York legislature passed q
stringent and necessary criminal law.
Rosenweig was convicted, under it, OF
his great crime, and sentenced to seven
years hard labor at Sing Sing. The law
| was little uncertain in some of its fea-
lures, and new trial was granted him
for proper cause, and the legislature un'
dertook to interfere and fix things, and
April 6, 1872, they enacted another law
on the same subject, and repealed the
old one, this lets Rosenzweig out, and he
is again set at liberty to prey upon soci.
ETY.. Judge Sutherland holds that the
repeal of the law of 1869 prevents any
| further conviction under it, and man
cannot be punished under the statute OF
1872, for an offense committed before
its passage. This is not solitary case
and great many serious results have
resulted from this bungling legislating.
There is no stronger power for gooC
or evil than public opinion, and laws are
useless and worse than useless wher
they are not in accord with it, Fashion
holds her Votaries with power which
legislation cannot break. The course OF
trade and price of commodities are
regulated by the necessary correlation
of supply and demand. The course OF
nature controls physical phenomena,
and legislation cannot interfere with it.
Criminal statutes denounced against
acts that the community do not regard
as criminal, will always find an A. J.
Smith, to prevent their execution, and a
| tinkering of acts to meet particular
cases are apt to let Roscnzweig free
or react in sOmc way to the disadvantage
of the public. We must learn that
there is a deeper foundation for evils
and deeper fou,tain of good than poll
tics and law, and reform our habits of
seeking to cast upon our representatives
in the Legislature the burden of our
own delinquencies in solving the pro-
blems of the age.
Western Vermont Musical Associ-
anon.
The officers of this association are
making great efforts to have the meeting
at Middlebury in the first week in De-
cember one of the best and most attrac-