The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1876-02-19
what the People ExPecf OF inc
EegisIature.
osYKA, PIKE COUNTY, Miss !

OSYEA, PIKE SOIN
Feb. 18th, 1876. !
En,rops CLARION: AS it seems TO be In
order for every man to have his say regard
mo the work expected and required at the
hands of our Legislature, propose TO give
Won the views we entertain in THIS (Uo use
a Napoleonic phrase) remote PaIt y. .n~
universe. There is but one sentiment among
the intelligent people of this section, on the
imneachment question, and that Is, thaC the
business should be inaugurated with the
least possible delay. Let Amcs ana ms
Lieutenant, and Cardozo, be impeacheo anu
tried. -
Tben. the cry is emphatic for retrench-
ment and reform in every department OF
the Government, State, counties and towns
And we think something should be done TO
restore our statute laws from their present
state of chaos, to some sort OF order anu
com prehensitility. After impeachment, re-
trenchment and reform, we look upon the
codificaton of the laws as OF prime neces-
sity.
it is acknowledged on all hands that our
present Code was defective from the Degin-
ming Who is responsible for the fact, TINS
wriIer does not pretend to say, nor indeed TO
know but it is certain that it never met the
approval of the bar, the most competent
Judges. nor of the public. If proof OF TINS
is wanted it will be found In the numerous
repeats, amendments, and re-amendmehlS'
which abound in the proceedings OF every
In point of fact the Code mas Deeh
"patched up" until it is in the con-
dition of your average darkey panta-
Ioons-more OF the amended material imam
of the original garment-and from appear
ances. by the time the present Legislature
is done with it, it will be mere concern OF
''shreds and patches"
How can it be expected that the masses
should know and obey the law, when 1t
would puzzle the proverbia! Philadelphia
lawyer to tell what the law In given ease
really is. Our statutory laws are rag
| mentary they exist in detached parts; are
spread through the pamphle acts OF a con-
| siderable series of legislative sessions ana
| are not unfreQuently found under inappro-
| pirate titles, SO that the closest students
among legal practitioners are often at fault
in referring to laws with which they are
| familiar in practice, and know to exist
| somewhere In the great heterogeneous con
| gomeration of statutory enactments. 1t
reminds one of Shakspeare'S three grains
of wheat in a pile of musty chaff. Not
only are the laws hard to find, but SO many
acts have been repealed, aud so many re-
| enactments made, that none but lawyer
| in constant practice can hardly know what
| laws are actually in force; and on some
subjects there have been so many enact
ments, that lawyers differ as to the law by
which the questions involved are to be de-
| termined.
| Take, for eXamp pie, what is known as the
| agricultural lien law, which involves per-
haps as great interests touching the opera
! tiOnS of the two great leading industries OF
| the State, agriculture and commerce, as any
| other law in the statutes, and we find that
some eminent lawyers hold that the act OF
1867 is still in force; others whose opinions
are entitled to equal respect confidently
think that act repealed by the adoption of
the late Code.
OF course when lawyers disagree, the Su-
| iS a 1p
long tedious and expensive affair to get
that decision. Ii nee it we're well for the
people however prtjudicial it might he To
the legal craft, if the laws coud be made
50 plain And accessible that no dispute
could arise either 20 their existence or
their cOnsl ruction.
Therefore it is surely the duty of the Leg
islature now in session, to take such steps,
at an early a day as may be necessary, SO
to classify and simplify the laws as to bring
Them as tar as possible, within the knowl-
edge and comprehension of those who have
them to obey, A.