The semi-weekly miner., 1885-03-21
OUR HELENA LETTER.

DUB HELENA LEFThHe
Brief Mention Of the Personal Of the
Csuncil.
And . Glancc ii the Members Of the
House.
Special correspondence Of the MINER.
HELENA, March, Is, 1885.
In point Of ability the members OF
the Fourteenth LegislativeAssembly
t ,ken as q whole, will compare 'avor-
ably with any other like body ofmeD
that has ever met together at the
Capital of the Territory. In each
body there W. re few able men Of
extended experience in pubic aft .irs
whose sole aim was to advance the
inters st, Of their con .titlents and Of
the Territory, while on the other
hand there We're others who seemed
altogether out Of place in . legislative
assembly.
TUE COCN.IL
was, empbatlcally, a conservative
body of men, and probably the most
harmonious one ever called together
in the history of Montana. Colonel
Stephen DeWolfe. of Silver Bow
county, was its acknowledged leader
Az a fluent speaker, a ready debateI
and cogent reasoner his superior Ii
seldom found in any legislative
body. Mr.. DsWolfe was generalt,
right upon every proposition dis.
cussed in the Council and the forclb e
manner In which he sustained his
position had great weight In de.
termining the action of the body.
But probably the most remarkable
character in the Council was the
HON. JAMES FERGUS,
member from Meagher county
Though born and educated in Scot
land Mr.. Fergus is thoroughly
Western 10 speech, manner and
habits. He has battled with the
wild surroundings of Western
countries nearly all his manhood
days. This experience combined
With his naturally determined and
not extensively obstinate disposition
adds to bis manner q flavor of posi-
tlveness If not of aggressiveness
found only in those who have passed
all their lives upon the frontier Rut
exposure and age have bent his form
and whltened his locks and long
flowing beard, and now as he moves
slowly along, leaning heavily upon
his canes he looks every Inch the
Patriarch that he is, and the stranger
Us he looks into his bright aud kind.
~ ey es and listens to the tones Of his
strong but pleasant voice feels that
he is in the presence of remarkable
man. Mr.. Fergus made several
speeches some of which though
not strictly orthodox from
q religious point of view,
indicate the fearless and posi-
tive character of the man. He IN
troduced the bill for the formation of
Judith county, which tecame a law
with one amendment only. which
consisted in changing
the name of the new county from Ju-
dith to Fergus, q compliment to the
Patriarch as deserved rs it was we'll
THE HON. ED. CAkDwELI
was one of the most useful members
Of the Council. Possessing large leg
lslatiye experience, well-cultivatsd
and well-balanced mind; q fair
speaker, q ready debater, thoroughly
informed in regard to the needs of
:he Territory and earnestly desiring
70 advance its interests, Mr.. Card
we'll was a power Ia the Council.
Jefferson county was extremely for
;unate in having Mr.. Cardwell to de-
end and advance its interests In the
present legislative assembly. No
,ne could h ave been more watchful
md jealous of her welfare than the
Hon. Edward Card we'll.
DIR. A. H. MITCHELL,
II Deer Lodge county, is an 9TH Ter
OF that body who is perfect
y at home in legislative hall. The
Doctor has the honor Observing more
;erms in the Council than any other
nan in Montana. He introduced in !
md carried through the Council the
ill to punish effectively women
which the House killed by
me majority. 1t Vas the Doctors
bird attempt to carry the bill
to q place upon our statute
,ooks. It will not be his last If the
Honorable gentleman should agaio
70 returned to the legislature. DR..
Mitchell is the parliamentarian of
he Council.
THE HON. w. A. CHEssMAN,
rom LIE wis and Clark, is another
who has been repeatedly re.
urned to the Council. Mr.. Chess.
nan is a gentleman of sound judg-
nent, Industrious and conscientiou.
n the discharge of his duties, and
vas always found ohampioning such
measures as he believed were In the
li-ect line of the interests of the Ter-
:itory. Mr.. Chessman Is q valuable
Of the Fourteenth LegislA-
i've Assembly OF Montana.