, 1856-02-29

L
of the clause in the election law that would
legally prevent our brave volunteers from
voting that with the exception of the case
of Mr.. Ward, iohich ieGS dcrided IN ms ia
rOr, the legality of the claims of the others
was never even brought to the notice OF the
house-the minority well knowing that the
majority would decide in favor Of the preten-
sons of a SitoaI to seat, provided he was
known to be "aHright" on the "loo6e KUN
tuz" and ",coot" questions.
And who is at present the legal and le-
gitimate territorial printer !
In previous numbers we have demonstra-
ted that the action of the majority of the
house, and minority of the council lin
reference to the joint convention affair, }
was cheat, fraud, bare-faced, unbush-
ing swindle; that the election of Wallace,
as territorial printer, was illegal and fraudu-
lent, because the council did not constitute
part of the joint convention because elev-
en- members of the house protested against
the action of the majority because there
was not q quorum, Tor majarity,) of the
assembly present when the vote was taken
for the election of printer. We will explain
this matter more fully. In all legislative
bodies that we have ever heard Of, in order
to transact business, q majority, at least, is
necessary to constitute quorum, and such
was the rule under which the late legislature
acted. By virtue of "an act to apportion
the representation of the Territory of Wash
ington passed February LIST, lS55-sec-
ton 2d-it is provided that the last house
of representatives should consist of ttoenty-
nine members. That number was elected,
and ttoenty-eigh occupied seats. The coun-
Gil consists of nine members. Now the to-
tai number of votes cast for printer, in the
"one-horse" joint convention was nineteeH.
Is that number MAJORITY Of hirtyeight,
recognized By LaU? And when it is remem-
bered that Wallace had the mOllesty to add
to the fraudulent arrangement by casting an
Illegal vote-in violation Of Council Rule,
No. 26, which says
"No member shall be permitted TO vote on any ques
ton where his private right distinct from public In
terest is Immediately concerned "
by what rule Of mathematics can the apol-
ogists of the foul transaction cypher up
legal majority or quorum Of the members of
the assembly, actually occupying seats, pres
ent and voting for territorial printer2
Council Rule, No. 3S, further says
"No rule or order Of the Council shall be altered or
repealed nor shall any new standing rule order be
adopted, unless days previous notice thereof be
given in each case and such notice shall be entered on
the Journal"
Does COL Wallace claim that the public
interest" could in any way have been sub
served by his electionH We are prepared
to show that directly the opposite will be
the result Of this gross attempt to coerce
and nulify the powers and prerogatives Of
the council-perpetrate fraud upon the
people and Outrage common sense and de-
cency. And yet, with the array of all the
foregoing 6aels against him, Wallace has the
bare-faced effrontery to claim to have been
legally elected territorial printer Such i'm
'pudence is fur beyond the pretensions of
Ward, Clark and Bishop to seats in the leg
stature.
But this is not all. can act to provide
for the Public Printing, and the distribution
Of the Laws and Journals, passed April
llth, lS54-section 1st-provides as fol-
lows
That there shall be elected annually by the legis.
latve assembly, upon joint ballot ateitorial printer
iuho shall ssTve for year from the date Of his eee
h0n, AND Until his successor q escted AND qualified;
and such printer shall within ten days after bis eloc
ton, or before entering upon the duties Of his Office
enter into bond with Sufficient security 10 Be approved
BY the Secretary Of The territory with conditions for
printing and faithful performance Of all the duties re
quired OF him by law"
Section 9th, Of the foregoing act, further
provides as follows:
"Copies Of Said la,Os and journals SHALL b. fur
nished he said TERRITORIAL PRINTER by lhs CHIEF
WITHIN TWENTY DAYS after the d9ournmsnt," &C.
We will now briefly sum up the relative
position of all parties concerned, and the
facts connected with the above;
1t well be observed that the Secretary of
the territory has nothing to do in the premi-
ses, further than to determine as to the suf-
feieney Of the bond and security offered by
the territorial printer; and by direction of
Secretary Q. H. MASON, previous to his de-
parture for the Atlantic side, we have every
reason to believe that acting Secretary l. W.
SMITH, has forwarded faithful transcript Of
the proceedings of thelegislature, relative to
the election Of public printer, to the proper
department at Washington, for its considera-
finn and daoicion in tho ,1roo,;soe