, 1864-01-16


THE WEATHER for the past week, as the
almanacs say, has been variable, from very
| cold to warm and pleasant, from windy and
cloudy to calm and sunshine, from snow to
rain and from rain to snow--every sort at
times and nothing long. To-day (Friday)
it was foggy in the morning, raining until
about ten o'clock, and now, at the pres
ent writing, it is showing very fast and
looks as if it might never stop; what kind
of weather we will have in an hour from
now, tonight or tomorrow no one can con-
lecture with any degree of certainty. An
old gentleman, who has lived in this and
other countries about three times as long as
we have, and whose locks are almost as
white as the falling snow, remarked awhile
ago in our presence that he had never lived
in country before where the weather was
so changeable and where predictions in re-
gard to it were so uncertain After philos-
ophising on the subject at some length, he
remarked, with gravity and earnestness
which told plainly that be knew whereof he
spoke, 81 have deliberately come to the con-
clusion that the changes in the weather here
are owing to the heavy aoiads e I the at
mosphereP OF course we assented to the
proposition, out of respect to age; but had
he been younger man, the reply, itching
at the tongues end, would have been, ono
sir, the changes in the weather here are
more to be attributed to the state of the
weather" But Notwithstanding the many
changes of weather we are subject to have at
this season of the year, it is conceded on all
hands that our climate is superior to any
and all others on the North Pacific coast.
SOMETHING TO BE DONE FOR THE "PoOR
BLACK MAN" The sympathy of the radi-
cal portion of the present Congress for the
''poor black man" seems to have no bounds.
Bills from the lghtest brown tinge to the
most Infamous black are being introduced
for the benefit of the contraband population.
One bill offered, and which will probably
pass, puts the negro soldier on an equality
with the white in regard to pay, bounty and
other respects. Of course, when the war is
over the 'colored brethren will be entitled
to all the rights Of citizenship. We hope
when that time comes, that New England
philanthropy will extend the cordial hand
of welcome and receive an immense host of
the black creatures with open arms. She
owes it to her past course to do so; and the
results of such course is all the harm we
wish her. What Congress is doing for the
poor white trash we do not know, probably
nothing, as they seem to be scarcely men,
toned any more in polite circles
A PIoUs LEGIsLATURE.-It will be seen
by reference to our Olympia correspondence,
that we have an exceedingly piops set Of
representatives in our Territorial Legislature.
The two political parties appear to have been
yieing with each other for the palm of piety
and extreme loyalty With the Repub-
licans Radicalism is the quintessence of
piety and duty, and to Offset abolition Gre
solves" and cap the climax, the Democrats
eDdeavor to pass the ten commandments
The commandments are tabled and 1ost :
the Constitution of the United States is ig-
nored or played out, and John Browns
soul goes marching on in its progressive
flight of freedom" If it were not for the
fact that some of our legislators ego their
piles" on bean poker, our Legislature might
be considered one of the most righteous
and dehberative bodies on the continent
THE UNIoN-We have received the
first number ola new paper called the Dai-
y Union, published at Portland 1t is
printed on a sheet of the size used by the
Times, and contains more reading matter
than any other daily published in Oregon. 1t
is published by an association of practical
printers, and has very creditable appear
ance. In politics, it is about the same as
the other Portland dailies, and promises an
earnest support of the Administration in all
measures. 8ao
HOME MADE BRooMs.-We observed
Mr.. j. F. Wood, some weeks ago, supplying
the market Of this city with brooms Of his
own manufacture, from broom-corn raised
by himself upon his farm in this county.
That there is economy in more ways than one
in patronizing home industry we can certify,
in the fact that Mr.. W. presented US couple
of his brooms a year ago, one of which has
been in constant daily use in the Office since
that time and bids fair to last yet another
year.
THE much talked Of prize fight between