, 1856-12-12
Our legislature.


sembly of the territory of Washington, con,
rened at Olympia, as prescribed by law, or
the hrst Monday of the present instant
After the usual preliminaries, the house
was called to order and temporarily organi
zed by the selection Of WM NJ. MoRRow
of Sawamish, as speaker, and Q. A. Brooks
of Thurston, as chief clerk.
The committee on Credentials reported
that all the members present, had been reg
uIarly elected, and we're entitled to seats
during the deliberations of the legislature
The counties Of Walla-walla and Skamania
returned no accredited representatives
Mr.. THoRNDYKE, joint representative of the
counties of jefferson and Clallam, was de.
clared absent, although regularly vouched
for as q member of the assembly.
On Tuesday the house was permanently
organized, by the election Of j. S. SMITH,
of Island, speaker r. L. DOYLE, of Thurs
ton, chief clerk W. II. CARLTON, assistant
clerk /; and LEVI SHELTON and +. W. Aus
TIN, door-keepers.
On taking the chair, Mr.. SMITH, in re-
turning his thanks for the honor conferred
upon him, embraced the opportunity ol
making some remarks relative to the
past, present and future Of our territory,
combining histoy, facts and deductions very
Opportune, and which was listened to with
the greatest attention. On some future
occasion, we may present his remarks in
full, to our readers ..s
In the determination as to who should
be recognized as the regular officers of the
house, it affords us pleasure in saying that
the question was adjusted in a liberal spirit
. and upon democratic basis The party
having the majority, declared their prefer.
ences, and when vote was taken as to
choice, it was decided, rira rOr, through.
out, with but blank exception, unani.
mously.
Up to this time in the house, matters
have progressed agreeably, with but slight
exception whatever the exception may be,
will be understood, hereafter, as belonging
to personal record. There is pleasure in
the reflection that the majority in the house,
coming from all portions of the Union,
have determined to institute the example
Of the riva voce over the ballot system oi
voting. a"a
We may, perhaps, be tr-spassing on the
attention Of the public, by offering private
views with regard to the manner in which
general elections should be held, but we
cannot refrain from expressing our decided
preference for the rira rocs over the ballot
system of voting. Under other forms oI
government, aud under different system
Of state legislation-in the presence OIL
chartered monopolies, and where capita
controls labor, instead of labor controlling
capital, we might say that the latter would
be preferable to the former system. Tc
cur mind, in matters Of elective franchise
there is tyranny more insupportable and
more obnoxious, to national men, whether
they be from north or south, in voting by
ballot than vira voce.
Since the organization of the house
those who have witnessed the operations
must concede that members Of that branch
have been vigilant. A review of our pres.
ent judicial system is now pending.
For moment we will dismiss the house
and turn our attention towards the council
That body was organized on Wednesday OIL
last week, (after preliminary organiza.
tion,) by the election of Col. WM. H. WAL
LACE, president; ELwoOD EVANS secretary;
FRANK BALcH, assistant secretary II. D.
HERRINGroN, sergeant-at-atms, and JoHN
Scorr, doorkeeper. 1t would be proper to
observe that the delegation from Clarke
county were not present at the time that
the council determined to go into an cleo
ti0n OF permanent officers. Had Messrs.
HuFF and VANVLEET, of Clarke county,
been present at the organization, it would
not, probably, have been upon the same
basis that it is now. It will be observed
that the house was organized upon a stub
born democratic principle-that the party
nominees were carried by the rira vOcc sys-
TEN of voting, with but one exception,
unanimously. 1t may afford others pride
to recur to the fact that the council was
organized by determination on the part
of its members, that they would vote, in
the first place, for whom they pleased, and
in the next place, knowing that it would bo
impossible to succeed with partizan, each
member transferred his vote to him whom
he desired to he elected