Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-02-05
From cur Madison Correspondent.
Madison, Wis, Jan. 81, 1862.

! SullCu " Tie Sldtc liOili tHt SCI iSeo W
the legislature during the week which
closes to-day. But while Railroads
will give passes, members will go home,
and "recesses," that chronic weakness
Of Wisconsin legislatures, are the inev-
liable consequence. And, by the way,
Railroads have important interests i'll
the hands Of our law makers, This re-
mark is especially true this session,
when the subject of taxing Railroad
property is being agitated, and with
the greatest proprlety, for it is the
grossest injustice that these fat monop-
olics should escape the burdens which
farmers and lumbermen have to bear.
Now, for member Of the Legislature
to accept bribe is made punishable,
by our statutes, with Imprisonment
and how far removed from this offense
is it to receive these same passes from
Railroads?
The Assembly this morning was the
scene Of disreputable farce, in which
granting leaves of absence to members
and endeayoring to rccapture those
who had left their seats without the
fornality of obtaining leave, were rath-
er ludicrousy y mixed. And thus about
halfthe seats were vacant by l o'clock.
Enough has already transpired this
session to disclose one lamentable fact,
and that is that the tory, anti-war ele-
ment, is decidedly in the ascendancy
on .he Democratic side of either house.
This may not be SO much due TO their
numerical strength, as to the ability
and unscrupulousness of the disciples
Of Vallandigham, but certain it is that
the Democratic members Of this legis-
lature make but an indifferent exhibi-
ton Of loyalty. But let our Republi-
can members give these gentlemen am
pie opportunities to put themselves on
the record on these sub iects, that when
''grlm visaged war has snoothcd his
wlinkled 'front.'" the citizens of Wis
consin, enjoying the blessings of Lib
erty without the damning exception
which has heretofore cursed our coun-
try, as well as the blessings Of Union,
NAV be able to discern the true PATRI-
OF from the base ca,OaterTet regret
that it must be confessed that Treason
is rampant i'll this city. y few days
ago a gentleman who formerly Y resided
at this place, where ne was connected
with leading Democratic paper, and
who is now i'll the army, returned to
this city on business. During his brief
stay he happened to meet at the office
Of an acquaintance 4 number Of Dem
ocrats with whom he had formerly
worked, shoulder to shoulder, engaged
in ventilatlng their d!sloyal sentiments.
He listened to them but few moments,
and then surprised them by rebuking
| them in the most scathine manner for
their treason, and asserting that he had
not heard more disloyal expressions
! from the most open secessionist in the
Southland yet, when Sumter fell,
with the words of the great Douglas
ringing in their cars, none were more
earnest or more effective III their sup
port Of the government than Demo
Gratis. y man approaching place
where battle was raging, met a SOL
dies rGnaing away. "W hat is the mat
ter? Are you wounded :" he asked
NO" replied the soldier, II am not
wounded, but tea1JuXy dcmoraA=cd ~
And perhaps that's what's the matter
with Democracy.
A ludicrous incident occurred this
week, which deserves mention. Jack
Turner (who, like a certain other Jack
of my acquaintance, is little, but Oh,
G-N had some twenty gold pieces-a
circumstance into which the aext Edi
torial Convention should carefully in
Quire. He walked into the Senate
Chamber the other day, and approach
ing Sat. Clark, a Democrat of more
notoriety than virtue, asked him why
he didn't draw his mileage, at the same
time significantly exhibiting the obso-
lescent coins above mentioned. Now.
Sat. had drawn bis mileage, but had
received it, as had all the members, in
paper money. His suspicious were
naturally aroused, and be was confirm
ed IL them upon several other Republi-
can members successfully making sim
liar exhibitions Of spondpies which
Jack had lent them for that purpose ::
and the Senate that afternoon listened
to violent burst Of indignation from
Sat- at the partality Of the Treasurer
in paying Republicans in gold, while
he gave Democrats nothing but paper
money! OF course, all who understood
the joke enjoyed this TRADE hugely,
and, indeed, any one who knows Mr.
Hastings will at once acquit him of