The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-03-01
Legislative Topics.

The Senate is digniied and able body,
but being composed principally Of lawyers,
its discussions are often duller than argu-
ments in a law court. Sometimes, however,
there is an episode that carries the Senators
and the auditory high up into the realms of
poetry and neurological lore, and leaves
them there out of breath and puzzled how
to get down without breaking their necks.
The other day, Mr.. JONES, like Hercules
awakened the old three-headed dog Gerber.
us, that Orpheus put to sleep thousands Of
years ago, with the dulcet strains of his
Tyre, and attempted to drag him from his
guardianship of the gates of hell, to guard
the big iron safe in CHARLEY ScHEFFERs
Office. JONES couldn't get the old dog to
leave his post, and gave up the job. Since
then, several other members have given him
poke in the ribs, but be remains steadfast.
He has been grati6ed by the notice and
compliments he has received by Senators,
and when they present themselves at his
gate, he will wag his serpent tail in token
of grateful recognition, and allow the gate
to swing wide open, son golden hinges turn
ing"
Mr.. CLEVELAND said he didn't know much
about the dog "Cerburious," and so be went
away down on the lower Mississippi, and
chanted "Dixie," for the benefit of the Sen
ator from Olmsted, and then improvised a
few stanzas, the rythm of which was mix.
ture of "Mother Goose" and LoNGFELLow's
ssEyangeline;" his machine was not we'll
fabricated, and after creaking awhile, it
gave out, and he started for the garden of
the Hesperides. In bis favorite character
of a posteriorial gymnosophist, he climbed
the trees and plucked whole hat-flll Of the
golden apples, and shook several bushels
down on the heads Of his brother Senators,
which the little apple girl soon gathered up
and sold to the hungry lobby at three cents
each.
FATHER RE1NER, not to be outdone in
poetry or mythology, by Senators of green
er age, revived poem of the devout Cow
PER and launched it at the head of the ardent
JONES, and almost knocked him off his pins,
and then sat down, to chew the quid of
satisfaction at the exploit.
Mr.. JONES got up, with most beautiful
sufusion of poetic fervor in his counte-
nance, and asked CLEVELAND and REINER,
in triumphant tone, if they had ever heard
of the song, "Three Grains of Corn or the
"Song of the Shirt" They never had, of
course-so he proceeded to sing those
songs, 10 most artistic manner, and to the
great delight of all listeners.
Mr.. SANBoBN, the blushing Senator from
Ramsey, deliberately placing his hands on
his hips, to prevent an accident, in case his
suspenders gave way, their being ladies
presently, proceeded to exhibit his poetic
recollections. He dug up old Sir WILLIAM
JONES' What Constitutes State" and
recited it with all the fervor that usually
animates him when arguing cases before the
Supreme Court. He was inclined to agree
with Sir WILLIAM. but if any one objected,
be would take the quotations back.
The above transpired during discus.
sion on the bill for Superintendent of
Public Instruction. The bill must have
been meritorious or it would not have sur
vived the infection.
COUNTY OFFICERs.-Tbere is an attempt
being made, on the part of county officers
in different parts of the State, to have a
bill struggled through the Legislature to
extend their terms of office. The ostensible
object is to make the elections of those off.
GERS uniform in all the counties, but the real
object is to prevent the people from having
an opportunity of expressing their prefer
ences at the next election. 1t has been
stated as a reason for the passage of the bill,
that such radical change in political SEN
timent has been going on among the people
that an election next fall would inevitably
result in ousting from Office large number
of Republican officials, and that certain
State officials are prominent advocates of
the bill.
MORE RAILROAD BILLs.-A small show
er of Railroad bills fell in the House on
the goth, of which we give synopses below.
One introduced by Mr.. CORNELL, revives
under another name the Transit road. 1t
provides
SEC. l. All rights of the company acquired
by the State shall be transferred to Orville
Clark, A. Wing, ]. w. Kirk, Robert Hgham,
J. W. Smith. Nelson P. Stewart, and B. w.
Perkins.
Sec. 2. All rights granted by the Territorial
Legislature CS5O are continued to said new
company, who shall be known as the "Wino-
ma, st. Peters, and Missouri River Railroad
Company" successor to the Transit Company.
Sec. 8. The w. st. P. and NJ. r. Go. shall
hn;ld ond mt in oneratiOn in l8 months after