The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-12-03

legislative AND executive deDaFt n3an4S, q ksgGs
gone quite % far, inI yielding my. sonAtitur
tiSnai assent TO acts of speGtas Regulation lin
thepast ,asEili be possible under IlB convie-s
tions Of duty lin the futnne.ase; stsiss III .Ss.fS
l u the only evil Of the systen were IFS ax,s
pensiveness, then the strai,eaed conditicn
the finances and the demands for practical
economy should arrest IL. ThelegialationoE
each session includes q great masa ofssepa-i
rate acts, affecting only particular indaYidnais
Or localibies, or interests and ding. spe.t
Giai relief In each several case ct continually.
recurring private and local grievance. 81 Ali
such easeaafe easily distributed into tc!asses,,
Ind ALI could be covered by ID few brief iaants
eral Java, witch would more wideiygahGi eG.,
feetnallE relieve such particular grieYancee ast
they arise, thus afoEestaliipg eonecessity,
for special legislation itherrafte b The prac-
tice which now prevails encumbers thesansi
nual sessions aeta. With 40 greati azneunk, cf
private aud particular legislation as, .deseldi
| of general Interest as,the minutes af;aglocah
court ;ait engT05ses o ngenpertioss 0fatha,
time Of each session ;sit nOrIlanslH inereases.
the public printing, besides imposing othaoI
serious burthens 0n the Treasury ;titfpdudes
many persons TO look to the legislalyeiife
partmene ia, the light Of q Judicial tribnnaL,
and to .besiege itiwith applications, for, dhe5
and grievances, while the Terms ofithe Bpa,s
eias acts are often defecsisaly aadt even mis-.
chieyously framed beGaHse hurriedly enacted.s
/ A yet greater evil OF the systemis totb6
found in9the Legislative habit OF grsntingial-
most; indiscrimfnate charters of ineorpbra2
tioH. Those who engage Ia reckless on eyeni
pernicious schemes OF investment or specuaa-
ton, and who are unwilling TO render their
private estates liable for the cOnssquences.Of
their ventures, often seek charters for THE
purpose not SO much OF securing their, gaths
il, cnse of success Us OF screening ,theInse
from liability in case Of failure. Tn many
cases the charters clothe the corporations
with privileges and inimunities which are,
denied to the body Of The people. The cor.
porations have perpetual life, snd continue
Indefinitely to accumulate wealth "a la1
strength until finally they threaten IA oyer,
shadow the power Of the State. Under
Government which forbids orders of nobIlty
aud privileged classes, which has forever
abolished primoge niture and the cniailing q,
estates, such special charters Invade US iall,s
d lmental principles and It's safety, as well %
3 10 IT'S purity. The genius Of American ,in:
stitutions, forbids any such intermedd ding Ia
the affairs Of society as creates or fosters mos
nopoiies, aggrandizes PRIV LEGGED classes, OF
unnecessarily or unequally Restraints Incl:
sidual freedom. What Is done should be-
done by general laW,--opeh to all Without
distinctIon-s0 that every citizen may pc
alike Interested In its passage, and all may
equally avail themselves Of whateyer priyiif
leges It confers. 81 bst;,
TIE GOVERNMENT OF CITIES AND TOWNS ia
In this connection illustrating the,
evils OF the system just mentioned, and
touching Interests Of very, great and general
importance recall to Jour attention TIE
bin |" to amend an act to incofpo rate the Ro3,,
tomac Land and Improvement Compauy
passed February "a, 1872 which pa A. 3!
tbe General Assembly az tho last session or
i he eve OF its final Adjournment, and
which I withheld my approval FOR fcas6
that could not then, for want Of time, BE- COM.
municated to the house In which IT, 0rigi
mated. The bill BET apart q territory sald To- Il
contain several thousand acres, ana 1pclu.
tlihg the town Of Potomac; !. tituted IL Al
separate school district and D sef arats road
district; declared the Single pf0prie t0r, and
such others as might be pss0clated with him
as share or stockhold ers, d lody CORPORATE
and polite, with perpetual cesssion !; en-.
! powered board or directors chosen by The q
stockholders, TO appoint at their discretion,
ALI officers and agents for the nansg cement OF
| the personal and real estate Or the c0fp6Ea
ton. and 70 ok their compe 1sati0n er1p NJ
cred u board OF control ,chosen in like na4ri.
ner to appoint an assessor. collector sscre Pa
tary, and treasurer, and Hx The 96fa T,ensa;;d
ton OF each; vested III the anth0flnes.
thus created thei eltire goyernmsns saoies
the town and district, and author
ICED them with the proceeds Nli taxsssIg
| posed and collected. with the coussptt o. As
n ys,r11 kfxl an
| construct public buildings, pafks,s sqnares,tJ
cemeteries, water and gas,Works, fssEess,s8
docks, Wharyes and gpierss and aH fhs ether.E
| Improvements, ornamental aud copIentepts.I
Sfia HFstrcIass ,eiys The b;ikn only makes
20 pfayiston for citing the Iensa
ION or property of those pEesea& aud tpzaaa
citizens OF the town and Jiistncb Who sMsgtj
NOS be Included s1 thell sgofed ejsse0 fG3QCA-
holders, hat flt aomptEsNlg &saosD tB&eiE5
rights and debara, ahsfn stlsa AHfs f0lca AAs.
partIeiaasion 10 thetrQMn nunisspfs 90Eeg8Ts.
ment. s.goes insfhesS mi, jRA 9sses eases
futes;thst t0Hna1d tdtstrie yseepassaei nHas5
peEdeney or psinsipaiity asIihlr, tas body affs
The CommGnWeatthsja Ad fgesss do g1FeEzhs3
msat In 4 pEissieged cSass, ,w5sU acs ginaialsls
slotsd sksthea RfeEagaai yes 6gsinfaslsi.
GaEcAYs ta.a .s.t ri ~ 10, ~ bsilnu
The Dill seems tn bel basela tllees4ls
which saaadyoeatedb g spEss,, thasii1 fnmlE
charters or geYefnmenta foe iocSt aE mliLsteeo
BAL communities fhs LegisalalI re hssi ahso.ss
inte power to, liGaas OF extend .th6n AAiNl tssi
The theory assnnes that tins psopae % aislsa,
tjectel To- local g0yeEnMaAi sazs mo 1l11fss
itheseunde but SUCH as nnny hd eszfaEse& h11s
Legislature ehsEtar that theiigh thap eMeasss
IeTanted aset0 govern ihtsreass 80 Aaxsat
I property and apeEaoaal liberty tAay Nh anesi