Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1870-02-26
ARE CorxrY OrrIcKRs TO BE ELECTED


AT THE ENsrl>U ELECTION This is a
question which has been discussed by the
Statesman. the Union asd the Tribune.
aud We believe that all agree in the con-
struction to be placed upon tho acts Of
Congress relating thereto, aud that all
officers are elective at the next Juue cleo
ton. The provisions relating To tho mat
ter are embraced in an &C: passed March
81. 1859. as follows:
"Proridcd, That hereafter the members Of
both branches OF the legislative assemblies Of
the several territories. shall be chosen for the
term Of two wears. and the sessions Of the egs-
la,ive assemblies shall be biennial. And each
territorial legislature shall, ut its first session
after the passage OF this act, make provision
by law for carrying this act into effect
The Territorial law passed in conform
ity with the act making the sessions Of the
Legislature Assembly biennial, at the ses-
sion Of 1861, provides for the election
of ALL officers on the lst Of Juno succeed
ing, or June 1867, and biennally thcreaf-
ter. The requirement Of the last clause
in the above quotation, however, has not
been complied with by our Legislature.
On the same day the above act was passed,
Congress passed another act, more def
ni,ely fixing the time for general elections,
as follows:
BE IL enacted By tie Senate and House Of R,p-
resentdsirrs Of the United States Of America IN
Congress assembled, That elections in the Ter
rtories Of Washington and Idaho for delegates
to the House Of Representatives of the forty
second Congress shall be held on the first
Monday ofJune, ammo Domini eighteen hum
drcd and seventy, ana afterwards liennially
on the first Monday of June and such officers
in said Territories as are now elected ut the
! same time with their delegates shall be elected
for Offices thereafter to be filled at the times
herein specified, unless otherwise provided by
! the laws ofsaid Territory"
Now the whole question hinges upon
the construction to be placed upon the
words "un!css otherwise provided etc.
The proper inference appears to be that
| Congress alluded to subsequent and not
antcccdent action Of the Legislature. II
the Legislature at its last session had
provided for election Of county officers, at
time different from the election of Del
esatc, it had the power to do so, but fail
ing to make such provision the intent of
the act of Congress must rule. We pre-
sumo the Central Committees Of the re-
spective parties will consider this matter,
and ask, if deemed advisable, a judicial in.
depreciation of the existing law.
| ----------.>
| WILKINS MICAwBER REvIvCs.-Thoso
who have read the epistolary illusions Of
the eccentric wilkins Micawbcr, as por-
trayed by Charles Dickens, will observe a
striking similarity between them aud the
letter which appears below, both in style
aud diction. 1t may serve, likewise, as
an illustration of the rcd-tape" style Of
literature, which frequently cmanates from
the several departments of the General
Government. III these, however, the con
GLIDING sentence would have road cen
velopcs containing bids must be endorsed
Proposals for building woodshed."
OLYMPIA, W. T., Feb. %.
- -, ESQ:
Dear Sir: In contemplation of the erection
of small ediice posterior to the one now oc.
cupied by Messrs. Wood & Grimm, tailor and
shoemaker, am requested by my elder in Of
flee to inform you that if you are not other.
wise engaged at present, and want the job to
build the aforementioned woodhousc, YOU
> will please favor
Yours truly,
by answ ering by the bearer,