, 1878-12-12

OLYMPIA, Oct. 25, 1878.
BERIAH BRowN, Esq,
Editor lntelligencer:
Will you permit me space in your
columns in reply to the letter of N.
H. Owings, Secretary, published in
your issue of the 10Th inst?
1t was with considerable surprise
that l read the charge therein made,
holding Me responsible for the non
publication of the House Journal,
when he knew it was directly at va
rance with truth.
AS regards the filing Of journals
at the close of each session OF the
Legislature have simply to say that
those having knowledge Of legisla.
tive work know that it is absolutely
impossible to file the Journal of the
House with the Secretary at the
close of the term.
The Chief Clerk, as such, holds
his office for two years, and has the
right to keep the journal until it is
ready to be fled in the Secretary's
office.
The law does not require him to
file it in an unfinished state, nor
within specified time, but he can
hold it until completed to his salts
faction. The Chief Clerk alone be
ing responsible for it's correct trans
cription. That, however, does not
prevent its being printed as required
by law, as it has been customary
heretofore for the public printer to
get the proceedings of the House
from the Clerk in the form in which
they are approved by the House.
The Council Journal of 1877, was,
however, printed from the book it.
self, as Mr.. Merry, its Chief Clerk,
had destroyed his minutes as soon as
they were entered into the journal.
1t is not so with mine.
1t is true that Mr. Merry filed the
Journal of the Council shortly after
the adjournment of the Assembly,
but it is likewise true that in the
work of preparing the Journals Of
each House there is no comparison.
The reason why the Council Jour
nal was filed the next day after the
adjournment of the Assembly, was
because, under a resolution of the
Council, Mr.. Merry kept the Door
keeper at work transcribing into the
Journal when he was not himself so
engaged, and at the close of the
term the work which would have de-
volved upon him was completed, all
but one day or so.
The proceedings of the Council
with its nine members are, as you are
aware, nothing in volume and labor
compared to these of the House with
its thirty members. And after the
business had been a number of days
under way | secured by resolution,
the services of the Engrossing Clerk
of the House to transcribe the min
utes into the Journal. So volumin-
Gus were its proceedings that, at the
close of the term of 4U days, but
part of nine days proceedings were
entered therein, leaving the remain
der to be completed after the ad-
journment by myself.
Mr.. Hughes, my assistant, than
whom can be found no more efficien.
an officer, had, like myself, hard
ly an idle moment during the whole
term, and with the duties devolving
upon us, to transcribe the minutes
into the Journal during the term,
was, for either of us, simply impos-
sible, as every member of the House
well remembers.
Now Mr.. Editor, in regard to the
facts in this matter. Early in the
Spring, before Mr.. Bagley, public
printer, had completed the publica
tion of the Laws, &C., which claimed
his first attention, and before he was
ready to take up the Journals of the
Assembly, he came to me and asked
for the minutes Of the House Jour
nal in order that it might be deter
mined which Journal should be
printed-the Council or House-as