The Placer herald., 1858-07-24
A Day in the Legislature of 1898.
AN ADMIRABLE SATIRE,

io'n'nS upon tne resolution OF Mr. 1enpeck-
ct, deducting days pay from members for
each absence on the taking of any vote. Mr..
Ii. said he did not like to make invidious or
unpleasant remarks, but it had become no.
torlous that the married female members of
the House were in the daily habit of absent
ing themselves for hours together when the
most important business was pending, with
out so much as eXcusing themselves He
thought it crying wrong against the con-
stitution of the delinquents and against the
State of Massachusetts.
Several female members rose together in
an excited manner, and held up their pen :
ellis IN menacing attitude, but Mrs. Wides-
warth, of Nantucket, obtained the floor
She had seen before specimens of meanness
from tie other side of the House, and should
not therefore say that she was astonished
by the attack of Mr.. Henpecket on the re-
served rights of the maternal members. She
well understood the motives of this move
ment. The gentleman wished to compel the
maternal members to resign their seats and
thus remove their restraining influence from
this body, leaving the single female mem
bers unprotected and exposed to the evil in
|
gng the pardon of the Chair if she seemed
to stoop to personalities, she begged leave
to say that she could not doubt for mo-
ment that if Mrs. Henpecket was also
member of this House, the gentleman, her
| husband, would never have offered rcsou-
ton striking so fatal blow at the comfort
of the maternal members. Great sensation
on the male side Of the House
Miss Frostbit did not wish to put her nose
into what seemed sort of family quarrel
among the unhappy married members of this
House, but she did think the frequent out
running of the Materials for purposes per-
fectly natural and creditab!e to their feelings,
was an interruption of the business of the
House, and mus; e particularly unpleasant
in the wav of association of ideas, to the
married male members Cries of shame
from some of the fathers and mothers. She
would have both sides of this House know
that she was not to he put down by senseless
cries. But it was not her object to widen
the breach between the opposing sides of the
House. On the contrary she had risen to
suggest compromise, which she believed
would accomplish every proper object had
in view by Mr.. lienpecket. and at the same
time enable the maternal members to fulfill
all their duties without defraudng the State
of their services on this floor. Indeed, the
idea had been suggested to her several weeks
since by the Governors husband--a very ex-
ceent and trustworthy gentleman, as many
ladies who had entrusted their band boxes
and other valuables to his care, would cheer
fully testity-who had remarked to her that
the office of the Secretary of State was
very comfortable room, and might easily be
made convenient for nursery for the young
children of the maternal memt ers, and thus
prevent the necessity of their going conside-
rable distances to their boarding houses dur
ing the sessions, to satisfy the importunate
calls of their tender offspring. She (Miss
Frostbit,) bad no experience in the matter
and she could say with al! simplicity and
sincerity, that she was not unreconciled to
this fate-but she had heard and had reason
to believe that long separations Of the mo-
ther and the nursing were not consistent
with the health and comfort Of either. The
wind-(Here the speaker was interrupted by
the laughter Of il-bred boys in the galleries,
who were summarily elected by the Sergeant
alarms 1.-THE wind, as she had just been
about to observe
Here the Speakers hammer fell, and Miss
Frostbit was told that her time was up. The
reporter is informed by the fair speaker that
what she meant to say when thus unfortu-
nately cut off the second time was, '1he
wind should be tempered to the shorn
lamb" s"-and very pretty and appropriate
name it would have been for peroration.
Mr.. Henpecket rose merely to say that he
deprecated any unpleasantness, and regretted
that this question had taken personal turn.
He approved the suggestion of Miss Frostbit.
He thought the nascent Legislators of the
State could be very we'll taken care of in the
Secretary's Office, and he was permitted to
say, on behalf of the gentlemanly men of
leisure who occupied that room as clerks,
that it would give them much pleasure TO
devote their abundant leisure to the service
Of the little ones, while their anxious mo-
theirs were serving the State in higher
capacity up stairs.
Mrs. Multiple rose to speak, but was great
ly agitated, and the reporter could catch but
suggestive word or two, such as "unfeeling
wretch" "oh! Henry" "where is the doctor?"
when the honorable member sank heavily
to the floor Several hard screams were
heard from the seat occupied by the unmar-
ried members and general confusion ensued
for some moments. Mrs. M. was taken up
by several ladies and gentlemen, and car
ried carefully into an ante room. For
tunately, Miss DR.. Harriott, member Of the
Senate from Suffolk, was at hand, and when
the House had again resumed its usual or
der; it was whispered about that both were
as we'll as could be expected.
Miss Touchmenot hoped that no question
would be taken in the present excited and
nervous state of this body. She was sure
the female side of this House would be quite
incapable Of deliberate action till after cup
of tea and nights rest. She would there
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