Legislate

^ To make a law or laws; to exercise sovereignty, q. v. Legislation. The enactment of a law or laws. General legislation. Legislation for all the people of a State or union of States. Local or special legislation. Legislation for individuals or a section of country. A private bill is apt to attract little attention. It involves no great public interest, and usually fails to excite much discussion. Not unfrequently the facts are whispered to those whose duty it is to investigate, vouched for by them, and the passage of the measure is thus secured. If the agent is truthful and conceals nothing, all is well; if he uses nefarious means with success, the spring-head and stream of legislation are polluted.' See Lobby. Local and special legislation, as preventing uniformity, and tor other reasons, is much restricted by modem constitutions.^ Judicial legislation. The making of law by the decisions of the courts; often, an expression of contempt for such judicial interpretation of a statute as passes by the intent of the law-maker and virtually makes a new law.6 See Jus, Dare; Law, Common. Legislative. 1. For the enacting of laws: as, a legislative body. 3. Pertaining to the law-making body: as, legislative — cotistruction, discretion, intent, power. " Legislative power " is the power to enact laws or to declare what the law shall be.' 3. Done by enactment: as, a legislative act. 1 Oscanyan v. Winchester Arms Co., 103 U. S. 278-77 (1880),, cases; 116 id. 52. 2 [Barker v. Chesterfield, 102 Mass. 128 (1869). ' L. lex, legis, law; latio, a proposing. < Trist V. Child, 21 Wall. 451 (1874), Swayne, J. 6 Hoyt V. Sprague, 103 U. S. 683 (1880). Legislator. A law-maker; a member of a law-making body. See Arrest, 2 (3, 3); Communication, Privileged, 1; Liberty, 1, Of speech. Legislatorial. Pertaining to a legislature. Legislature. The law-making power in a State. The intent of the law-maker is the law. One legislature cannot bind another.' The journal of a legislative body is evidence for all legal purposes.'^ It is no part of the duty of the judiciary to go behind a law duly certified to inquire into the observance of form in its passage.' The action of a legislature should not be held invalid unless it is so beyond reasonable doubt; and it is then so held, not because of judicial supremacy over a co-ordinate branch of the government, but because the law must be declared and the fundamental law maintained.* ■Well-settled rules of construction forbid courts assuming to declare an act void because in their opinion it is opposed to a spirit supposed to pervade the constitution, but not expressed in words.' The legislature is to judge of the wisdom and policy of enactments, and ho court has the right to overrule that judgment, even to the extent of its own powers, unless the legislature has clearly exceeded its functions.* See further Act, 3; Bill, n; Congress; Co Nsirrutional: Contempt, 8; Corporation, Municipal; Discretion, 4; Document; Government; Journal; Logrolling; Police, 8; Policy. 1; Ratification; Snake; Statute; Uniform; Veto; Yeas and Nays.