St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-07-10
Editorial in Boston Journal, of July =.
The Revised and Consolidated Statutes
of the United States.


of the United States.
We desire to call attention to the
completion of this important work, the
most important probably of any of the
numerous Acts of Congress Tor many
wears. 1t combines. III Il single statute,
all the existing statutes of the nation III
force on the first day of December, a.
ID. 1873. 1t embraces the Acts OF Con
grcSS for cightN-tive years, which he
fore were comprised in seventeen large
volumes. now reduced to one, not mnch
exceeding thousand pages, carefully
revised and Systematically arranged 81
that the existing law, upon any sub
irct. may he seen in the shortest pos
Sible time, arranged in the most lucid
and satisfactory manner. Before. the
law upon any subject consisted of sue
ccSSivc cnactmcntS. made from time to
time, through period of nearly Il cen
turv, and scattered through so many
volumes that it becomes next to I'M
possible to find the entire Legislation
upon any topic, short of the search OF
days or weeks even, and then resulting
in no absolute certainty, since the sue
ccSSIVc cnactmcntS were ioIId under
heads bearing no connection or analogy
to the main subject. This mode of AT
taching general legislation to every
kind of log rolling scheme, not except
ing the appropriation bills. while II has
become IL most fragrant scandal to the
national legislation. has also rendered
it next to impossible to know what the
national statutes upon almost amy sub
lcct were. short of reading the whole
seventeen volumes in which they were
contained, from beginning to end. In
this almost chaotic state of TIE lcglSla-
ton of Congress, Judge Poland of Yer
mont while II member of the Senate,
nearly eight Years since, conceived the
idea of ci1ccting the present result of
revision and consolidation.
The first movement in this diScour-
aging undertaking resulted III the pas
sage of an act under which the first
Commission of Revision waS appointed.
with Il distinguished iuri>t at its head,
but which really resulted in almost
nothing toward the completion of the
work. When this Commission threw
up the undertaking il lril the whole
matter in Il state of more hopeless con
fusion uncertainty and diStruSt han be
less power of will. ur determination of
action. than Judge Poland would have
dc>paiIcd of ever rcvINim~ it. But he
did not abandon it. Being then in the
House of Representatives. he applied
his best energies and talents To its re
>rI>ritati"m. and secured the appoint
mcmt ot Il new Commission of Revision.
of more leisure and consequently ut
m"rer" king capacity. MIR. Poland.
being Chairman of the Committee in
the House having charge of the entire
subject. has lahorcd with the most in
dciatigahlr industry and perseverance
through successive Years. in concur
Irurr with the final Commission. to
bring about the present most Sati>EIc-
tory result. The entire rc>pum>ihilit,
of The work has dcNnlvcd upon the
Committee. and largely upon lis Chair
man. Judge Poland. and it i Int Jus
ticc I" him t" tlrclaIc that he met il ut
every point in the most satisfactory
manner. lah"riug night and day. at all
hours, with Il degree of patience and
energy never surpassed. and with de
nee of skill and judgment scarcely
ever c;IuAI"d IN amy great undertake
ln". t"I the benefit of the nation and
especially the administration of Justice
we speak but the common sentiment
of the profession in say ing that the
work Is one ri unsurpassed merit done
III the most careful. faithful and salts
factory manner
We shall soon have the completed
work. with its index and preliminary
and marginal notes. which will save
I h, ,.DuItS and TIM. liar - VIII a.. I'm
lnr>> men. an amount "t Labor and per
PlrNitN absolutely inc;Ilrulallc. and for
which We ;Ic largely. if not exclusive /
~. III lis primary movement and speedy |
accomplishment. indebted To- Judge Pc |
land. II he had done nnthim" else du- .
nm" his long congressional services he
would deserve perpetual and grateful /
remembrance tnI this alone