, 1856-01-25
The last Legislative Wrinkle |!
Frank Clark Triumphant %


ing one Territorial Librarian, one Treas
urer, one Auditor, one Adjutant, one
Quartermaster General, and one Commis-
sary General"
Above we give the resolution of the two
Houses to meet in joint convention Jan.
oath, to elect the officers therein named ;
and on the Council meeting the House in
convention, Clark, member Of the House,
moved to go into the election of Printer,
an officer that had been agreed by both
Houses, not 10 be eiected al tSat tine.
A joint convention meets to perform 4
specified duty, by resolution previously
passed, and no business Of any kind can be
legally performed but that contained in
the resolution that convened them
Clark, in convention, moved to 60 into
the election OF Public Printer, and the
President of the convention ruled his mo-
ton out Of order, and refused to put it to
vote. Clark took an appeal from the
Chair, and was about to ask the conven-
tioh to sustain his motion-the President
still declining so to do. Clark averred
that he would, in the morning, file pro-
test against the decision of the President
of the convention, and the convention ad-
iourned to meet on the next day (Friday)
at half past ! 0 O'Clock. ~, '-ra,
We desire to give to theipeople, " full
and candid statement Of the whole matter,
aud let them Judge The proceedings Of
the two Houses in all their transactions
up to the time Clark made bis motion, had
beeu legal, aud according to law, and par
liamentary proceeding. His motion was
the FIRST departure from law and order in
the business up to that time; and now for
the facts of the case. .. .a.r r.. ..a..
o. LIST. Arjont convention, if of legis-
lative body has limited powers, and can do
nothing beyond what is set forth in the
resolution by which they are convened as
a joint body. g.,r % aor Hos .b
I'd. Any departure from this rule, is
in violation of all parliamentary precedent
and laws governing legislative bodies, and
we appeal to Jefferson's manual as antho-
rity to sustain this statement The Presi-
dent Of the Convention could not haYe en-
tertained the motion, made by Clark with
out violating the law and the rules govern.
ing such body; and the Council are justi-
fable, upon n full understanding of the in
tention of the House, to tramplc law and
order under their feet, not to meet them,
and permit them to barter away the peo-
pies rights. ,.f..... .r
u Again, the House, in convention, are
about to commit other illegal acts, by at
tempting to gil three offices where there
were no vacancies. ID.
We will now proceed to scan the mo-
tiVes of some Of the prominent actors in
this disgraceful transaction, and leave the
people, as jury, to sit in Judgment upon
them and make up their verdict. s
We think the annals of no Legislative
body will show such an unexampled at
tempt at political Juggling and knavcry as
attempted by Clark Of the House of Rep
resentatiVes. 1t stauds forth in its naked
hideousness, without one redeemiag fea-
turs The foul scheme cannot even claim
moderate talent and acquiremquts fot its
father. Those who besI kaO,0 him say they
are not disappointed; but we confess we
are, because we did not fully know him.
To know him is enough
A man of this character, to attain the
high position Of q leader of legislative
body, is matter Of astonishment indeed to
honest men but such leader was suited
to the dirty work to be done; and we ven
yture to say that in the proceedings Of no
legislative body, can parallel case of such
violation Of law and good faith, be pro
duced. About the dnties of men, as mem
bers of this lcgisture, no candid and well
meaning man could be mistaken, and we
are convinced, beyond doubt, that it was
premeditated attempt to outrage, and in
suit honest men in the discharge of their
duty.
One of two propositions are true, it was
done by Clark, either through ignorance or
design take either horn of the dilemma,
and he stands before the public, in the un-
enviable position of "small-beano politi-
clan, OF the lowest calibre. He, laying
claim to some small portion of legal knowl-
edge, should not have betrayed his ignor-
ance so shamefully, did he know better; but
we must attribute it to bis low, trucking hy-
pocrisy either of which, in future, will in
sure for him, the contempt of all gentlemen
as q man whose word and faith, in matters