The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-03-11
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Sixth Legislature Of Minnesota.
AS Seen from the Reporters Desk.

The divisions and subdivisions of opr oum.
brous and complicated system of Legislative
| government, one and all, seem to occupy 9, sub.
| ordinate and almost contemplate position in
the public estimation, if. we may judge the
| public by its words. But, as few men are
| found to decline the tender of share in the
| legislative government of town, city or county.
and no mar rejects the offer of seat in State
Legislature Or National Congress, it is but fair
to conclude that the public ridicules and, de
crys its legislative officers, as much from the
peculiar popular disposition to assert individual
equality, by denying respect to those occupy
ing positions of official or social importance, as
from any other cause. Yet, the frequent as.
semblies of numerically large bodies in each
State, to consider and act upon subjects which
| might mostly be safely committed to county or
town governments, subjects in which the gen.
eral public takes no interest corrupt and dis
honest legislative action, favored by the ease
with which such action could be cOnsumma-
ted, through the whip and spur of party drill,
and originating in the demands of strong To-
calities or influential parlizans, backed by all
corrupting appliances; combined with other
results of an imperfect system OF govern.
ment-have united to put dash of ser-
BUSINESS in the common joke, which with comic
reversal of traditional honors, assumes that
man is discredited by having been sent to
Legislature or even to a Congress. The pub
lie grOwls, with sarcastic wonderings and
guessings, over the time occupied in special
legislation; grOans if general law is over
hauled and amended and grumbles with espe-
cial acerbity, that it recognizes no remarkable
ability, 10 eloquence and small honesty, among
its legislators 1t is but just, if not respectful
to the amiable public, to suggest that it, the
public, knows very little about what is being
done in the Legislature and less as to the CON-
parative or collective ability or honesty of the
members and that it takes great deal for
granted when it tiippantly renews its gibes and
jeers for each succeeding Legislature. And it
might truly be added that the wonder is not
that some officials are dishonest aud others in
competent, but the greater wonder is that such
people, so enslaved by partisan politics, and
so openly given to admiration of successful
rascality and to contempt Of honesty and weak
knecd scoundreism alike as is the great Amer
can public. should ever have any honest officers
| or so often have able ones.
| But the Reporter undertook to give his i'm
pressions of the late House of Representatives
The House, as a body, i'll comparison with
Others of former wears, did not seem to rank
| SO high in intellect as in industry and honesty.
| There were but few takers among the mem.
| bers and of those few not more than two or
three that could ordinarily interest either the
House or the Lobby. But its industry was
| shown in the full attendance upon committee
meetings. and in the knowledge and under
standing of bill by each member of the COM
mittee that reported upon it, as also in the gen.
eral full attendance at the sessions of the House.
| Its honesty, as a Legislative body, was evil
| denced on more than OneOccasiOn in the course
of the Session. and at The close the few bills
which have passed that ought not to have
| passed, may all be ascribed to the evil system
of special legislation for which this Legislature
is no further responsible than that it did not at
tempt to do away with it; while it may be
added that the House formed no combinations
to the credit # the House that its members did
not engage in personal controversies, and did
treat each other with courtesy, fact which
may be ascribcd to nearly unanimous political
sentiment, or to the gentlemanly disposition of
individuals, as the reader pleases.
Reporting day after day the proceedings of
the House. some members are of course most
in ti,o ind
members who were fully as useful to the State
and to their constituents the men whose yea
or nay was promptly given upon every bill,
and whose labor in preparing and amending
the various bills, aud watchfulness over State
and local interests, do not often show upon re-
ports Or Journals.
TIE SPEAKER.
Mr.. Benson is a prompt and impartial pre-
siding officer quick to comprehend aud ready
in keeping track of the changes sometimes IA
pidly incorporated into IA BILL Not very posi-
tive in asserting his opinion upon questions of
order, and with but few occasions for show
of familiarity with parliamentary rulings he
yet impressed the members with good opin-
ion of his fitness for the position he occupied.
His courtesy towards any member could not
be questioned and his affable kindness of dis
position was remarked by all. Upon the floor.
as debater, Mr.. Speaker was not so success
full Slow utterance-a seeming hesitation as
to the choice of wcrds-stoppcd up his interest
in question, till it burst out in conclusions
for which he had not prepared his hearers: or.
if his interest in the subject was less, his re-
marks were SO cold and constrained, as 10 ex-
cite a suspicion in the casual nearer of his talk
ing for the sake of talking.
MR.. ARMSTRONG, OF OLMSTED.
Mr.. Armstrong was a leading member of
the House in many respects, and by far it's
most able debater, being brief, clear and logi.
cal. AS chairman of the Committee on Banks
he made himself familiar with the banking
system of the State, and labored. in part sue.
cessfully, for its improvement. He was also a
working member of the Judiciary Committe.
and his opinions upon legal or constitutional
questions were frequently called for in debate.
MR.. BUTLER, OF WRIGHT.
Mr.. Butler rarely took part in debates,
but in presenting business to the House al
ways explained it in few words and had no
frOn 10 NIT