The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1874-02-05
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LEGESLArHON.
The making Of laws is Of az things the
most important which can affect men In a
state of society. Laws are tho frst neees,
sity of organized humanity. Il would never
do, IN the fallen state of man, 10 let all oct
according to their pleasure, without any re-
strictiOns or any regard to the pleasure or
rights of Others. But even Adam and Eve,
before their fall, while in the garden Of
Eden were under the law of their Creator,
and their expulsion from Paradise was the
result Of violation of that law. Since then,
in the progress Of humanity, a still greater
reason has existed for eurbing and restrict.
ing the evil propensities and passions Of
mankind. The first laws known, and the
most important as affecting our future life,
are the laws Of God. These can never be
wrong and should never be questioned.
The law-malzer is all=wise and the enact
ments must be perfection. Then come the
laws Of man, which are the result Of
experience in the wants Of society,
and which, proceeding from imper-
feet natures, must necessarily be more
or less imperfect, but still they must be
made-for a profound thinker and great
writer has said that even t'bad laws are
better than none" These necessary laws
have been the work of either one strong
will, which has obtained ascendancy and
control over others, or the combined action
of few wise men having the same power
over the masses, or by the general consent
of the whole people, expressed In body,
or through their chosen Representatives, for
the sake of convenience. Despotic mon
archs make laws by the issuing Of edicts,
which are regarded as such and must be
obeyed. An aristocracy make them by the
sanction of a majority of their own order,
irrespective of the wishes and will of the
balance of nation, and the whole people,
without distinction of classes, ordain and
enforce laws by common consent, through
their representatives., in free and real re-
public. The State of Texas is to-day an IL
lustration of a free people governing
themselves. They do not make laws
in body, being bound by the de-
termination of the majority, as did
the old Athenian democracy, because, from
their great number, this would be found in
convenient and impracticable, but they make
them through their agents, elected for that
purpose, to carry out their wishes. Hence
the duties of Texas Legislature, or any
other similar body, are plain-so plain, that
any one can see and understand them. The
Representatives, as the very name implies,
do not assemble together to make known
their own individual views and feelings,
and put them into the shape of laws for
their own advantage, but to carry out the
viii of the whole sovereign people, whose
agents they are. Strange to say, where the
people govern themselves by making their
own laws in the manner indicated, the
greatest danger is that the laws will be too
numerous and complicated-that they will
iiS.,is Es-
should be as few, as simple, and as plain as
possible for the well being of those for
whom they areintended. Too much legis-
lation generally does moro harm than
too little. The natural liberty of
mankind should not be restrained be-
yond what is necessary for the order,
peace and security of society. They should
be left to take care of themselves, as much as
possible, with as little interference as posi-
bic for the attainment of the foregoing OBJ
jects of government. 1t is not the duty Of
Legislators to make people rich, or to keep
them poor, or to. pay off their debts, or to
regulate their way of living, or their rcli-
gious observanees. individuals who make
up people or nation, do not like to be
dictated toin such particulars-they prefer
to be let alone, SO that they do not interfere
with others in their natural and constitu-
tional rights. an Legislative bodies should
'recollect and heed these plain rules Of
legislation.
In conclusion we would respectfully sub
NIT that in this article no reflection is
meant against members of the Legislature.
It is written simply to bring an important
subject prominently forward, hoping that
the ball, kept moving in the right direc-
ton, will gather power, and that mind upon
mind will earnestly accomplish what the
public so much desires Let rs have less and
better legislation in the future, and the peo-
pie will be much better satisfied.