The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1849-11-14
llinnes Ot:a Letters--NO. 8.
Clos OF THE MINNESOTA LEG1sLATuRE.-
SPEECH OF Nh. JoHNsoN-PoLlTlcs, ETC.

Clos OF THE MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE
SPEECH OF Nh. JoHNsoN-PoLlTIcs, ETC
ST.. PAUL, Nov. 4.
The end Of the first session Of the Min
nesota Legislature has arrived. AT six
o'clock on Thursday evening the House
was called 10 order. The Committee OF
Conference, to which had been referred
the disagreeing votes eff the two Houses
on the Printing bill, reported. So, the
printing is now divided between the two
presses in St. Paul-the Democratic Press
having about two-thirds Of the work
Saint Paul remains the temporary Seat
Of Government. The appropriation bill,
defraying the expenses OF the session,
contains numerous interesting features.
The Secretary Of the Territory is allow
ed .fre hundred dollars for extra duties,
anxiety Of mind, experimenting the do
ings Of the Assembly, and generally help
ing the progress of tho democratic party,
in various ways, instead Of splicing GER
tain few. 1t is good pay, but his labors
are we'll appreciated by the democrats
The stationery bill amounted to sere''
hundred and seventy dollars, which would
allow each member about thirty dollars
worth Of stalionery;-but this amount
never was received by any member of
either house. A Wing member stated
to the House as follows: 81 understand
from an assistant in the Secretary's office,
that the prices in this bill! are double the
are double the original cost Of the arti-
Giles in Philadelphia" The Secretary
manifested some anxiety during the pas
sage ofthe bill, but you will! not, Of course,
infer that he could, in any way, be in
terested in the mat,er-although I was
told by person very intimate with the
Secretary, that considerable speculation
was carried on by him, through another
mans name-and various hints were
thrown out during the evening, that will
cause some little excitement as soon as
the transactions are more fully made
known. An eminent Wing remarked to
democratic member and myself, when
speaking in reference TO the crtra pay
"Tha! this allowance could not properly
be made;-the Secretary Of the Terrific.
ry had no right to ask extra pay for per-
forming the duties encumbent upon him,
while his salary covered all these"-and
concluded by saying, that "thc trouble
with Mr.. Smith was, his being so sudden
ly elevated from the humble Office Of As.
sociate Judge in Ohio, to one he was TO-
tally incapable Of filling; that he was out
Of his sphere, and sought to increase his
Importance by assuming a character with
his station, he could not sustain" This,
allow me to say, is an opinion have
heard expressed by numerous other
Wings; in fact, prominent officer in the
Territory, wrote me about the middle Of
the session, when referring 10 the Secre-
tary Of the Territory-Q copy the Ian
guage from the originaD DEC. K. Smith
may, perhaps, behave foolishly in some
matters, but he does not control the Wings
Of Minnesota By id sight" This will
prove to you the manner in which the
most influential office in this Territory is
flled-and that while it is occupied by
the present incumbent, the Democratic
party have nothing to fear, but every.
thing to gain. You are aware that the
Territorial appointments have not yet
been confirmed; but although several
leading men here doubt all Of them being
sanctioned, yet, is to be hoped no change
will be made at present; for, while mat
ters remain as at this time, perfect har.
mony mustprevail among the democrats
But pardon this depression.
During the evening, while the House
was waiting messages from the Govern.
or and Council, they took several recess
es to pass the leisure pleasantly, as it was
evident sunrise would find them in session
There was much animation, but the besl
Of feeling prevailed. About two O'Clock
on Friday morning, calf, cooked in the
most approved method, was served up ia
the members Of the House; and after q
frugal mealon zeal and stu0ing, the House
again resumed business. The Appropri-
etjon bill was returned, signed BY the