The Montana post., 1868-12-25
OUR VIRGINIA LETTER.

EDITOR POsT An Interesting discns-
sion took place in the Council this af-
ternoon, on the bill proposing TO tax
Cinnamon. The power of the Legisla-
ture in this respect, was assumed, by
several of the disputants, TO be omnipo-
tent, Treaties were of no account, and
nothing seemed to answer but that Chi
namen should be taxed. Mr. Davis, of
Madison, and Mr.. Orr, of Meagher, were
really the only persons who understood
that there were any treaty provisions up
on the subject. The latter gentleman
took broad ground, that no foreigner
should be permitted to- work on mines,
who did not declare, legally. his inten~
tiOns TO become n a citizen of the United
States. j have not seeD,the bill and do
not understand its provisions, but the
treaty with China, provides that ,he peo-
pie OF that country may have, hold and
work ground, anu if Legislative enactS
ments cOntravert that. john will go
back on his constitutional rights aud
laugh at our legislation. . I..... ..
The Homestead Bill was discussed,
and will probably pass in the form in
which it was presented, with repeal
ing clause of all former exempt ons. This
will give every man homestead. who
nate enough TO fail in business, will lose
their all #.t .F ..
The effort of Mr.. Rand TO reduce the
extra compensation of members from
twelve to six dollars per diem, was voted
down in the Council, after a brief and
spirited discussion. The members are L.
:ermined To take care OF themselves. Mr.
Rand and Mr.. Orr argued strongly
in favor of the reduction but Baggs,
Dance and Mitchell made strong speech
es against it, and seemed to think the
people would find fault with it, The
House is essentially careless. of its re-
ligious interests. One motion to elect a
Chaplain was lost. 1t was then moved
that the right Rev. Bishop Tuttle offici>
ate ss Chaplain while he remained in
the city but even this the House was
graceless enough to veto by a vote of 13
To IL, This indifference TO spiritual mat
ters, be il understood, does not apply to
saloons They are well patronized.
The movements of the Legislature ins
dicate that It's members are of opinion
there is little to do. Ii such is the case.
there is no good reason why the session
should continue more than twenty DAYS
longer. | could mention the names of
five members in the Council who occupy
about two thirds of the time in speech
making upon subjects so unimpcrtant
that they have already disgusted one or
two of the new members. | like the
spirit of independence with which some
of the substantial members denounce
this folly. Dance, to>day, in few
words told the debaters that their talk
was nonsense. Three or four such men
as Dance and English would hurry bust
ness and make legislation a business, as
il should be.
Nothing more worth mentioning. ..
ONCE MORE
Virginia City, Dec. 14th. 1868
Of the Bill Relating to Fines-Why
they would not have a hapIain-Stamps TO
Take Home-Assessment Squabble--tIf a
! body meet Bawdy"--Nothing to do.
In the House. quite lively discussion
sprung up on the passage of the bill re-
lating TO fires, and the protection of tim
ber. Mr.. Brison of Summit, who aspires
at leas to be conspicuous member. in
speech ofsome twenty minutes, covinced
every one who heard him, that he could
not see why the old law of last Session.
with ali it's enormities should not stand.
He thought it was just the thi ng. Mr..
who is not the head of the
judiciary Committee, and who by the
bye. Is one of the most talented mem
bers of the House, made a speech of ten
minutes, In which he dissected the old
law thoroughly. He depounced it as
foolish law. which no court of Justice
would enforce, and as dangerous law
In every respect. He said he has boldly
violated it himself two hundred times
since its passage, and he made it appear
pretty clearly, that any one accus-
tomed TO camping. would almost neces-
sarily violate it every time he built a
camp FIRE. Mr. EHis also made what lie
thought was a speech. looked cold
chunks of wisdom through his r'specks''
and sat downtxith an air of iAtlantean
grandeur. lie, OF course, Is the ID Israeli
of tire "Comrnons. ',c1ne act pissed, Mr..
Brison voting in the negative Iwisll
your readers TO bear in mind, that II
was Mr.. Wilson g motion that was voted
down on the Chaplain question, h' irf-
The House sent committees 10 the
Governor toSdasi, TO ascertain how'many
postage stamps each member was en-
titled TO. The Governor had arranged
Tor their postal facilities. and so informed
them days ago, but they were dissatisfied
With it, aud seized upon the occasion 10
tell him so. The committee were in I
structed TO say to him. THAT they did not
wish anything tddoa~ith a Post office
IF his creation. ,The cGst0m now almost
universal with eastrrn Legislatures OF
a Post Office for the accom-
nodatiou OF 1pembers is distasteful u
lnr Iegisiators- H. may be that some
postage stamps could be saved by ignor-
ing H. IL was to Say the least OF il. bad
taste. OUT Ufso tnsiaaliic,.nt a matter 10 \
ltusfnpt 20 put q tault upon Goyernpr
rnfts;, who las BY every mean at lbs
command and at no little PERSONAL sacri-
ice, endeavored TO accommodate the
legislative assembly.