The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-10-06
The Extra Session.

WESTON, September Goth, 1877.
Correspondence Of the Register.
Gentlemen who haze not thought
seriously upon tho subject Of IN extra
session ask" Why its necessity? The
answer to the question is not in the
paltry per diem Of four dollars Gs some
persons suppose, but primarily in the
provisions and limitations OF tho Con.
stitution upon tho action Of the Lcgis.
latuEc. Every intelligent man, who
has been a member Of the legislature,
knows that no well digested system Of
laws can be prepared in forty;Erc days
1t requires half that tiNc for the new
members to learn tho routine Ct lcgis-
iation. For two weeks before the ex.
piration Of tic forty-lvc days, anxiety
on the part Of members to pass favoritc
schemes bcgets excitement and confu.
sion, and tho consequence is. bills orc
rushed through with hOrso-racc speed,
and when they appear upon the statute
books, arc 80 full Of crudites aud mac.
curacics as 10 defy the most astutc lc.
gal minds TO unfold them. ueuce it
is, that tho meaning Of many Of the
laws which have been passed since the
adoption and ratification Of tho existing
constitution arc past finding out"
Tfit is desirable to have biennial
sessions, The Constitution should be so
amended that sixty days, ut least, should
DO given to piaturc aud pass the laws.
For as now onc.ILird Of, tho session is
taken up, by express direction oFtac
Constitution, III calling "thc ayes and
noes " upon the passage Of bills ; and
with body Of new members. who have
to learn to lcgislste, there ia little or nc
time, in The language Of Judge Black.
stone, TO weigh, to consider, to think
owes and pass upon the laws" The
present Constitution is one of tho most
difficult 10 work under l have ever
known, and takes longer timO to do lit.
tie and learn to keep from Eeuching
upon its provisions. Unless members
study it we'll before entering the Leg
stature, they will find themselves be.
, logged and on breakers half their time
| had not been a member Of tho Leg
stature since the formation Of this State
until last winter. I thought my expo.
ricnco in the old Virginia Legislature
would greatly aidamc in tho perfor,
nance Of my duties in the new Virginit
Legislature but must confess wher
got to working under the Constitu
ton Of 1872, was, 10 use homcIy
expression, nowhere" and com.
pletcly at Sea.
The House Of Delegates, Of which ]
vas q mcu.ber, soon discovered was
composed Of strong minded mCn-pos'
gcsscd Of correct aud liberal yiews o.
State policy-whO seemed to DO anxious
to lcgislatc for the good Of the people
Propositions Of more than ordinary in.
tcrest wcrc soon introduced into tho
body, and engaged the attention Of all.
Some Of thcm were finally disposed of !;
others, after tho bcstowul upon them Of
much labor, had 10 DO abandoned for
tho want Of time to mature and pass
them Among them vas bill to re.
wise and cOiify the laws Of the State ;
Of which every Judge and magistrate
secs and feels tho,nccessi,y ,as.thc Code
of 1868 has been in measure super
scdei and rendered unintclligiblc by
tho many amendments and acts passed
since, and by the existing Constitu.
ton.
The LiIl limiting interest to 6 per
cent and forFeiting it where u greater
ratio was charged, had to 60 in the
same way for want Of time to pass it
over the Governors veto.
a bill to raise Statp internal i'm
provemcnt fund, 10 be appropriated by
tho Legislature for works Of internal
improvement, which it was claimed
would do more TO develop the State,
Increase the value of land, enhance the
price Of commodities and augment the
public wealth than any measure intro
duccd into the West Yirginia Legisla.
turc, would doubtless have passed could
it have been reached. And how Op.
portuuG it would have been for the
hundreds Of needy laboTers now out Of
employment.
The school bill, which vas 80 iupor.