The Portland daily press., 1863-01-10

AUGUSTA, Jan. 8, 1868.
Early in the last session of the legislature,it
was remarked by member of the House, as
one of the most singular condolences of the
season, that while the seats of members were
distributed by lot in which of course there
could be no Partially, it was nevertheless
fact that nearly all the "oldstagers," and those
who held the axes to be ground, drew their
seats in the front row, or "dress circle,' while
those who were expected simply to turn the
grindstone, were sure to find themselves i'm
the back lots. The fact had been often OBJ
served before, but it was probably attributed
to the mere accidental turn of fortunes wheel,
the old and influential members, who knew
all the ropes, having uniformly better "streak
Of luck" than the verdant and unsophisticated
new members.
Wednesday morning, before the House was
called to order, quite stable cat was discov-
cred beneath this white heap, or this lottery,
by which impartial justice is melted out to the
assembled wisdom. box containing Isl
numbers-correspondin to the numbering of
the seats-is presented to each rep" as he
walks up to the Messengers stand to receive
his package of stationery, from which to draw
his seat. One of the past unfortunates, SMELL
ing rat in the box, proposed to have the
numbers counted before the drawing COM
menced; the proposition was warmly second
ed, when 10! more than twenty numbers were
found wanting, not one of them from the back
lots, but all from the dress circlel Who it is
so deficient In mathematical gifts that he could
not count the small number, but was obliged
to commence with twenty-five or thirty. no
one pretends to know; but in justice to all par
ties it should be stated that the new Messen-
GERM. Goudy-was not then chosen, and
the person in charge of the box declared his
innocence, and asserted that the box was pre-
pared by an old official. Ofcourse a new deal
was called Tor, and it was superlatively anus
Ing to find, as the result, old stagers removing
their boots and dry goods from the pleasantest
seats, behind which they had ensconced them
selves, to new localities in the back settle
ments. There were countenances marked by
the deep dark lines of disappointment, as well
as those lighted up with unexpected pleasure.
The Democratic candidate for Clerk of the
House, j. L. Hunter, is the same gentleman
who recently had quarters at Fort Preble, for
encouraging soldiers to descent from the en-
campment at Augusta. This calls to mind
what was said to the writer Of this, relative to
said Hunter, by one of the "unterrifiedn of Au-
gusta about the time of his arrest Said he.
1.-THE dignity of the State has been lowered and
insulted in the arrest of such fellow. He is
utterly unworthy of the compliment The
commanding officer, instead of requiring his
arrest should have kicked his - pantaloons
on the field, and that's all the attention of
which he was worthyp This is the treat
ment recommended by one of the most genial
fellows on the Kennebec, and, withal, one of
the most loyal of the doubtful, only he used
less circuitous Anglo Saxon than have put
into his mouth.
1t is creditable to portion of the Demo-
Gratis OF the House, that while they command
ed forty votes for their candidate for Speaker.
they could bring only twenty-six up to the
scratch to vote for Hunter. Ii the candidate
can be redeemed from obloquy and contempt
by such party fayorshe must be made up If
peculiar elements.
Mr.. Wiggin OF Saco received only two votes
for President of the Senate,-his two York Co.
colleagues. All the other democrats in that
body-Peters of Penobscot, Reed of Lincoln,
and Plummer of Washington-voted for Mr..
Farwell. Mr.. Wiggin did not vote at all.
The weather is beautiful, the sleighing fair,
the skating upon the river delightful, and it is
being improved by large number OF both sexes.
XERXEs.