Year: 1860




saved


The building was six stories in height and o
immense length. The scene afterthe fall beggars
all description.


The Legislature and the Press


Our compeer of the Crockett Argus, is dowr
upon the body of gentlemen known us the State
Legislature, because they have attempted again
this session, to do silly act, similar to some
previously enacted-that is, to determine what
compensation u newspaper publisher shall receive
for publishing proclamations, etc, by the Gov
ernor As this is q two-sided contest, in which
the Press has the strong side we see no cause fol
complaint, unless, indeed. it may be thought
somewhat inconsistent with the spirit of the
Age, that company Of heavy headed gentlemen
should undrtake to deprcss the motive power
which confers upon them all the little impor lance
that the most Of them possess; and which in
other communities enlightened and refined, IL al
ways considered a power to he encouraged and
supported for the vast good which it does to the
public This, however, is matter of taste, If 1t
suits their natural inclinations and educations--
there are some people who have spite at print
cd letters, and their congeries. The Press, on
the other hand, can refuse to publish at the rates
proposed; which, we presume, all those who have
ordinary self-respec. will do. The matter COM
planned Of, however, is not novel. The system
of publications now prescribed by law, is equally
absurd. The estray law provides that 81 shall
be paid for publication, by each man who posts
IN animal and if he posts half dozen he shall
pay no more What sense is there in this' The
space occupied is what is paid for Tho allow
ancc for one animal, is all any publisher in the
State charges. Why should proviso be made
against the publisher, and in tdror Of the estray-
er of several animals Why this discrimination
in behalf of one citizen against another! Inc
State receives no benefit. The man who estrays
several animals makes profit proportionately
greater than the man who estrays only one AMI
NAL. Why does the Legislature step in to in
crease his profits, regardless OF justice! Can any
body give any but FOOLS reason


In other States encouragement ls given to pup
fishers, as public servants, sufficiently llpnid at
best. In the State of Texas. the little fellows,
who but for the Press, would be as insignificant
as moes, discriminate against it. 1t is true
they have generally spent the peoples money
freely in procuring papers at Austin to magnify
themselves, but that has been the extent. and we
are glad that that has been stopped +; for 1t Is
public waste without proper authorization ana
without any general good corresponding to the
cost.


WHY are not sales of property, in pursuance
of legal determination, advertised Would 1t
not increase the price, as it increases the prices
for persons acting in their own behalf; who ad-
vertise in newspapers and print bills also! why
is property of estates sold without general puollc
notice, unless the administrator or guardian Is
thoughtful enough to procure special order =
WHY? if the administrator or guardian, or some
friend, may have an eye to the purchase, and are
interested in the avoidance Of publicity, it is per-
mitted by the peoples guardians to be sacrificed.
from penny-wise parsmony, that no intelllSeht
member of the community exhibits In the conauct
of his private affairs Why arc the publications.
already provided for by law, advertised in the
nearest newspaper, regardless of circulation Is
not publicity the object. If it is, why is not the
publication required to be made in the paper
having the largest circulation in tho county
where the business is transacted-or, ii prefer.
red having the largest circulation in the judicial
district Either would be better than 1t now
stands, following the yerbiaga of laws enacted
when there were only two or three papers in the
State, and the nearest was. therefore, at that
time the most proper vehicle for publication
We hope that no respectable paper in the State
will publish an Executive proclamation under the
terms of the present law, and learn these leglsla-
tive wisemen that they have picked the wrong
class to CONTROL and that when they wish next
to obtrude their mpertinent interposition into
peoples private business, they had better feel,
and find out first, whether the persons sought to
be ground. are as soft as most OF those VINO
butcher the legislation of the State.


Our article is elected by the complaints of the
Argus. We have not, heretofore, given much
attention to the proposed increase of publications
under the laws, because we know that 1T would
be considered interested advocacy. though not
more so than the advocacy of an attorney. in
which all the strength of reasoning he offers is
accepted for what it is worth upon its face, re-
gardless of his compensation for Offering it
But legislators in this State seem to have jeal-
ousy of the Press, and therefore, we prefer to
put our remarks in objective, rather than in per-
suasive form We ask no favors of them We
hope our brethren all, will ask none; but treat
them indiAerently as other men-holding them
to account for their msdseds, and omissions, and
demanding their own dues. The Press has no
need to supplicate any body of men 1t derives
no Importance from the favors Of snch men as
constitute the mass of State Legislatures
C,drksuiHe Standard.