Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-01
forts to the greatness of the demand made

forts TO the greatness OF the demand MADE
upon them.
, AS this Is being written the House IS
considering the election bills: and, while
II is impossible TO forecast the result OF
their deliberations. It may be easily an
ticlpated that 1t will adopt some measure
which will allay whatever irritation or
dissatisfaction may be reasonably felt
with the existing law.
THEIR CONTROLLING MOTIVES.
1t is impossible within the brief COM
pass OF this article, already swollen, as
i write beyond the limits which I had
fixed In advance, to recite the various
notifications, changes. and improve
ments in existing laws which have been
passed by the House, and many OF which
have become statutes. The leading prin-
ciple5 controlling the enactment OF these
measures have been economy and reform;
desire to secure a simpler procedure
in the courts, and laws susceptible OF
more economical administration than ex-
listing statutes.
1 am well aware that our work has
not been perfect. and that when the
session Is at an end. and our laws are
subjected to the careful scrutiny OF the
courts and OF the lawyers that defects
Will be found which We have overlooked.
With the great mass Of private bills
which now take up so large part of the
sessional work, and the introduction OF
which 1t seems impossible to prevent. the
members are debarred from that indi-
vidual consideration Of them which many
new members and would-be legislators
fondly imagine thai they would give to
every bill upon which they had TO vote.
In the limited time which we have for
the consideration OF the bills. mutiform
In their objects and voluminous TO a
degree which are poured in upon the
House and the Senate from the beginning
Of the session it would be impossible for
a member, however industrious, with
constitution OF iron, and requiring even
less tnan the four hours OF sleep which
tradition says was all that the great
Napoleon needed to give a careful and
minute scrutiny to even one fourth of
them. The time of the members OF any
one Of the chief committees of the House
Is almost consumed with the considera-
tion Of the bills belonging to that i'm
mediate committee. This is the explana-
ton Of the blunders which are often
found in legislation after the session has
expired, and II is not pretended that this
General Assembly will prove an exception
TO the rule that when an immense mass
of work has to be done in a limited time
errors will creep in. Many OF the ques-
tions which committees investigate in
volve the gravest and most delicate ques-
tions Of constitutional law, as well as
the highest considerations Of public policy
This imperfect sketch has been confined
to the legislative work and personal
characteristics of the body Of which
am a member. / am we'll aware that 1t
Is hasty and incomplete. 1t has been
written during the last day or two, and
at such intervals as I could snatch from
duties which as the session approaches
its close seem 10 become more burden
some and imperative. Composed under
such conditions. II necessarily lacks both
finish and compactness. But II has been
n pleasure TO me to write even In this
unsatisfactory manner about 4 body Of
gentlemen whom I am proud to count as
my friends, with whom / have labored
to my advantage and improvement, and
to whom can so justly attribute those
qualities, of industry, capacity for work,
high conceptions of duty, integrity, and
devotion to the interests of their mother
State. never exceeded and hardly equalled
in any of the five deliberate assemblies
Of which have been q member.
f. w. SAUNDERS.