The Montana post., 1869-01-08
OUR VIRGINIA LETTER.
u Correetion-Progre of Business
They read the Postwar of the
Roses The Best Legislature
ssOuFs Represeutattves-A Capital
mpIaceucY-SOcfal.

-
COmplacency-Soc
The Correspondent of the Posi- desires
to correct statement made by late
correspondent of the Gazette, To- the ef.
feet that your correspondent had swim
died the Territory out of several thou
sand dollars by accepting the extra
compensation allowed by the legislaN
lures. that he in his official capacity de-
clared "A bogus institution Ii was
legal legislature which allowed your
correspondent the several thousand
dollars, and the bogus" Legislature that
tried To deprive him of it. The swim
die, so far as he was concerned, was on
the side OF the law, Tut the attempt TO
swindle him, and good many other
citizens, was ca the bogus" side of the
question. Ths diserence is worthy of
note. The cores pOntent of he Ga
zette, however "asJuts as =. legislator
now, evidently is not posted cos-ecJiy in
past history. Wonder if 10 v0 "a for
the 1000 extra compensation The
people will remember it of him unless
he makes his position more apparent
than he has done in his letter.
Business in both Houses progress
slowly. OF sixty or seventy bills in.ro>
duced, only seventeen have as yet been
approved by the Governor, and there are
will not surprise you, l hope. TO learn
that nearly every subject To which you
called the attention of the Legislature
just before it's session, has been made
the subject of Legislative amendment
The dear extra compensation law failed
and the members Will have their sixteen
dollars per day. The corporation law
placer mining, the act relating 10 fires.
the homestead law. the law for the ray
ment of jurors, witnesses, &c, the act
concerning Jurors, the collection of the.
revenue-all these. and several others
have been changed in accordance with,
the recommendations which from time
to time appeared in the columns Of she
Posr, thus atfording corr
plete democratic vindication Of
the course which that
paper pursued, and which was so often
and so violently assailed by the Gazette
and Democrat. You need not fear to
contest the champions right for the
Posi-, as between your recommendations
and legislative action. The extra com.
pensation of members, however. which
you thought should be reduced, the leg
islators ignored. That was a trial be-
tween the conscience and the pocket
and the pocket triumphant; and so in
the gentlemanly language of the
Gazette correspondent, the Legislators
will continue the same sort OF "swin-
.dle'' upon the Territory. that the Judges
did under the Bannack law, the legisla-
tive correspondent himself perhaps
among the number.
The House and the Council do not Jog
along very harmoniously. A House
bill, however perfect is sure to be re-
turned from the Council with amend
Il
bills in the House. Then comes the
Chief Clerk with polite request to re-
cede then the body referred TO refuses
then committe of conference. and the
bill is either compromised or killed out
rig.t. You should hear the discussions
which their ATrings introduced. There
are a few members in both Houses al
ways ready for a speech, and if need be
for half dozen speeches, over a subject
matter of inconsiderable Importance.
There are among the Legislators, many
more who are disgusted with these pro-
tracted discussions, men who are really
anxious 10 serve the Territory, get
through with business and adjourn, but
they are men who make few speeches,
aud always to the purpose. In The
House there are no better working mem
bers than Stapleton, Mayhew, and Al.
eXander They make few speeches, their
reports are brief and pertinent, and
their good sense enables them to dis
criminate between a good and bad
law. In the Council they are all takers
to a considerable extent, and every sub
ject that is discussed, affords
every one an opportunity to
speak. AS whole, the
Legislature is the best one we have had
in the Territory. There are G few
among the younger members who lose
no opportunity to display their zeal for
party. This is apparent in the reports
as well as the speeches. One can hardly
see the propriety of this coarse in a
body which has everything it's own
way. Our members, Messrs Wilson and
Wentworth are treated with the utmost
courtesy and politeness, and from moths
ing in their votes, or, indeed, in the
transaction of business, are they dissin-
guishable as politicians from the other
members Of the House, with this differ
ence perhaps, that they are quiet, atten-
tive to business, make no speeches, and
fully appreciate that their situation is
not favorable one for the promulga-
ton of Republican sentiments. If all
the members would initiate them, we
would have had all the laws passed
that we need, and the legislature would
have adjourned a fortnight ago.
You have a summary of all the laws
passed. i'll your daily kilograms. The
Governor signed the Capital bill on FRI
day, and returned il to the Council to-
day. 1t produced no great sensation.
Our people understand fully that Capi>
tails never make large cities, and are
generally very stupid places. except du-
ring legislative session. See, for ex-
ample, Albany, Harrisburg, etc. etc.
The holidays are over. They have
gone very hard with some of US New
Years was a gala day. Callers were out
en- Badssc, and all merry and jubilant.
The sleighing continues, and is inns
proved by all. The Governor has an