Litchfield enquirer., 1874-07-30
The Legislature. {

al convention, as both the political con ventions pledged it to do. It has not
 adopted any plan giving minorities repre-
 sentation; nor tax-paying women, votes; nor married women control of their own property. It has not done anything to check fraud at polls, but rather the con- trary. It has effected no thorough reform of our railroad commission. It has, for the most part, filled the places of Repub- lican officials with Democrats. It has fol- lowed the evil example of former legisla- lures in refusing to submit city charters to the people who have to live under those charters; and, in place of Repub- iican "gerrymander" of New Haven, it has given the people of that city Demo- cratic ''gerrymander' which may be very good partisanship, but is very poor Re- form.
 In short, this General Assembly has proved just what every reasonable person expected of it-not Reform but a Dem ocratic legislature. Viewed in that light, we have no very great fault to find with it. In it's choice of MT. Eaton it has ''gone back" on the war, evidently, but no moro than it 'went back" on the war in '63, by the nomination of Thomas II. Seymour. MT. Eaton is simply an honest conservative with a stiff backbone and an impervious skull, who cherishes the Cal houn theory of States Rights just as per sistently as the Count de Chambord cher ishes the theory of the Divine Right of Kings. He never has been or never will be really dangerous, wanting that cun- ming of the Jesuit which can only make Conservative any undue check on Progress. In it's choice of judges this legislature has been, we think, mistaken, but not partisan. It gave the minority all it had right to expect. In it's change of the Registry law we find less to condemn than we expected, considering how impor- tant to the Democracy it is that all check on fraudulent voting in our cities should be removed. Tho changes made in our license law seem made in good faith, with a view to increase the efficiency of that statute; and wo think they will do so. We are a little surprised that Constitu- tional Reform found no moro favor than it did, considering the place of session and the interest the Democratic party has always supposed it had in an equal ap- portionment of representation. Has later and more careful figuring proved that an equal apportionment is not so very de- sirable for the Democracy after all-or do they finch from encountering the bitter opposition of the small towns?
 We cannot see how men disposed for reform can be expected to give any more legislatures to the Democ- racy. They must now be aware that they have merely substituted one form of par tisanship for another; and though the re- suit has been no disappointment to us, it must have been keen disappointment to those who voted the Democratic ticket, last spring, expecting a genuine reform
 It appears that among other acts rush. ed through at the close Of the session was one releasing railroad companies from their duty to keep up fences along their lines. We have not seem the law, but if it releases railroad companies which have procured rights of way with special refer ence to this law, during the few past years, it is very iniquitous piece of legislation.
 The Brussels Congress has the good wishes of all who desire the mitigation of the unnecessary horrors of war. Unluck- fly those who profit most by it's barbara ties are the very ones most desiroqs of continuing the present condition of things. The rules of land warfare are, on the whole, much less barbarous than those which control naval war. The wanton destruction of private property which is considered such barbarity on land, is allowed at sea, and yet Great Brit ain and Franco are so fearful of any change that they refuse to take part in the pro- ceedings of the congress unless those bar barities are not interfered with.