The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1883-01-18

THE REPORT or THE COMMISSIONER FOR
THEIR REVISION.
The AuUust1 novrpSDonInut of fhp RostOD

THE REPORT or THE COMMISSIONER FOR
THEIR REVISION.
The Augusta correspondent of the Boston
journal writes: The following is an abstract
of the report submitted by the Commissioner
on the revision of the statutes. Judge Goddard,
in connection with the printed copies of the
statutes as colated by him: During the twelve
years that have elapsed since the third revision
$50 public laws have been enacted at eleven
sessions, 40 pages. OF these IS have been sll-
pcrscded, "A substantially repealed, and 32 eN
presSIy repealed; . others are acts OF repeal,
and l6 are of a temporary nature; while IS not
being of general character, are omitted from
this revision, although unrepeaed. The remain
der 600 in number, affecting 30 sections ana
paragraphs of the Revised Statutes are wholly
or IN part incorporated into the present revision.
In the performance of his work Judge God
dard has followed generally the order which
was adopted iii the revision of 1897. and retaln-
ed by the reFisers Of 1871. and which has thus
become familiar both to the legal profession
and the public. In all eases where the phrase
0logy of any unmended section of the third re-
vision seemed to require alteration the change
has been noted, and where the style was so
concise as to involve obscurity violation of
grammar or syntaX the Commissioner has not
heslated to suggest an Improvement.
simplicity has been promoted by the use OF
Anglo Saxon English instead of its Latin equiv
alent. In obedience to the resolve the Com
missioner has suggested with proper diStin-
gushing marks, several changes in order to
reconcile contradictions. obyiate repetitions
supply omissions and correct imperfections in
the Revised Statutes and subsequent laws, and
at the end of the report other amendments, less
obvious and imperative, are proposed. Special
attention has been given to the marginal refer
enccs to the Constitution of the United States
and its amendments The original spelling and
capitalization of the National Constitution has
been restored. The dates of admission of each
of the twenty-five new States and of the seces-
sion and rcadmiSsion of the eleven rebel States
are given, with more full and complete
count of the time and manner of the adoption
of the fifteen amendments to the United States
Constitution. The four amendments to the
Constitution of Maine which have been adopted
since the PRONUNCIATION of the new draft of
1876, have been added to the revision. with
full account Of the date and manner of their
adoption.
Complete lists of the forty acts touching in
toXcaton and the sale of Intoxicating liquors
and of the local fish laws have been prepared.
The general index at the end of the book refers
not only to the text of the revision proper but
to that of the Constitution of the United States
and of Maine. A reference index has been
prepared in two parts; the first traces the va
rious sections and items of the last revision,
while the second performs the same duty for
all the public acts from 1871 to 1882, inclusive.
A reference table in two parts is appended,
the third revision and of the subsequent pub
lie laws. which is not Incorporated into the
present code with the time and manner of its
repeal or substitution. \ somewhat lengthy
note on the sources of land titles in Maine fol-
lows the report but is not included in the re-
vision proper.
The 40 pages of the last twelve Years egis-
iatiOn has added 23S pages to the text of the
present revision. increasing the sections to
4,430 and the items to 2S6, and enarging the
code TO lbs pages, which an elimination Of
obsolete and some other clauses will perhaps re-
ducc about % pages. The marginal references
include - volumes Of Maine Reports. Follow
ing the ID amendments suggested by the Com
missioner are - others suggested by prominent
legal gentlemen of the State. These Suggcs-
tions are Very comprehensive. and embrace
Widc range Of subjects vital to the Interests of
the people. Among these is one for the rcyi-
sion If the Constitution Of the State. The COM
missioner says: "Thc Constitution Of Maine
was tn work Of our grandfathers 1t was
framed for 4 population of .0O0 with yau-
alton Of S21000,000. dependent OH wagons,
teams, Stages and sailing craft for the trans >por
tation Of their persons. their merchandise and
their mails. Since 1919 an addition of Is per
cent. has been made TO our population and $40
to our wealth. while steam, the telegraph. la
bor->aNng machinery and countless other in
Ventions have rcvolItonZed society. accom-
pli>hn@ in siXty-threc Years the work Of ord-
nary centuries. The Constitution is OutgrOWn
and patched with twenty-five amendments.
some of them radical and not easily reconcilcd
with the original instrument or with each
other, and more ar" called for"