The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-04-08
RlsSELL,S STATUTES.

Hon. j. L. Macdonald, Senator from
Scott, addresses letter to the St. Paul
Press, in defencs of the passage of the
act vetoed by Gov. Davis, giving set OF
Bissel!,s Statutes TO each justice of the
peace in the State. We regret that want
Of space prevents US from copying the
whole letter. We give, however, the ma
terial part below:
j. It is the duty of the State to furnish all
State, county and town omcers with COPIES OF
the Statutes and session laws, and especially to
| furnish those officers whose duties are OF Ju-
dicial nature, from Justices of the Peace up to
Judge q of the Supreme Court. This duty the
State Vi Minnesota, in common with every
other st It, has heretofore performed.
2. A majority of the Justices OF the Peace OF
the State-we can safely put the number at
two-thirds-are without . full supply OF the
laws of the State, and are therefore unable to
administer them, however willing they may
be to do So And they are without these laws
for the reason that
9 The supply of the General Statutes,
printed tor the State in 1866, has been ex.
hausted tor several years, and the justises and
officers of towns since organized have been
unable to procure any, not to mention their
loss to others by wear and tear and other
causes But even if they were not exhausted
II
since 1866, that they are practically valueless
to the average Justice, or to any one except the
practicinp attorney who has carefully noted
the amendments and their effect, as fast as
they have been made pnblic. And not only
are thu general statutes exhausted As stated,
but SO also are the session laws of all the years
, from 1866 to 1872, and they are out ct print,
and cannot be had at all and even II the
justices had copy of the statutes OF 1866 and
the nine rOlunses of 'ssession laws" passed
k1o Gov <hnvo IN
derstand the many amendments without de-
{ voting more time than they can or viii afford.
While no clamor was raised, through the
i newspapers, for a supply of these statutes, by
s the officers needing them, l can assure you
: that the demand for them was general; and
' submit, with all due Difference to the Governor
and yourself, whether the members who came
. fresh from the people. were not in their collec-
tive capacity, as well able to judge OF the ne
cessity and propriety OF the act, as those wht
!. are now condemning them. In justice to the
- Governor it should Be stated that he gave no
such reasons for his veto, as you 90 LOT deIeno
It ing his action.
!. Then, knowing these facts, we passed this
act providing the justices with the statutes
d That there may be NO misunderstanding let u
It see what these Bisselrs statutes" las they Al
generally termed) are. Some three or lou
in The citv Of Winona, engaged in the compilaio,
~ Of our laws, and As private en.erprlse
IN When his work was ready for print he mad
De arrangements with Callaghan l. Co., law pub
ut fishing firm Of Chicago, to print them an
a after the first edition was issued M. bssei
re 1874, and secured the passage OF bill twhic
Governor Davis signed) making that compl!s
VI ton prima .fceie evidence Of the laws OF "a
We State in all the courts of the State To that bi
r. the Legislature attached the condiuon that u
- publishers should furnish them 1t price d
Id exceeding elO-the catalogue price then beir
nd els per set The work was . good one, b
owing to haste in getting o.
he the first edition, there "
I'M found, Is usual in such cases, that Y
y fishers proposed to, and have been eng,ged ]
getting out new and perfect edition mel
- tion this merely to show that the State was, !
the bill vetoed, fully protected; Tor BY is teri
lid the statutes to be furnished were to be -
To new and perfect edition, with the aPpfopria
ed matter thereof: TO be bound in leather and
nd law binding style, indelibly stamped ST.
Property:,," and not only were they TO be fl
ing nished 4 the reduced price Of p per set OF +
ay volumes, but the publishers were, Is conc
ton for getting the order, 70 bind themsely
sAs in writing to furnish them 1t the same price
ell: such other State, county or town ofhc~n
Md might desire to purchase them
agree with you thas other town ONCE
should be furnished, and they would b
en- been included in the bill, but We concluded
;. account Of the many other demands sor mon
7 to supply only the most pressing necessity
tie, this session.
~. The veto gives rs satisfaction in this, that
proves what We said to be true, IN showl
that the amount appropriated would not :
ma coed $4,000: 1t was charged y pa.nes q :,
ent the bill would requi an expendIture OF ny
5000 to GO, 600, and had il bean believed
ali that It would not exceed the auo'
stated By the Governor, she handsome max
:. ty which the bill received would have b
resent,tives from st. Psul and Ninneapo
who co.seientiexsly believed il Z Be b
treason to get anything Of the kind outside
their own Charmed circle
|. on J. l. AACDoNALl