Litchfield enquirer., 1873-07-24
OUR LEGISLATORS.

The leaders of the Senate were Messrs. Tenny, Elmer and Hoyt on the part of the Republicans; Wheeler. Stoddard, and Landers on the Democratic side. Mir. Barton of Salisbury did vast deal of talking, not always to the purpose. Messrs. Smith and Roberts of the 18th and 18th Districts took sensible, independent views of things, and were valuable members of the Senate.
 The Democrats of the House, though strong in numbers, were unusually weak in talent and experience. Hence Mir. Eaton's stubornness produced evil re- suits that would not have ensued had there been some live, counteracting in- fuence-like that of Tom Waller, for in- stances-to stir up some opposition to the Eaton-Jones duumvirate. Mir. Judd of Stratford made better leading legis- tor than we had expected while Bab- cock of New Haven played quite an insignificant part. Jones of Hartford proved a really good leader, except Tn one or two instances in which he was evidently influenced by the prejudi- ces of his associate. MT. w. W. Eaton held much the same relation to the House that Thiers held but lately to the French Assembly. His control was perhaps wise but there was little too much of 1t, es- pecially in caucus.
 The finest speaker in the House, and one of its most influential members, was the Hon. Henry B. Harrison of New Ha- ven. But he was in minority; in politics, on the capital amendment, and in the constitutional convention matter. Even without Mir. Harrison the Republicans had an unusually strong representation in the House. There were three ex-Speak- ers-Wait, Treat and Bugbee--M Messrs. Carr of Simsbury, Houston on Enfield, Phillips of Putnam, and number of oth- CT able and experienced legislators.
 It is cheerful to learn that the lobby complain of very bad year. No fights came off between great corporations (what is there left to fight the consolidated N. Y., N. H. X Hartford Cop and Hartford and New Haven failed to put any money into the capital question this year.
 The Springfield Republican has mi in- teresting letter on the legislature, last week, from which we make the following clippings:
 Of the good things that the Legislature | did, or rather did not do, I next place l their action or rather non-aetiop in the mater of superior court judges. What | ever the motives of some of its members, the Senate certainly were right in insist ing on sticking to their own nominations, unless the House would send up better lot of names, which that body, under the lead of Eaton and Wait, persistentiy re- | fused to do.
 Of the foolish things done by the Leg
 islature, note most prominent the pas sage of usury law and the rejection of the proposition for a constitutional con- ventiOn. And the worst of it is, in both these matters, the men of brain in both houses, with few honorable exceptions, voted from fear of their constituents, rather than from their honest convictions: On the whole, have been disappointed in MT. Eaton, for, while he was made an excellent speaker, he has proved himself more than ever shrewd, intriguing poli- 1 tlcian. * MT Harrison is an extraordinarily able man, and if he can shake himself free of a crowd of would-be parasites in New Ha- ven, that seek to make his abilities step ping stone to their own success, he will deserve the highest honors the state can Ha&Iey, our two most fatl feaattlesse aD4gs agd republicans, should not be brought into fullest sympathy. With these two men in the United States Senate, Connecticut would have such representation as she has never vet had. ...