110 STATES OF THE RIVER PLATE. 



complained of by a gentleman to me but a few weeks ago. 

 A neighbour of his bought, from an establishment some 

 distance outside of him, a flock of sheep, scabby in the 

 extreme. These the party piu-chased for a mere nominal 

 sum, calculating that a very large portion of them would 

 not reach their destination. With these sheep he crossed 

 my friend's lands, and the line of their passage was 

 strewed with the dead and the dying; and, as he said, 

 ' Of what use would it be for me to " dip ; " my lands 

 are infected ; the remnants of this diseased flock are 

 located now at my very door, and I have no redress ! ' 



This may be an extreme case ; but it suffices to show 

 that legislation is required in the interest of all ; for an 

 extreme case proves the license to injure. It is of vital 

 importance to this great national industry that well- 

 digested and stringent laws should be enacted for the 

 protection of individuals, and at the same time, and as a 

 consequence, the protection and preservation of the most 

 important and valuable interest of the country. 



The inefficiency of the rural law, or its operation, 

 in its bearings on this great industry, and the require- 

 ments that have grown and are still growing with it, is a 

 natural consequence of its rapid development. It has 

 outstripped all precedents of campo regulations, as well 

 as the ideas or conceptions of the great majority of the 

 population. My strictures imply nothing beyond this, 

 and are made with the object of calling attention to a 

 pressing necessity which it is of importance to meet 

 suitably. 



