William Peter Van Ness to MVB, 1 April 1813

W[illiam] P[eter] Van Ness to MVB, [1 April 1813]

Dear Sir

Your address will appear in the Advocate some day previous to Wednesday next and on that day will go out in the country Paper issued by that establishment. I told the Printer that the whole of it must appear in one Paper, and that it must not be broken up in pieces, which always injures the effect of a piece, unless be calculated expressly for that purpose. He has promised to comply with my directions.

I shall see some members of the Genl Committee & try to get them to publish it in pamplet form, in which case I will attend to the printing.

In relation to our compensation for the revision of the laws, I must take the liberty of stating to you briefly, that the labor attending it is much greater than can possibly be imagined by those who have not made the experiment. You will perceive by the first communication which we made to the Legislature at their last Session, that the number of laws to be revised by us, was double that, which came under the examination of the revision in 1800. I took pains to ascertain this fact, and it is stated correctly. We shall have two volumes of Public laws and consequently the labor of superintending the publication will be double to that in 1800. The Marginal Notes and references which we propose to make to the old laws & to authorities, will also encrease the labor.

The Revision in 1800 had for revising & publishing 1850 each, 1 1000 for revising and 850 each for publishing. I wish nothing unreasonable. The labor being double, strictly the compensation should be so, but that we do not expect. We do however expect considerably more. If Judges Kent & Radcliff had 1850 each, I think we aught at least to have 3000 each certainly 2750. We have had 750, and 2000 more, I confidently expect, and shall not be willing to take less.

I wish you would shew this letter to our friend J. W. Taylor. You in the one house & he in the other, can accomplish on this subject what is just.

Pray let me know what has become of th[e] Farmers Turnpike bill.

 And I shall be glad to hear from you on other interesting subjects.

your friend &c

W: P: Van Ness

Docket:

Wm. P. Van Ness

April 1st 1813

     

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