The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-03-20
Hon. Henry M. Rice Of Minnesota
and Hon. Milton s. Latham of
the Senate.

From the Washington Chronicle, March G.
Among the Senators whose terms closed
on the 4th of March are Henry NJ Rice,
of Minnesota and Milton S. Latham, of
California, and we know we express the
opinion of every patriotic member of that
body when we say that they have not
left behind them single enemy, and that
they will be remembered with pleasure by
all who have been associated with them.
Claiming to be members of the Demo-
cratic party, they have sternly and stead
lily held alOOf from all factions and disor-
ganizing movements in the Senate, and
while entertaining many opinions not in
accordance with the majority, have, on
nearly every occasion, contributed, by
their presence and their votes, to every
measure essential to vigorous prosecu-
ton of the war. They scOrn to allow
themselves to be used for the purpose of
obstructing legislation or weakening the
Government, and approaching the respon-
sibilities and troubles of our public SER
wants, they remained constantly in their
seats, and more than once aided to con-
stitute q quorum, so that the public
business might 60 on. Mr.. Latham is
still a young man. lie was elected to
the House of Representatives in 1853.
AT the expiration of his term, he was cho-
sen Governor Of that great State; and
when he left that position, he was elected
to the Senate of the United States. He
has been the faithful, Industrious, and Or
dent friend of the mighty American en-
pire on the Pacific. Since our present
troubles, Mr.. Latham has carefully avoid
ed political speeches. Strongly attached
to the Democratic party, he seemed to act
upon the theory that, he could best serve
his country by refusing to consume the
public time, either in lending himself to
the schemes OF the self-constituted leaders
of the Democracy or in filling the pages of
the Congressional Globe with bitter and
complaining harangues. And he could
have adopted no course so well calculated
to increase his own influence and to endear
him to his political antagonists. Ever
ready to assist them in necessary legisla
ton, he rarely asked at their hands what
they were not willing to concede. Mr..
Rice is another type of the same school.
Intimately associated for many years
with the ultra-proslavery leaders, the
friend and companion of Breckenridge,
there has not been an hour since the re-
bellion broke out in which he has not been
formost in proving his devotion to the re-
public We need not recall the instances
in which, with manly Indignation, he re-
buked certain Democratic leaders and sus-
tanned the Administration and the war;
He scorned the idea that coercion should
not be employed against the rebels, and
he has never failed to exhibit honest con-
tempt equally for the sympathizers with
treason and the traitor himself. We shall
never forget the emphasis and spirit of his
brief defense of Major General Benjamin
B. Butler, few days ago, when an effort
was made to discredit that brave and ac-
complished soldier and statesman. These
two public men will shortly return to their
respective homes. They will go there as
Democrats; but whether they will act
with the Democratic organization hereaf-
ter, will depend upon the fact whether
that organization will exclude them be-
cause they have been firm and steady
friends of the war. They have made a
record that will stand forth as monument
to their honor, and that may be fttingly
and proftably cOntrasted with the record
of those other men who insist upon occu-
plying the lead in the old party, and who
have perseveringly toiled to identify it
with the enemies of our country.