The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-16

preparations of land for the support OF
schools and I would recommend that a
special commission be Instituted 10 re-
port on the whole school syStem I will
also recommend mat congress he me-
morfallzei 10 appropriate land for an uni
versity-"
The closing words OF this message are as
follows BE assured that, chief rnagis-
srate or citizen my efforts shall De Joined
With yours. and those of our citizens TO
prepare her for the company OF that giors-
Gus sfsferbood Of states. which has made
the name OF America immortal
Gov Stevens lacked just one month OF
being 3s years old when that first message
was delivered 10 the legislative assembly
on February Is 1854 The message shows
a clear conception of the condition. pros
poets and dangers of the territory He adj
vises the building OF roads and the organ
ization OF the militia 10 guard against In
dian depredatsons. His career OF active.
weIi-directed energy is well portrayed in
this message.
Immediately after listening TO the mes
sage Mr. Hale introduced house bill No. 1.
which became a law after some amend
ments. This first law speaks the greatest
praise for the common sense of those plo-
neers who laid the foundations of our COM
monweaIth II provided for the three
code commission 10 prepare the first body
OF laws for the new territory Mr.. Denny.
in remarking about the excellence of this
work says that il is a pity that subse-
uuert sessions did not leave that code
alone for at least ten or twelve years. At
the close Of the session the following COM
munication is spread upon the journal:
..The period having arrived for the final
adjournment OF your honorable body, We
deem 1t not inappropriate in making our
final report. 10 express our sense OF the
honor conferred in appointing US 10 as
rist in framing body of laws. which are
TO be the foundation of jurisprudence IN
our young territory. The work mas DeeH
from our limited time and from the want
Of the statutes OF most OF the olcer
states etc. etc.
Signed by Edward Lander. Victor Mon
zee and William Strong.
The Judges are given vote or thanks
and the house proceeded with the usual
closing ceremonies.
We have turned the leaves of this old
book forward and backward, cleaning
only a few of the materials or sugges-
lions. 1t is probably clear enough that II
one volume will suggest SO much of his
torical interest, forty-four Of the volumes
will prove rich storehouse for the stu
dent When studied more closely with the
volumes of session laws. these journals
are sure 10 yield an abundance of ma
terial for history.
Mr.. Denny has told me an interesting
story about the close of this first session.
which / think has never before appeared
in print. 1t shows that the old pioneer
legislators were just as frolicsome and
frisky as the men who have sometimes
been called their degenerate successors.
The pioneers seem TO have waited until
their legislative work was done before
participating in their 'jamboree- The
II had made arrangements for large
canoe and crew of Indians to take me
home on the morning after adjournment.
and was hurrying TO the boat, when
committee from headquarters gave chase.
Headquarters was the place where the
boys were having a high old time ! was
captured and taken back TO headquarters.
l was offered glass of whisky, and upon
declining the crowd yelled:
Make him drink, Make him drink
''They grabbed me by the collar and
settled back for what / supposed was go
ing to be a nasty fight. when Elwood Ev-
ans spoke up as follows:
No, boys. don't make him drink. l
propose that we drink to the health of the
only member of the legislature who con-
sistently lives up to the principles of the
Maine liquor law
This seemed to satisfy the crowd. They
ufdnk most heartily 10 my utditH anu
made my escape to the waiting canoe.
As j FASTENED along l noticed my good
friend George N. McConaha. president of
the first council. running like a deer with
another headquarters committee at his
heels. They caught him. and the last
time / saw my friend the committee was
marching him back TO headquarters.
Now, Mr.. McConaha was man of supe-
rior parts and one / always held in the
highest esteem. He had been previously
addicted to the liquor habit. and | never
saw man make more heroic efforts than
he did to overcome that habit. So you can
CINE with what feelings of sorrow I
pushed off the olympia beach in my canoe.
On his return Mr. McConaha's canoe was
overturned in a storm off the southern
shore of Vashon island and he was drown
ed. The delay and the liquor at the
headquarters may have had nothing TO
do with his untimely death. but there are
many people who will always believe that
he would have continued in a long life of
usefulness IL he had not been oyertaken
by that unfortunate committee"
EDMOND STEPHEN MEANY.