, 1866-12-21
oirmnia cortesp,ondence.
OLYMPIA w. r, December 9Th, \


Sergeant-at-Arms, and VIM. Ysager, Doorkeep-
er-all straight democrats; or, as the radical
organ here has it-"all incorporating cop
perheads"' But what's Id q name7 Mach, l
think just now. The individual who prefers
the title of 'unconstitutional, dis1nion, Niger
equality, miscegeuation, amalgamatioh, damna
ton, black republican, abolitiou, radical" 70
that of "constitutional, demoeratir copperhead''
evinces an evident lack of taste for the eupho-
nious, to say the least. The organization was
not effected without considerable engineering"
After the radicals refused to appear in their seats
the democrats, as you are apprisedi look pos
session of the House and effected a temporary
organisation without the required quorum. The
radicals continued to "bob round on the out
side for two days, pretending that they were
awaiting the arrival Of two more OF their mem
bers; but all the time asserting that II the DEM
ocrats or copperheads, so-called, would nomis
nate any other man tnan their caucus nomipee,
they would come in and support him-the OBJ
ject all the while being to create disruption in
the ranks of the "so>called." The "so-called'
were in truth, afraid that those two absent, 9TH
sr,Oiss-ndmed, would stray in upon them some
day and dispute their right to the permanent or
ganization. So they took their cue from their
opponents, ahd confdentally insinuated to those
of their friends on the outside, who are not pro-
verbal for keeping secrets, that there was great
nees, and expressed great fear that if the rads
came into the House they would make up tick
ct from among the diseordant elements and elect
it, In the meantime they kept it constantly
"before the people that the three absent demo-
Gratis from Walla Walla were hourly expected,
which, if all the members came in, would make
the House stand l6 'so-called" to l3 olherWlse-
named, and one conservative. The bait was
swallowed, and on Thursday morning, after the
Gr,a al-ar,, had OH el6yCQ
estrays strobe into the hall with tread as intre-
pid as the pole has described the j. as in his on
ward march to the sack of oats. After they had
taken their seats their first business was to raise
a question about the legality () of the temporas
| ry organization, and after repeated assurances
from the Chair that it "would sustain itself,
they offered formal protest signed by each one
of them, declaring their intention to appeal the
matter to the U. S. Supreme Court of the Terri
ry for a decision upon its legality. The idea OF
| trying a question of parliamentary usage struck
the 50 called exceedingly funny aud to the sur
prise of the otherwise named, (whO had no idea
but their big scare would be voted down at once
motion was made that their protest be accepted
and spread upon the journal, according to their
request. The vote upon the question was unanl-
nous. The following day they asked that the
wording of their protest be changed SO as to read
that they would apply to the Court for its opin-
ion upon the subject" But the so called thought
they had a good thing npon them and refused TO
alter. | may add, parenthetcally, that the So
called have the reputation here of being fair
set of men, and it is presumed that if the other
wise named 'ackuowledge the corn" and ask
that the protest be expunged from the journal it
will be done. Although worse things are done,
even in Congress by that party every day, it is no
credit to our Territory to have the journals of her
! legislature placing her law makers in positions
so ridiculous.
After the members had been sworn in, and the
question of Speaker came up, the so-called
seemed all at once to have forgotten their family
squabbles, and "Finnegan" like, they claimed
together, and voted in body for their candis
| date for speaker, and elected their map on the
first ballot. The vote upon the other side showed
an equal unanimity-there being eleven votes
cast for their candidate, and one (the conserva-
tive) scattering vote. Upon the announcement
of the ballot, surprise, CONSERVATION and huge
disgust was depicted on the coIntenauces of the
otherwise-named; but there could be no backing
! down now, and they went through the balance
of the ordeal as meekly la nbs to the sacrifice.
The only consequences thus far appearing from
the contest is that the so-called have the burden
-acknpH npHedged by the otherwise named = to
bear of having "outNed themp'
| Although this warfare was carried on acrimo-
niously enough so long as it lasted, there is now
every indication that the session will be a har>
monious one, and that party strife will be set
aside for legislating for the interests of the
people.
Among the measures that will be introduced
| in which the people in onr county are interested,
is one changing the time of the meeting of the
| Suprme Court to the middle of September, and
the Legislature to the first Monday in October;
also, one requiring the re-registration OF the
| County Script of our county-giving holders six
months from the first day of next May to register
their SCRIPT and if they do not comply within
i that time to be forever barred as in the case OF
| notes under statute limitations. This measure
has been asked by the commissioners and other,
| prominent men in the county, in order that the
| actual debt of the county may be ascertained it
| being we'll known that considerable amount
of script has been destroyed and lost; besides, ii
has always been claimed that a large amount is
sued by the early auditors of the county vas
never registered. A law of this kind will Settle
| the question as to the amount Of Indebtedness,
besides relieving our officers of uncomplimsnta
| ry imputations which those unacquainted with
the true state of affairs are liable to make. An
other law, comforting upon the county comInis.
sioners The power to FIJI vacancies in county af.
fairs by appointment will also be iutrod uced.
The road law will be materially changed; the
city limits of Walla Walla will be extended and
other laws in WHICH we are indirectly interested
will also be changed. 1t is proposed By members
| from other counties to make our election laws
conform to the biennial arrangement of the leg
islature. This plan seems to meet with favor,
as it is argued that if all the officers are elected
a. one time, the counties will be saved oneihali
their election expenses, under the present ar
rangement of annual elections To some of the
counties this is considerable item; but the
measure will not be hurried through without
Proper consideration.
We have had two whole days of clear weather
which are said to be the irstseen here in month
We are told that it has beN unusually rainy
this season; but my own experience convinces
me thatit has been just like seven rainy seasons
that spent years ago in Webfoot-the climate
here being just ike that-snd that the people
here, like the 0regonians there, are, upon the
weather question, somewhat like the republicans
say the democrats were in the organization o.
the House-pFone to II 7 -T-ca 4sisw !.
The farmers here complain of dull times, al
though they are getting better prices for their
grain than the Walla Wallsus, and many Of theu
are talking Of emigrating to our side, of thu
mountains Certainly withths poor lands here
abouts=bsings mostly gravel prairies or .denselJ