, 1864-02-13
legislative Proceedinea.

s,ltuents with copies, and as all the papers
published at the Capital were down on the
assembly for giving Cor rather endorsing the
giving) of the public printing to an out
slider, there has not been any authentic re-
port of the proceedings published, l there
fore, in response to the request OF numer-
GUS citizens, send you a synopsis OF the prln-
cipal acts of the Legislature this winter,
which are of particular interest to the peO-
pie of the supper country" The most I'M
portant act of the session was the AppOr-
tionment Bill From the first settlement OF
this portion of the Territory we have been
deprived of our proper repres entation IN the
Legislature. This winter l found on my
arrival at Olympia a general desire mani
tested by the representatives Of every sec
ton except the central clique at ThurstOn,
to give to every portion of the Territory Its
Just dues in the way of Legislation. The
Representatives of Thurston on the floor Of
the House opposed everything that they
thought had tendency to benefit any other
than Thurston county, and voted (to the
best of my recollection unanimously against
every measure Except one) proposed by the
Representatives of the upper country, often
making themselves appear ludicrous by vo-
ting against measures which were clearly To-
cal in their character and upon the passage
or defeat of which Thurston or its represen-
tatives could not possibly have any interest;
as for instance, a bill regulating fees Of
Constables in Walla Walla county, against
which they voted and worked with a zeal
worthy of better cause" The exception
alluded to above was the apportionment bill,
which they were (atter all their efforts to
amend so as to destroy its effects and make
a majority of the Districts abolition, had
proved abortive) constrained to vote for un-
der a press of circumstances which they
dared not resist AS l before stated, all
other sections of the Territory fully assisted
US in the passage of every measure OF
interest or benefit to this portion of
the Territory, and 1 am satisfied that they
will give us credit for having reciprocated
their kindness by assisting them in the pas
SAGE of their local laws. If we had not mu-
tually assisted each other the "ThurstOn
delegation" would have clogged the wheels
of legislation as they were down on both
sections of the Territory and neither section
could carry any measure against them with
out the assistance Of the other section. The
good people of Thurston have paid dearly
for their folly in electing such men, for so
unpopular did they make themselves by their
oficious intermeddling, that every bill
which they introduced (and some Of them
really had some meri) was "indehnitely
postponed" OF killed by some other member
introducing a substitute embracing the same
matter, which would pass. Their action
also embittered the hostility against Olym-
pia and came very near taking the Capital
from that place. In the language Of a very
popular song now going the rounds, the peo-
pie of Thurston "were big enough and old
enough and ought to knowd better" than
to elect such men and it is to be hoped they
will next time select Representatives from
the honest masses instead of taking a set Of
broken down political renegades who have
lost their character and been expelled from
the Democratic party and who will ruin any
organization to which they may attach them
selves.
BY the apportionment bill passed this
winter, Walla Walla gets one Councilman
to be elected in 1864 and Eve full and one
Joint Representatives in the House.
The election law has been SO amended that
elections will hereafter be held on the first
Monday in June, instead of July as hereto
fore
The next most important bill was the
"Revenue bill" The Legislature last win
ter failed to pass a revenue bill and some
fears were entertained, as there were so
many conflicting opinions in relation to the
matter that there would not be bill passed
this winter. The second week of the ses-
sion the committee on Ways and Means
were instructed to report a bill for the col
lection of revenue but did not respond un-
til the very last days Of the session. When
the bill was reported there were numerous
amendments offered and it was feared that
it would be killed; in fact, a motion to in
definitely postpone came very near carrying
[ offered an amendment providing that all
poll tax collected should be for the exclusive
use of the county instead Of one half to the
Territory as heretofore-w was the only
amendment to the bill that prevailed. The
bill now stands in the same language of the
old revenue bill with the exception that two
mills are levied for Territorial purposes and
the whole poll tax goes to the counties.
By a special bill the road tax in Walla
Walla county this year is one days work or
three dollars in money.
A police tax is levied after the lst day Of
March of eight dollars per quarter on all
Mongolians over eighteen years of age;-
twenty four per cent. Of which goes to the
Sheriff and fifty per cent. Of the residue to
the county and the balance to the Territory
Special power has been granted to the
County Commissioners of Walla Walla
county to levy tax not exceeding seven
mills for the purpose Of liquidating the in
debtedness Of the county. There is, how
ever, in the bill, provision which makes it
imperative upon the Commissioners to sub
nit the amount of tax levied, to the people
for ratification or rejection at the next gene
raj election. 1 was opposed to the incorpo-
ration of this provision in the bill and still
believe that it will not be productive Of any
good to the county. 1 believe the real par
ties interested would have been satisfied to
have the Commissioners levy a tax at once,
without submission of the matter to vote,
which will delay, and perhaps defeat the OBJ
ject Of the bill
IL